The Book of the Thousand Nights and a Night — Volume 08 (of 10)
General
The Book of the Thousand Nights and a Night — Volume 08 (of 10)
Fairy tales; Tales -- Arab countries
Then she wept with sore weeping and returned to the house, wailing and
remembering what had passed and saying, "Glory be to God who hath
decreed to us this!" And her affliction redoubled for severance from
her beloved and her departure from her mother-land, and she recited
these couplets,
"Allah's peace on thee, House of Vacancy! * Ceased in thee all
our joys, all our jubilee.
O thou Dove of the homestead, ne'er cease to bemoan * Whose moons
and full moons[FN#353] sorest severance dree:
Masrúr, fare softly and mourn our loss; * Loving thee our eyes
lose their brilliancy:
Would thy sight had seen, on our marching day, * Tears shed by a
heart in Hell's flagrancy!
Forget not the plight in the garth-shade pledged * When we sat
enveiléd in privacy:"
Then she presented herself before her husband, who lifted her into the
litter he had let make for her; and, when she found herself on the
camel's back, she recited these couplets,
"The Lord, empty House! to thee peace decree * Long we bore
therein growth of misery:
Would my life-thread were shorn in that safe abode * And o' night
I had died in mine ecstasy!
Home-sickness I mourn, and my strangerhood * Irks my soul, nor
the riddle of future I ree.
Would I wot shall I ever that house resee * And find it, as erst,
home of joy and glee!"
Said her husband, "O Zayn al-Mawasif grieve not for thy departure from
thy dwelling; for thou shalt return to it ere long Inshallah!" And he
went on to comfort her heart and soothe her sorrow. Then all set out
and fared on till they came without the town and struck into the high
road, whereupon she knew that separation was certain and this was very
grievous to her. And while such things happened Masrur sat in his
quarters, pondering his case and that of his mistress, and his heart
forewarned him of severance. So he rose without stay and delay and
repairing to her house, found the outer door padlocked and read the
couplets she had written thereon; upon which he fell down in a fainting
fit. When he came to himself, he opened the first door and entering,
read what was written upon the second and likewise upon the third
doors; wherefore passion and love-longing and distraction grew on him.
So he went forth and hastened in her track, till he came up with the
light caravan[FN#354] and found her at the rear, whilst her husband
rode in the van, because of his merchandise. When he saw her, he clung
to the litter, weeping and wailing for the anguish of parting, and
recited these couplets,
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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