"Adjaib, oh, wonderful," said Muktar; "if your country was such a land as this, with wine and oil, fruits and flowers, and running water, you might love it; but a barren desert!"
"The desert is for the free!" re-echoed Cassim, with a contemptuous smile. "What is your country, with all its beauties? The home of slaves! The peasant sows, but who reaps? yet even he loves his country. The Arab's fare of milk and meal, and dates, with liberty, is it not better than feasting without? His goats' hair tent is healthy and clean, protects him from all weathers, and contains those who are dear to him. Accustomed to gallop in freedom over trackless wastes, even the air he breathes in other lands oppresses him, and is too close and confined for his expansive feelings. The desert for the Arab, the town for the drudge. God is great!"
"Hear him, O Moslim," said Muktar; "he speaks like a priest, but give me the rebeb; here goes, for a soldier's song:—
MOORISH SONG.
"Charging steeds, and beautiful girls,
And the wine in the glass that laughs;
Are joys unbought by gold or pearls,
So I sing to my friend who quaffs.
Refrain—Qua ha ha: ha ha ha: ha haffs,
La ha ha: ha ha ha: ha haffs.
The wine laughs out with a ruby eye,
The sweet girl, with a soft eye black;
From my courser's eye the bright sparks fly,
As he speeds like the cloudy rack.
Qua ha ha: ha ha ha: ha haffs,
La ha ha: ha ha ha: ha haffs.
After madding race, I reach the place
Where my houri, in crystal slim,
Gives me rosy wine, with smiling face,
When her lips have first kissed the brim.
Qua ha ha: ha ha ha: ha haffs,
La ha ha: ha ha ha: ha haffs.
Then joy to the horse, with the rushing feet,
To the girl whose dark eye laughs;
And joy let us drink, in the red, red wine,
Thus I sing to my friend who quaffs.
Qua ha ha: ha ha ha: ha haffs,
La ha ha: ha ha ha: ha haffs."
"A song of Paradise!" said Cassim; "these are also God's blessings, O Muktar; some love one thing and some another."
Calls to horse now stopped their further amusement, and, striking their tents and collecting their carpets, they were soon all mounted, and accompanying the Sultan on his return to the town.