than sleepy finish for us thy tale that we may cut short the watching of
this our latter night!” She replied:——With love and good will! It hath
reached me, O auspicious King, the director, the right-guiding, lord of
the rede which is benefiting and of deeds fair-seeming and worthy
celebrating that the Pirate cried out, “This tale is heavy upon my
heart!” Presently the damsel resumed her speech and said:—Walláhi! if my
mother and my father say sooth this be my sire and that be my cousin and
here standeth the King and there the Wazir and yonder are the Ra’is and
the Pirate, the comrade of the Forty Thieves whose only will and wish
was to dishonour us maidens all. Then she resumed, addressing the King
and his Minister, “These forty Mamelukes whom you see standing between
your hands are the virgin girls belonging to you.” After which she
presented the twain with sumptuous gifts and they took their maidens and
with them went their ways. Next she restored to the Ra’is his ship and
freighted it with her good and he set forth in it on his return voyage.
But as regards the Pirate she commanded her attendants to kindle for him
a furious fire and they lit it till it roared and the sparks flew high
in air, after which they pinioned him and cast him into the flames,
where his flesh was melted before his bones.[40] But as concerned her
cousin she caused the marriage tie to be tied between him and the
Wazir’s daughter and he paid her his first visit on that same night and
then she ordered her father to knit the wedding knot with the youth on
the next night and when this was done forthwith he went in unto her.
After this she committed to him the Sultanate and he became a Sovran and
Sultan in her stead, and she bade fetch her mother to that city where
her cousin governed and where her father-in-law the Wazir was chief
Councillor of the realm. On this wise it endured for the length of their
lives, and fair to them were the term and the tide and the age and the
time, and they led of lives the joyfullest and a livelihood of the
perfectest until they were consumed by the world and died out generation
of the generation.[41]
HISTORY OF AL-HAJJAJ BIN YUSUF AND THE YOUNG SAYYID.[42]
It is related (but Allah is All-knowing) that there was in times of yore
a man named ’Abdullah al-Karkhí and he was wont to tell the following
tale:—One day I was present in the assembly of Al-Hajjáj the son of
Yúsuf the Thakafí[43] what time he was Governor of Kúfah, and the folk
around him were seated and for awe of him prostrated and these were the
Emirs and Wazirs and the Nabobs and the Chamberlains and the Lords of
the Land and the Headmen in command and amongst whom he showed like a
rending lion. And behold, there came to him a man young in years and
ragged of raiment and of case debased and there was none of blossom upon
his cheeks and the World had changed his cuticle and Need had altered
his complexion. Presently he salam’d and deprecated and was eloquent in
his salutation to the Governor who returned his greeting and looking at
him asked, “Who art thou, O young man, and what hast thou to say and
what is thine excuse for pushing into the assembly of the Kings even as
if, O youth, thou hadst been an invited guest?[44] So say me, who art
thou and whose son art thou?” “I am the son of my mother and my father,”
answered he, and Al-Hajjaj continued, “In what fashion hast thou come
hither?”—“In my clothes.” (¿) “Whence hast thou come?”—“From behind me.”
(¿) “Whither art thou intending?”—“Before me.” (¿) “On what hast thou
come?”—“On the ground.” (¿) “Whence art thou, O young man?”—“I am from
the city Misr.” (¿) “Art thou from Cairo?”[45]—“Why askest thou me, O
Hajjaj?” Whereupon the Lieutenant of Kufah replied, “Verily her ground
is gold and her Nile is rare to behold and her women are a toy for the
conqueror to enjoy, and her men are nor burghers nor Badawis.” Quoth the
youth, “I am not of them,” and quoth Al-Hajjaj, “Then whence art thou, O
young man?”—“I am from the city of Syria.” (¿) “Then art thou from the
stubbornest of places and of the feeblest of races.”[46] “Wherefore, O
Hajjaj?”—“For that it is a mixed breed I ween, nor Jew nor Nazarene.” “I
am not of them.” (¿) “Then whence art thou, O young man?”—“I am of
Khorásán of ’Ajamí-land.” (¿) “Thou art therefore from a place the
fulsomest and of faith the infirmest.”—“Wherefore, O Hajjaj?” (¿)
“Because flocks and herds are their chums and they are Ajams of the
Ajams from whom liberal deed never comes, and their morals and manners
none to praise presumes and their speech is gross and weighty, and
stingy are their rich and wealthy.” “I am not of them.” “Then whence art
thou, O young man?” “I am from Mosul.” (¿) “Then art thou from the
foulest and filthiest of a Catamite race, whose youth is a scapegrace
and whose old age hath wits as the wits of an ass.” “I am not of them.”
