Page:The Celebrated Romance of the Stealing of the Mare.djvu/111

 And he turned to Abu Zeyd, " O Sheykh, give ear and hearken."

And Abu Zeyd took up the word and gave God praises:

"The sand is sand," said he, " but further hast thou nothing?

If thou hast ought beside leave it no longer hidden."

But when the diviner heard this word, his ire was kindled:

"The sand," he said, " O Prince, hath spoken all things truly,

It hath made known the sooth and shown the grey mare's robber;

Behold he sitteth here, one of the crowd around thee.

And the mare's self in a cave close shut behind thee lieth.

This is a certain truth. Praise be to God the knower.

Yet shall it plainer speak, so thou, O son of the great ones.

Give but the word they bring stone jars with wine and honey.

All that thou canst procure, with milk and meat and butter."

And they brought him all he desired, and he took from his bag an image.

An image made of gold, with talismans and figures.

Made in the likeness of man, with legs and arms and shoulders.

And on its hand a ring, a seal-ring set with jewels.