[197]. Arab. “Al-‘Ár.” The Badawi saying is “Al-nár wa lá ‘l-‘ár” (Hell-)fire, but not shame. The sentiment is noble. Hasan the Prophet’s grandson, a poor creature demoralised by over-marrying, chose the converse, “Shame is better than Hell-fire.” An old Arabic poem has:—
The Fire and not shame be the Lord of thee
And e’en to The Fire from shame go flee.
Al-Hariri (Ass. of the Badawin) also has:—
For rather would I die my death than shame,—
On bier be borne than bear a caitiff’s name.
THE MAD LOVER.
Quoth Abu ‘l-Abbás al-Mubarrad,[[198]] I set out one day with a company to Al-Bárid on an occasion and, coming to the monastery of Hirakl,[[199]] we alighted in its shade. Presently a man came out to us and said, “There are madmen in the monastery,[[200]] and amongst them one who speaketh wisdom; if ye saw him, ye would marvel at his speech.” So we arose all and went into the monastery, where we saw a man seated on a skin-mat in one of the cells, with bare head and eyes intently fixed upon the wall. We saluted him, and he returned our salam, without looking at us; and one said to us, “Repeat some verses to him; for, when he heareth verse, he speaketh.” So I repeated these two couplets:—
O best of race to whom gave Hawwá[[201]] boon of birth, ✿ Except for thee the world were neither sweet nor fair!