(¿) “Then whence art thou, O young man?” “I am from the land of
Al-Yaman.” (¿) “Then art thou from a clime other than delectable. And
why so, O Hajjaj?” (¿) “For that their noblest make womanly use of
Murd[47] or beardless boys and the meanest of them tan hides and the
lowest amongst them train baboons to dance, and others are weavers of
Burd or woollen plaids.”[48] “I am not of them.” (¿) “Then whence art
thou, O young man?” “I am from Meccah.” (¿) “Then art thou from a mine
of captious carping and ignorance and lack of wits and of sleep
over-abundant, whereto Allah commissioned a noble Prophet, and him they
belied and they rejected: so he went forth unto a folk which loved him
and honoured him and made him a conqueror despite the nose of the Meccan
churls.” “I am not of them.” (¿) “Then whence art thou, O young man? for
verily thou hast been abundant of prate and my heart longeth to cut off
thy pate.”[49] Hereupon quoth the youth, “An I knew thou couldst slay me
I had not worshipped any god save thyself,” and quoth Al-Hajjaj, “Woe to
thee, and who shall stay me from slaying thee?” “To thyself be the woe
with measure enow,” cried the youth; “He shall hinder thee from killing
me who administereth between a man and his heart,[50] and who falseth
not his promise.” “’Tis He,” rejoined Al-Hajjaj, “who directeth me to
thy death;” but the Youth retorted, “Allah forfend that He appoint thee
to my slaughter; nay rather art thou commissioned by thy Devil, and I
take refuge with the Lord from Satan the stoned.” (¿) “Whence then art
thou, O young man?” “I am from Yathrib.”[51] (¿) “And what be Yathrib?”
“It is Tayyibah.” (¿) “And what be Tayyibah?” “Al-Madinah, the Luminate,
the mine of inspiration and explanation and prohibition and
licitation,[52] and I am the seed of the Banú Ghálib[53] and the purest
scion of the Imam ’Ali ibn Abí Talíb (Allah honour his countenance and
accept of him!), and all degree and descent[54] must fail save my
descent and degree which shall never be cut off until the Day of Doom.”
Hereupon Al-Hajjaj raged with exceeding rage and ordered the Youth to
execution; whereat rose up against him the Lords of the realm and the
headmen of the reign and sued him by way of intercession and stretched
out to him their necks, saying, “Here are our heads before his head and
our lives before his life. By Allah, ho thou the Emir, there is naught
but that thou accept our impetration in the matter of this Youth, for he
is on no wise deserving of death.” Quoth the Governor, “Weary not
yourselves for needs must I slay him; and even were an Angel from Heaven
to cry out ’Kill him not,’ I would never hearken to his cry.” Quoth the
youth, “Thou shalt be baffled[55] O Hajjaj! Who art thou that an Angel
from Heaven should cry out to thee ’Kill him not,’ for thou art of the
vilest and meanest of mankind nor hast thou power to find a path to my
death.” Cried Al-Hajjaj, “By Allah, I will not slay thee except upon a
plea I will plead against thee, and convict thee by thy very words.”
“What is that, O Hajjaj?” asked the Youth, and answered Hajjaj, “I will
now question thee, and out of thine own mouth will I convict thee and
strike off thy head.[56] Now say me, O young man:—Whereby doth the slave
draw near to Allah Almighty?” “By five things, prayer (1), and fasting
(2), and alms (3), and pilgrimage (4), and Holy War upon the path of
Almighty Allah (5).” “But I draw near to the Lord with the blood of the
men who declare that Hasan and Husayn were the sons and successors of
the Apostle of Allah.[57] Furthermore, O young man, how can they be born
of the Apostle of Almighty Allah when he sayeth, ’Never was Mohammed the
father of any man amongst you, but he was the Apostle of Allah and the
Seal of the Prophets,’”[58] “Hear thou, O Hajjaj, my answer with another
Koranic verse,[59] ’What the Apostle hath given you, take: and what he
hath refused you, refuse.’ Now Allah Almighty hath forbidden the taking
of life, whose destruction is therefore unlawful.” (¿) “Thou hast spoken
sooth, O young man, but inform me of what is incumbent on thee every day
and every night?” “The five canonical prayers,” (¿) “And for every
year?” “The fast of the month Ramazán.” (¿) “And for the whole of thy
life?” “One pilgrimage to the Holy House of Allah.” (¿) “Sooth thou hast
said, O young man; now do thou inform me”——And Shahrazad was surprised
by the dawn of day, and fell silent and ceased to say her permitted say.
