When saw she 'twas a grey-beard, Desiring yet a kiss,
Not satiate with caresses, She sought his fond embrace.
And at this moment cried she, Hasten and bring the sweets!
Whereat a youth refreshed me, With wine as honey soft,
More fragrant than carnations, Within a lovely bower,
Than roses or the cypress, In my nostrils was its odour.
And the lute thrummed and thrummed to me, And the drum rumbled low;
The dancers swayed, swayed, swayingly; The clappers clapped, clapped, clappingly;
The mutton roasted frizzlingly, On leaves from quince-tree plucked;
The turtle-dove cooed ceaselessly, Reiterating wearyingly.—
[1] Yet now upon a wretched ass, Thou mayst behold me borne.
Upon three legs it hobbleth, Hobbleth as do the lame.
And men throughout the market, With pebbles stoned my camel:
And coming round affrighting me, They followed and preceded me;
But fleeing, on I passed, Though dreading the ass should fall,
To meet in face the king, The honoured, the revered.
So shall he order me a robe, Red as is my red blood;
In walking I shall raise it, Glorying in my train.
I am 'Almaï the Polished, Whose tribe dwells in el-Máwsal;
My education surpassing all, I have composed a beautiful ode:
In its opening words I say, By the piping voice of the Bulbul.
The historian continues: And it was so difficult that the King could not remember it. And he looked towards the Mamlûk and the slave-girl, but they had neither of them learnt it. So he cried, "O brother of
- ↑ Though in times past all these delights were mine, poverty has brought me to my present condition.
