"Racked is my heart by parting fro' my friends * And two rills ever fro' my eyelids flow: With them[FN#279] went forth my hopes, Ah, well away! * What shift remaineth me to say or do? Would I had never looked upon their sight, * What shift, fair sirs, when paths e'er strainer grow? What charm shall calm my pangs when this wise burn * Longings of love which in my vitals glow? Would I had trod with them the road of Death! * Ne'er had befel us twain this parting blow: Allah: I pray the Ruthful show me ruth * And mix our lives nor part them evermo'e! How blest were we as 'neath one roof we dwelt * Conjoined in joys nor recking aught of woe; Till Fortune shot us with the severance shaft; * Ah who shall patient bear such parting throe? And dart of Death struck down amid the tribe * The age's pearl that Morn saw brightest show: I cried the while his case took speech and said:—* Would Heaven, my son, Death mote his doom foreslow! Which be the readiest road wi' thee to meet * My Son! for whom I would my soul bestow? If sun I call him no! the sun doth set; * If moon I call him, wane the moons; Ah no! O sad mischance o' thee, O doom of days, * Thy place none other love shall ever know: Thy sire distracted sees thee, but despairs * By wit or wisdom Fate to overthrow: Some evil eye this day hath cast its spell * And foul befal him as it foul befel!" Then he sobbed a single sob and his soul fled his flesh. The slaves shrieked aloud, "Alas, our lord!" and showered dust on their heads and redoubled their weeping and wailing. Presently they carried their dead master to the ship side by side with his dead son and, having transported all the stuff from the dwelling to the vessel, set sail and disappeared from mine eyes. I descended from the tree and, raising the trap-door, went down into the underground dwelling where everything reminded me of the youth; and I looked upon the poor remains of him and began repeating these verses:— “Their tracks I see, and pine with pain and pang * And on deserted hearths I weep and yearn: And Him I pray who doomed them depart * Some day vouchsafe the boon of safe return.”[FN#280]