Then quoth her sister Dunyazad, “How sweet is thy story, O sister mine,
and how enjoyable and delectable!” Quoth she, “And where is this
compared with that I would relate to you on the coming night an the King
suffer me to survive?” Now when it was the next night and that was
The Five Hundred and Twelfth Night,
Dunyazad said to her, “Allah upon thee, O my sister, an thou be other
than sleepy finish for us thy tale that we may cut short the watching of
this our latter night!” She replied:——With love and good will! It hath
reached me, O auspicious King, the director, the right-guiding, lord of
the rede which is benefiting and of deeds fair-seeming and worthy
celebrating, that Al-Hajjaj said, “Now do thou inform me who is the most
excellent of the Arabs and the noblest and of blood the purest?”—“The
Khoraysh.” (¿) “And wherefore so?” “For that the Prophets from them
proceeded.” (¿) “And what tribe is the knightliest of the Arabs and the
bravest and the firmest in fight?”—“The Banu Háshim.”[60] (¿) “And
wherefore so?” “For that my grandsire the Imám Alí ibn Abí Tálib is of
them.” (¿) “And who is the most generous of the Arabs and most steadfast
in the guest-rite?”—“The Banu Tayy.” (¿) “And wherefore so?” “For that
Hátim of Tayy[61] was one thereof.” (¿) “And who is the vilest of the
Arabs and the meanest and the most miserly, in whom weal is smallest and
ill is greatest?” “The Banu Thakíf.”[62] (¿) “And wherefore so?”
“Because thou, O Hajjaj, art of them.” Thereupon the Lieutenant of Kufah
raged with exceeding rage and ordered the slaughter of the youth; but
the Grandees of the State rose up and prayed him for mercy, when he
accepted their intercession and pardoned the offender. After which he
said to him, “O young man, concerning the kid[63] that is in the
firmament, tell me be it male or female?” for he was minded on this wise
to cut short his words. The young Sayyid replied, “O Hajjaj, draw me
aside its tail, so I may inform thee thereanent.”[64] (¿) “O young man,
say me on what pasture best grow the horns of the camel?” “From leaves
of stone.” (¿) “O lack wit! do stones bear leaves.” “O swollen of lips
and little of wits and wisdom, say me do camels have horns?” (¿) “Haply
thou art a lover fond, O youth?” “Yes! in love drowned.” (¿) “And whom
lovest thou?”—“I love my Lord, of whom I hope that he will turn my annoy
into joy, and who can save me this day from thee, O Hajjaj.” (¿) “And
dost thou know the Lord?” “Yes, I do.” (¿) “And whereby hast thou known
Him?” “By the Book of Him which descended upon His Prophet-Apostle.” (¿)
“And knowest thou the Koran by heart?” “Doth the Koran fly from me that
I should learn it by rote?” (¿) “Hast thou confirmed knowledge thereof?”
