It was as though the sable dye[[120]] upon her palms, ✿ Were raven perching on a swathe of freshest snow;
Thou seest Sun and Moon conjoined in her face, ✿ While Sun fear-dimmed and Moon fright-pallid show.
After I had eaten and drunk I said to the youth, "Know thou, O Chief of the Arabs, that I have told thee in all truth who and what I am, and now I would fain have thee do the like by me and tell me the truth of thy case." Replied the young man, "As for this damsel she is my sister." Quoth I, "It is my desire that thou give me her to wife of thy free will: else will I slay thee and take her by force." Upon this, he bowed his head groundwards awhile, then he raised his eyes to me and answered, "Thou sayest sooth in avouching thyself a renowned knight and famed in fight and verily thou art the lion of the desert; but if ye all attack me treacherously and slay me in your wrath and take my sister by force, it will be a stain upon your honour. An you be, as ye aver, cavaliers who are counted among the Champions and reck not the shock of foray and fray, give me a little time to don my armour and sling on my sword and set lance in rest and mount war-steed. Then will we go forth into the field of fight, I and you; and, if I conquer you, I will kill you to the last man; but if you overcome me and slay me, this damsel, my sister, is yours." Hearing such words I replied, "This is only just, and we oppose it not." Then I turned back my horse's head (for my love for the damsel waxed hotter and hotter) and returned to my companions, to whom I set forth her beauty and loveliness as also the comeliness of the young man who was with her, together with his valour and strength of soul and how he had avouched himself a match for a thousand horse. Moreover, I described to my company the tent and all the riches and rarities therein and said to them, "Know ye that this youth would not have cut himself off from society and have taken up his abode alone in this place, were he not a man of great prowess: so I propose that whoso slayeth the younker shall take his sister." And they said, "This contenteth us." Then my company armed themselves and mounting, rode to the tent, where we found that the young man had donned his gear and backed his steed; but his sister ran up to him (her veil being drenched with tears), and took hold of his stirrup and cried out, saying, "Alas!" and, "Woe worth the day!" in her fear for her brother, and recited these couplets:-
To Allah will I make my moan of travail and of woe; ✿ Maybe Ilàh of Arsh[[121]] will smite their faces with affright:
Fain would they slay thee, brother mine, with purpose felon-fell; ✿ Albe no cause of vengeance was, nor fault forewent the fight.
Yet for a rider art thou known to those who back the steed, ✿ And twixt the East and West of knights thou art the prowest knight:
Thy sister's honour thou shalt guard though little might be hers, ✿ For thou'rt her brother and for thee she sueth Allah's might:
Then let not enemy possess my soul nor 'thrall my frame, ✿ And work on me their will and treat thy sister with despight.
I'll ne'er abide, by Allah's truth, in any land or home ✿ Where thou art not, though dight it be with joyance and delight:
For love and yearning after thee myself I fain will slay, ✿ And in the gloomy darksome tomb spread bed upon the clay.