desolation which lay far and wide before his eyes, and the case waxed heavy upon him, and he wept and groaned and complained of his case to Allah Almighty, saying, "O my God and my Lord and my Master, trace my lot an thou hast traced it upon the Guarded Tablet, for who shall right me save Thyself, O Lord of Might that is All-might and of Grandeur All-puissant and All-excellent!" Then he began improvising these verses, "Faileth me, O my God, the patience with the pride o' me; * Life- tie is broke and drawing nigh I see Death-tide o' me: To whom shall injured man complain of injury and wrong * Save to the Lord (of Lords the Best!) who stands by side o'me." Now whilst the Sultan Habib was ranging with his eye-corners to the right and to the left, behold, he beheld a blackness rising high in air, and quoth he to himself, "Doubtless this dark object must be a mighty city or a vast encampment, and I will hie me thither before I be overheated by the sun-glow and I lose the power of walking and I die of distress and none shall know my fate." Then he heartened his heart for the improvising of such poetry as came to his mind, and he repeated these verses, "Travel, for on the way all goodly things shalt find; * And wake from sleep and dreams if still to sleep inclined! Or victory win and rise and raise thee highmost high * And gain, O giddy pate, the food for which thy soul hath pined; Or into sorrow thou shalt fall with breast full strait * And ne'er enjoy the Fame that wooes the gen'rous mind, Nor is there any shall avail to hinder Fate * Except the Lord of Worlds who the Two Beings[FN#416] designed."