“Verily Allah sent down a book confirmed.”[65] (¿) “Hast thou perused
and mastered that which is therein?” “I have.” (¿) “Then, O young man,
if thou have read and learned what it containeth, tell me which verset
is the sublimest (1) and which verset is the most imperious (2) and
which verset is hopefullest (3) and which verset is fearfullest (4) and
which verset is believed by the Jew and the Nazarene (5) and in which
verset Allah speaketh purely of Himself (6) and in which verset be the
Angels mentioned (7) and which verset alludeth to the Prophets (8) and
in which verset be mentioned the People of Paradise (9) and which verset
speaketh of the Folk of the Fire (10) and which verset containeth
tenfold signs (11) and which verset (12) speaketh of Iblís (whom Allah
accurse!).” Then quoth the youth, “Listen to my answering, O Hajjaj,
with the aid of the Beneficent King.” Now the sublimest verset in the
Book of Allah Almighty is the Throne verse;[66] and the most imperious
is the word of Almighty Allah, ’Verily Allah ordereth justice and
well-doing and bestowal of gifts upon kith and kin’;[67] and the justest
is the word of the Almighty, ’Whoso shall have wrought a mithkál (nay an
atom) of good works shall see it again, and whoso shall have wrought a
mithkál (nay an atom) of ill shall again see it’;[68] and the fullest of
fear is that spoken by the Almighty, ’Doth not every man of them desire
that he enter into the Paradise hight Al-Na’im?’[69] and the fullest of
hope is the word of the Almighty, ’Say Me, O My worshippers who have
sinned against your own souls, do not despair of Allah’s ruth’;[70] and
the verset which containeth ten signs is the word of the Lord which
saith[71] ’Verily in the Creation of the Heavens and the Earth and in
the shifts of Night and Day and in the ships which pass through the sea
with what is useful to mankind; and in the rain which Allah sendeth down
from Heaven, thereby giving to the earth life after death, and by
scattering thereover all the moving creatures, and in the change of the
winds, and in the clouds which are made to do service between the
Heavens and the Earth are signs for those who understand’; and the
verset wherein believe both Jews and Nazarenes is the word of Almighty
Allah,[72] ‘The Jews say the Nazarenes are on naught, and the Christians
say the Jews are on naught, and both speak the sooth for they are on
naught.’ And the verset wherein Allah Almighty speaketh purely of
Himself is that word of Almighty Allah,[73] ’And I created not Jinn-kind
and mankind save to the end that they adore Me’; and the verset which
was spoken of the Angels is the word of Almighty Allah which saith,[74]
’Laud to Thee! we have no knowledge save what Thou hast given us to
know, and verily Thou art the Knowing, the Wise.’ And the verset which
speaketh of the Prophets is the word of Almighty Allah that saith[75]
’And We have already sent Apostles before thee: of some We have told
thee, and of others we have told thee naught: yet no Apostle had the
power to come with a sign unless by the leave of Allah. But when Allah’s
behest cometh, everything shall be decided with truth; and then perish
they who entreated it as a vain thing’; and the verset which speaketh of
the Folk of the Fire is the word of Almighty Allah which saith[76] ’O
our Lord! Bring us forth from her (the Fire), and, if we return (to our
sins), we shall indeed be of the evildoers’; and the verset that
speaketh of the People of Paradise is the word of Almighty Allah,[77]
’And they shall say: Laud to the Lord who abated to us grief, and verily
our lord is Gracious, Grateful’; and the verset which speaketh of Iblis
(whom Allah Almighty accurse!), is the word of Almighty Allah,[78] ’He
said: (I swear) therefore by Thy Glory, that all of them will I surely
lead astray.’ Hereupon Al-Hajjaj exclaimed, “Laud to the Lord and
thanksgiving Who giveth wisdom unto whoso He please! Never indeed saw I
a youth like this youth upon whom the Almighty hath bestowed wits and
wisdom and knowledge for all the tenderness of his age. But say me, Who
art thou, O young man?” Quoth the youth, “I am of the folk of these
things,[79] O Hajjaj.” Resumed the Lieutenant, (¿) “Inform me concerning
the son of Adam what injureth him and what profiteth him?” And the youth
replied, “I will, O Hajjaj; do thou and these present who are longing
for permanency (and none is permanent save Allah Almighty!) be early the
fast to break, nor be over late supper to make; and wear light
body-clothes in summer and gar heavy the headgear in winter, and guard
the brain with what it conserveth and the belly with what it preserveth
and begin every meal with salt for it driveth away seventy and two kinds
of malady: and whoso breaketh his fast each day with seven raisins red
of hue”——And Shahrazad was surprised by the dawn of day and fell silent
and ceased saying her permitted say. Then quoth her sister Dunyazad,
“How sweet and tasteful is thy tale, O sister mine, and how enjoyable
and delectable!” Quoth she, “And where is this compared with that I
would relate to you on the coming night an the Sovran suffer me to
survive?” Now when it was the next night, and that was
The Five Hundred and Fourteenth Night,
Dunyazad said to her, “Allah upon thee, O my sister, an thou be other
than sleepy, finish for us thy tale that we may cut short the watching
of this our latter night!” She replied:——“With love and good will! It
hath reached me, O auspicious King, the director, the right-guiding,
lord of the rede which is benefiting and of deeds fair-seeming and
worthy celebrating, that the youth continued to Al-Hajjaj:—And whoso
