But when Tahmíneh heard this tale of woe, Think how a mother bore the mortal blow! Distracted, wild, she sprang from place to place; With frenzied hands deformed her beauteous face; The musky locks her polished temples crowned. Furious she tore, and flung upon the ground; Starting, in agony of grief, she gazed-- Her swimming eyes to Heaven imploring raised; And groaning cried: "Sole comfort of my life! Doomed the sad victim of unnatural strife, Where art thou now with dust and blood defiled? Thou darling boy, my lost, my murdered child! When thou wert gone--how, night and lingering day, Did thy fond mother watch the time away; For hope still pictured all I wished to see, Thy father found, and thou returned to me, Yes--thou, exulting in thy father's fame! And yet, nor sire nor son, nor tidings, came: How could I dream of this? ye met--but how? That noble aspect--that ingenuous brow, Moved not a nerve in him--ye met--to part, Alas! the life-blood issuing from the heart Short was the day which gave to me delight, Soon, soon, succeeds a long and dismal night; On whom shall now devolve my tender care? Who, loved like thee, my bosom-sorrows share? Whom shall I take to fill thy vacant place, To whom extend a mother's soft embrace? Sad fate! for one so young, so fair, so brave, Seeking thy father thus to find a grave. These arms no more shall fold thee to my breast, No more with thee my soul be doubly blest; No, drowned in blood thy lifeless body lies, For ever torn from these desiring eyes; Friendless, alone, beneath a foreign sky, Thy mail thy death-clothes--and thy father, by; Why did not I conduct thee on the way, And point where Rustem's bright pavilion lay? Thou hadst the tokens--why didst thou withhold Those dear remembrances--that pledge of gold? Hadst thou the bracelet to his view restored, Thy precious blood had never stained his sword."