She said, It hath reached me, O auspicious King, that Adi abode with Hind bint Al-Nu’uman bin Munzir three years in all solace of life and its delight, after which time the King was wroth with Adi and slew him. Hind mourned for him with grievous mourning and built her an hermitage outside the city, whither she retired and became a religious, weeping and bewailing her husband till she died. And her hermitage is seen to this day in the suburbs of Hirah. They also tell a tale of
[178]. Hírah in Mesopotamia was a Christian city and principality subject to the Persian monarchs; and a rival to the Roman kingdom of Ghassán. It has a long history, for which see D’Herbelot.
[179]. A pre-Islamite poet.
[180]. Arab. “Biká’a,” alluding to the pilgrimages made to monasteries and here equivalent to, “Address ye to the road,” etc.
DI’IBIL AL-KHUZA’I WITH THE LADY AND MUSLIM BIN AL-WALID.
(Quoth Di’ibil al-Khuzá’i[[181]]), I was sitting one day at the gate of Al-Karkh,[[182]] when a damsel came past, never saw I a fairer faced or better formed than she, walking with a voluptuous swaying gait and ravishing all beholders with her lithe and undulating pace. Now as my eyes fell on her, I was captivated by her and my vitals trembled and meseemed my heart flew forth of my breast; so I stood before her and I accosted her with this verse:—
The tears of these eyes find easy release; ✿ But sleep flies these eyelids without surcease.
Whereon she turned her face and looking at me, straightway made answer with this distich:—
A trifle this an his eyes be sore, ✿ When her eyes say “yes” to his love-caprice!