breaketh his fast daily with seven raisins red of hue shall never find
in his body aught that irketh him; moreover, whoso each morning eateth
on the spittle[80] three ripe dates all the worms in his belly shall be
slain and whoso exceedeth in diet of boucan’d meat[81] and fish shall
find his strength weakened and his powers of carnal copulation abated;
and beware lest thou eat beef[82] by cause that ’tis a disease forsure
whereas the soured milk of cows is a remedy secure and clarified butter
is a perfect cure: withal is its hide a succour for use and ure. And do
thou take to thee, O Hajjaj, the greater Salve.”[83] Cried the
Lieutenant, “What may be that?” and said the youth in reply, “A bittock
of hard bread eaten[84] upon the spittle, for indeed such food consumeth
the phlegm and similar humours which be at the mouth of the maw.[85] And
let not blood in the hot bath for it enfeebleth man’s force, and gaze
not upon the metal pots of the Balnea because such sight breedeth
dimness of vision. Also have no connection with woman in the Hammam for
its consequence is the palsy; nor do thou lie with her when thou art
full or when thou art empty or when thou art drunken with wine or when
thou art in wrath nor when lying on thy side, for that it occasioneth
swelling of the testicle-veins;[86] or when thou art under a
fruit-bearing tree. And avoid carnal knowledge of the old woman[87] for
that she taketh from thee and giveth not to thee. Moreover let thy
signet-ring be made of carnelian[88] because it is a guard against
poverty; also a look at the Holy Volume every morning increaseth thy
daily bread and to gaze at flowing water whetteth the sight and to look
upon the face of children is an act of adoration. And when thou chancest
lose thy way, crave aidance of Allah from Satan the Stoned.” Hereupon
quoth Al-Hajjaj, “Allah hath been copious to thee, O young man for thou
hast drowned me in the depths of thy lore, but now inform me, Where is
the seat of thy dignified behaviour?”—“The two eyes.” (¿) “And where is
the seat of thy well-doing?”—“My tongue.” (¿) “And where is the seat of
thy intellect?”—“My brain.” (¿) “And where is the seat of thy
hearing?”—“The sensorium of mine ears.” (¿) “And where is the seat of
thy smelling?”—“The sensorium of my nose.” (¿) “And where is the seat of
thy taste?”—“My palate.” (¿) “And where is the seat of thy
gladness?”—“My heart.” (¿) “And where is the seat of thy sorrow?”—“My
soul.” (¿) “And where is the seat of thy wrath?”—“My liver.” (¿) “And
where is the seat of thy laughing?”—“My spleen.”[89] (¿) “And where is
the seat of thy bodily strength?”—“My two shoulders.” (¿) “And where is
that of thy weakness?”—“My two calves.” Hereupon Al-Hajjaj exclaimed,
“Laud to the Lord and thanksgiving; for indeed, O young man, I see that
thou knowest everything. So tell me somewhat concerning husbandry?”—“The
best of corn is the thickest of cob and the grossest of grain and the
fullest sized of shock.”[90] (¿) “And what sayest thou concerning
palm-trees?”—“The most excellent is that which the greatest of gathering
doth own and whose height is low-grown and within whose meat is the
smallest stone.” (¿) “And what dost thou say anent the vine?”—“The most
noble is that which is stout of stem and big of bunch.” (¿) “And what
sayest thou concerning the Heavens?”—“This is the furthest extent of
man’s sight and the dwelling-place of the Sun and Moon and all the Stars
that give light, raised on high without columns pight and overshadowing
the numbers that stand beneath its height.” (¿) “And what dost thou say
concerning the Earth?”—“It is wide dispread in length and breadth.” (¿)
“And what dost thou say anent the rain?”—“The most excellent is that
which filleth the pits and pools and which overfloweth into the wadys
and the rivers.” Hereupon quoth Al-Hajjaj, “O young man inform me what
women be the best”——And Shahrazad was surprised by the dawn of day and
fell silent and ceased to say her permitted say. Then quoth her sister
Dunyazad, “How sweet is thy story, O sister mine, and how enjoyable and
delectable!” Quoth she, “And where is this compared with that I would
relate to you on the coming night an the King suffer me to survive?” Now
when it was the next night and that was
The Five Hundred and Sixteenth Night,
Dunyazad said to her, “Allah upon thee, O my sister, an thou be other
than sleepy finish for us thy tale that we may cut short the watching of
this our latter night!” She replied:——With love and good will! It hath
reached me, O auspicious King, the director, the right guiding, lord of
the rede which is benefiting and of deeds fair-seeming and worthy
celebrating, that Al-Hajjaj said “O young man, inform me what women be
the best and the most enjoyable.”[91]—“One in winning ways excelling and
in comeliness exceeding and in speech killing: one whose brow glanceth
marvellous bright to whoso filleth his eyes with her sight and to whom
she bequeatheth sorrow and blight; one whose breasts are small whilst
her hips are large and her cheeks are rosy red and her eyes are deeply
black and her lips are full-formed; one who if she look upon the heavens
even the rocks will be robed in green, and if she look upon the earth
her lips[92] unpierced pearls shall rain; one the dews of whose mouth
are the sweetest of waters; one who in beauty hath no peer nor is there
any loveliness can with hers compare: the coolth of the eyes to great
and small; in fine, one whose praises certain of the poets have sung in
these harmonious couplets:[93]—
“A fair one to idolaters if she herself should show, They’d leave their
idols and her face for only Lord would know.
