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drew it out from under his thigh, weeping and lamenting and redoubling his sighs and groans, and repeated the following verses:
Blame ye the lover not, for blame but irketh him to hear; Indeed, I spoke him truth, but he to me would lend no ear.
God have her in His care, my moon that rises far away, Down in the valley, midst the camp, from out the collars’ sphere![1]
I left her; would to God my love had left me peace of life! So had I never parted been from her that held me dear.
O how she pleaded for my sake upon our parting day, What while adown her cheeks and mine tear followed upon tear!
May God belie me not! The wede of my excuse from me Was all to-rent for loss of her; but I will mend my cheer.
No bed is easy to my side, nor is her resting-place Ayemore reposeful unto her, now I’m no longer near.
For Fate with an ill-omened hand hath wrought upon our loves And hindered me from my delight and her from hers, yfere.
Indeed, what time it filled the cup, whereof she drank what I E’en made her drink, it poured us out grief, all unmixed and sheer.
Quoth Taj el Mulouk, ‘Thy conduct perplexes me; tell me why thou weepest at the sight of this piece of linen.’ When the young merchant heard speak of the piece of linen, he sighed and answered, ‘O my lord, my story is a strange and eventful one, with regard to this piece of linen and her from whom I had it and her who wrought the figures and emblems that be thereon.’ So saying, he unfolded the piece of linen, and behold, thereon were the figures of two gazelles, facing one another, one wrought in silk and gold and the other in silver with a ring of red gold and three bugles of chrysolite about its neck. When Taj el Mulouk saw the figures and the beauty of their fashion, he exclaimed, ‘Glory be to God who teacheth man that which he knoweth not!’ And his heart was filled with longing to hear the merchant’s story; so he
- ↑ The allusion here is to the face of a beloved one, which is likened to a moon rising out of her dress.
