and indeed my heart became hoary before my head, for all the grief and affliction I had undergone. The old man ceased not from his swoon till nigh upon sundown, when he came to himself and looking upon his dead son, recalled what had happened and how what he had feared had come to pass: and he buffeted his face and head and recited the following verses: My heart is cleft in twain for severance of loves; The burning tears pour down in torrents from my eye. My every wish with him I loved is fled away: What can I do or say? what help, what hope have I? Would I had never looked upon his lovely face! Alas, the ways on me are straitened far and nigh! What charm can bring me peace, what drink forgetfulness, Whilst in my heart the fire of love burns fierce and high? Would that my feet had trod with him the road of death! Then should I not, as now, in lonely sorrow sigh. O God, that art my hope, have pity upon me! Unite us twain, I crave, in Paradise for aye! How blessed were we once, whilst one house held us both And twinned in pure content our happy lives passed by! Till fortune aimed at us the shafts of severance And parted us; for who her arrows can defy? For lo! the age's pearl, the darling of his folk, The mould of every grace, was singled out to die! I call him back: "Would God thine hour had never come!" What while the case takes speech and doth forestall my cry. Which is the speediest way to win to thee, my son! My soul had paid the price, if that thy life might buy. The sun could not compare with him, for lo! it sets. Nor yet the moon that wanes and wasteth from the sky. Alas, my grief for thee and my complaint of fate! None can console for thee nor aught thy place supply. Thy sire is all distraught with languishment for thee; Since death upon thee came, his hopes are gone awry. Surely, some foe hath cast an envious eye on us: May he who wrought this thing his just deserts aby! Then he sobbed once and gave up the ghost; whereupon the slaves cried out, "Alas, our master!" and strewed dust on their heads and wept sore. Then they carried the two bodies to the ship and set sail. As soon as they were out of sight, I came down from the tree and raising the trap-door, went down into the underground dwelling, where the sight of some of the youth's gear recalled him to my mind, and I repeated the following verses: I see their traces and pine for longing pain; My tears rain down on the empty dwelling-place! And I pray to God, who willed that we should part, One day to grant us reunion, of His grace!