If in the Eastward she appeared unto a monk, for once He’d cease from
turning to the West and to the East bend low;
And into the briny sea one day she chanced to spit, Assuredly the salt
sea’s floods straight fresh and sweet would grow.”
Hereupon quoth Al-Hajjaj, “Thou hast said well and hast spoken fair, O
young man; and now what canst thou declare concerning a maiden of ten
years told?” Quoth the youth, “She is a joy to behold.” (¿) “And a
damsel of twenty years old?”—“A coolth to eyes manifold.” (¿) “And a
woman thirty of age?”—“One who the hearts of enjoyers can engage.” (¿)
“And in her fortieth year?”—“Fat, fresh and fair doth she appear.” (¿)
“And of the half century?”—“The mother of men and maids in plenty.” (¿)
“And a crone of three score?”—“Men ask of her never more.” (¿) “And when
three score and ten?”—“An old trot and remnant of men.” (¿) “And one who
reacheth four score?” “Unfit for the world and for the faith forlore.”
(¿) “And one of ninety?”—“Ask not of whoso in Jahím be”[94] (¿) “And a
woman who to an hundred hath owned?”—“I take refuge with Allah from
Satan the Stoned.” Then Al-Hajjaj laughed aloud and said, “O young man,
I desire of thee even as thou describedst womankind in prose so thou
show me their conditions in verse;” and the Sayyid, having answered,
“Hearkening and obedience, O Hajjaj,” fell to improvising these
couplets[95]:—
“When a maid owns to ten her new breasts arise ✿ And like diver’s pearl
with fair neck she hies:
The damsel of twenty defies compare ✿ ’Tis she whose disport we desire
and prize:
She of thirty hath healing on cheeks of her; ✿ She’s a pleasure, a plant
whose sap never dries:
If on her in the forties thou happily hap ✿ She’s best of her sex, hail
to him with her lies!
She of fifty (pray Allah be copious to her!) ✿ With wit, craft and
wisdom her children supplies.
The dame of sixty hath lost some force ✿ Whose remnants are easy to
ravenous eyes:
At three score ten few shall seek her house ✿ Age-threadbare made till
afresh she rise:
The fourscore dame hath a bunchy back ✿ From mischievous eld whom
perforce Love flies:
And the crone of ninety hath palsied head ✿ And lies wakeful o’nights
and in watchful guise;
And with ten years added would Heaven she bide ✿ Shrouded in sea with a
shark for guide!”
Hereupon Al-Hajjaj laughed aloud and all who were with him in assembly;
and presently he resumed, “O youth, tell me concerning the first man who
spake in verse[96] and that was our common sire, Adam (The Peace be upon
him!) what time Kábíl[97] slew Hábíl his brother when our forefather
improvised these lines:—
“Changed I see my country and all thereon; ✿ Earth is now a blackavice,
ugly grown:
The hue and flavour of food is fled ✿ And cheer is fainting from fair
face flown.
An thou, O Abel, be slain this day ✿ Thy death I bemourn with heart
tornand lone.
Weep these eyes and ’sooth they have right to weep ✿ Their tears are as
rills flowing hills adown.
Kábil slew Hábil—did his brother dead; ✿ Oh my woe for that lovely face,
ochone!”[98]