In sooth for love I'm wet with railing tears, ○ That rail mine eyelids blood thou mightest say:
No marvel what I bear for love, 'tis marvel ○ That any know my "me" while thou'rt away:
Unlawful were our union did I doubt ○ Thy love, or heart incline to other May.
And eke these words:—
I feed eyes on their stead by the valley's side, ○ And I'm slain and my slayer[1] aside hath tried:
Grief-wine have I drunken, and down my cheeks ○ Dance tears to the song of the camel-guide:
For union-blessing I strive though sure, ○ In Budur and Su'ad all my bliss shall bide:[2]
Wot I not which of three gave me most to 'plain, ○ So hear them numbered ere thou decide:
Those Sworders her eyne, that Lancer her fig- ○ -ure, or ring-mail'd Locks which her forehead hide.
Quoth she (and I ask of her what so wights ○ Or abide in towns or in desert ride[3])
To me, "In thy heart I dwell, look there!" * Quoth I, "Where's my heart ah where? ah where?"
When Maymunah heard these lines from the Ifrit, she said, "Thou hast done well, O Dahnash! But say thou which of the two is the handsomer?" And he answered, "My mistress Budur is handsomer than thy beloved!" Cried Maymunah, "Thou liest, O accursed. Nay, my beloved is more beautiful than shine!" But Dahnash persisted, "Mine is the fairer." And they ceased not to wrangle and challenge each other's words till Maymunah cried out at Dahnash and would have laid violent hands on him, but he humbled himself to her and, softening his speech, said, "Let not the truth be a grief to thee, and cease we this talk, for all we say is to testify in favour of our lovers; rather let each of us with-
- ↑ In the first hemistich, "bi-shitt 'it wády" (by the wady-bank): in the second, "wa shatta 'l wády" ("and my slayer"—i.e. wády act. part. of wady, killing--"hath paced away").
- ↑ The double entendre is from the proper names Budúr and Su'ád (Beatrice) also meaning "auspicious (or blessed) full moons."
- ↑ Arab. "Házir" (also Ahl al-hazer, townsmen) and Bádi, a Badawi, also called "Ahl al-Wabar," people of the camel's hair (tent) and A'aráb (Nomadic) as opposed to Arab (Arab settled or not). They still boast with Ibn Abbas, cousin of Mohammed, that they have kerchiefs (not turbands) for crowns, tents for houses, loops for walls, swords for scarves and poems for registers or written laws.
