Thou hast not anything withholdest Thou; ✿ Like pouring rain Thy grace is showerèd:

I’m shut therefrom by sins of me, yet Thou, ✿ O Clement, deignest pardon-light to shed.

O Care-Dispeller, deign dispel my grief! ✿ None can, save Thou, dispel a grief so dread.

Whilst he was praying and she was saying, “Amen,” and the thunder of horse-tramp nearing them, lo! the brave heard the voice of his dead brother, the martyr, speaking and saying, “O my brother, fear not, nor grieve! for the host whose approach thou hearest is the host of Allah and his Angels, whom He hath sent to serve as witnesses to your marriage. Of a truth Allah hath made His Angels glorify you and He bestoweth on you the meed of the meritorious and the martyrs; and He hath rolled up the earth for you as it were a rug so that, by morning, you will be in the mountains of Al-Medinah. And thou, when thou foregatherest with Omar bin al-Khattab (of whom Allah accept!) give him my salutation and say to him:—Allah abundantly requite thee for Al-Islam, because thou hast counselled faithfully and hast striven diligently.” Thereupon the Angels lifted up their voices in salutation to him and his bride, saying, “Verily, Almighty Allah appointed her in marriage to thee two thousand years before the creation of your father Adam (with whom be peace evermore!).” Then joy and gladness and peace and happiness came upon the twain; confidence was confirmed and established was the guidance of the pious pair. So when dawn appeared, they prayed the accustomed prayer and fared forward. Now it was the wont of Omar son of Al-Khattab (Allah accept him!) to rise for morning-prayer in the darkness before dawn and at times he would stand in the prayer-niche with two men behind him, and begin reciting the Chapter entitled “Cattle”[[487]] or that entitled Women;[[488]] whereupon the sleeper awoke and he who was making his Wuzu-ablution accomplished it and he who was afar came to prayer; nor had he made an end of the first bow, ere the mosque was full of folk; then he would pray his second bow quickly, repeating a short chapter. But, on that morning he hurried over both first and second inclinations, repeating in each a short chapter; then, after the concluding salutation, turning to his companions, he said to them, “Come, let us fare forth to meet the bride and bridegroom”; at which they wondered, not understanding his words. But he went out and they followed him, till they came to the gate of the city, where they met the young Moslem who, when the day broke and the standards of Al-Medinah appeared to him, had pushed forward for the gate closely followed by his bride. There he was met by Omar who bade make a marriage-feast; and the Moslems came and ate. Then the young Moslem went in unto his bride and Almighty Allah vouchsafed him children,——And Shahrazad, perceived the dawn of day and ceased saying her permitted say.

Now when it was the Four Hundred and Seventy-seventh Night,

She said, It hath reached me, O auspicious King, that Omar (on whom be peace!) bade make a marriage-feast; and the Moslems came and ate. Then the young Moslem went in unto his bride and Almighty Allah vouchsafed him children, who fought in the Lord’s way and preserved genealogies, for they gloried therein. And how excellent is what is said on such theme:—

I saw thee weep before the gates and ‘plain, ✿ Whilst only curious wight reply would deign:

Hath eye bewitcht thee, or hath evil lot ✿ ‘Twixt thee and door of friend set bar of bane?

Wake up this day, O wretch, persist in prayer, ✿ Repent as wont repent departed men.

Haply shall wash thy sins Forgiveness-showers; ✿ And on thine erring head some ruth shall rain: