I told them that it was my duty plain To reconcile them. I accorded both Of them most pure intentions. Then I sent Them home, and made agreeable the way. Their cares I drove away with honeyed words. I have composed the verses of this piece, With sense more delicate than rare perfume Of orange-flower or than sugar sweet, For those kind hearts who know how to forgive. As for the evil-minded, they should feel The _zeqqoum_. With the flowers of rhetoric My song is ornamented: like the breast Of some fair virgin all bedecked with stones Which shine like bright stars in the firmament. Some of its words will seem severe to those Who criticise. I culled them like unto A nosegay in the garden of allusions. May men of lion hearts and spirit keen-- Beloved by God and objects of his care-- Receive my salutations while they live, My countless salutations. I should let My name be known to him who's subject to The Cherfa and obeys their mighty power. The _mym_ precedes, then comes the written _ha_. The _mym_ and _dal_ complete the round and make It comprehensible to him who reads Mahomet. May God pardon me this work So frivolous, and also all my faults And errors. I place confidence in him, Creator of all men, with pardon free For all our sins, and in his mercy trust, Because he giveth it to him who seeks. The country girl and city girl appeared Before the judge, demanding sentence just. In fierce invectives for a while they joined, But after all I left them reconciled. POPULAR TALES OF THE BERBERS [_Translated by René Basset and Chauncey C. Starkweather_] STORIES OF ANIMALS THE TURTLE, THE FROG, AND THE SERPENT Once upon a time the turtle married a frog. One day they quarrelled. The frog escaped and withdrew into a hole. The turtle was troubled and stood in front of his door very much worried. In those days the animals spoke. The griffin came by that way and said: "What is the matter with you? You look worried this morning." "Nothing ails me," answered the turtle, "except that the frog has left me." The griffin replied, "I'll bring him back." "You will do me a great favor." The griffin took up his journey and arrived at the hole of the frog. He scratched at the door. The frog heard him and asked, "Who dares to rap at the door of a king's daughter?" "It is I, the griffin, son of a griffin, who lets no carrion escape him." "Get out of here, among your corpses. I, a daughter of the King, will not go with you." He departed immediately. The next day the vulture came along by the turtle and found it worrying before its door, and asked what was the trouble. It answered: "The frog has gone away." "I'll bring her back," said the vulture. "You will do me a great favor." The vulture started, and reaching the frog's house began to beat its wings.