Page:The Celebrated Romance of the Stealing of the Mare.djvu/32

 "Whence and what man art thou? our stranger guest or a prowler? "

And I, "A poet am I, a singing man of the singers,

One from his youth afoot, the world's guest, and a stranger,

Singing the praise of kings, the generous souled, the noble."

And they, "A welcome, poet, to thee be eighty welcomes.

Make thou a verse for us, display us of thy cunning."

And I, "I hear and obey, a thousand times obedient."

And I clutched at my rebab and set her strings in order,

And took my bow in my hand, and making preparation

Struck the notes for a song of the songs of the Hejazi.

And I sang with reiteration, in four and twenty metres,

Hymns in praise of the- great, the glorious one, the Prophet,

In measured phrase and verse—and afterwards recorded

Noble deeds of the world, the gathered sheaves of wisdom.

Giving to each its text. And last I came in my singing

To him the generous one, Fadel the Agheyli Jaber.

And they cried to me as I sang, "This Fadel is our chieftain.

If but thou go to him he shall reward thee fairly

With raiment of all choice, and jacynth stones and jewels.

Perfumes and broidered silks, and purple and fine linen."

And I, "Quick, hold my camel. Anon will I be with ye."

And the herdsmen answered " Ay, and eighty thousand welcomes.