I weep for one whose lot a lonely death befel; *
Without a friend to whom he might complain and moan:
And after glory and glad union with his friends, *
He woke to desolation, friendless, lorn and lone;
What Fortune hides a while she soon to all men shall show; *
Death never spared a man; no, not a single one:
O absent one, my Lord decreed thee strangerhood, *
Far from thy nearest friends and to long exile gone:
Though Death forbid my hope of meeting here again, *
On Doom-day's morrow we shall meet again, my
son![FN#167]
Quoth I, O Commander of the Faithful, was he indeed thy son?' Quoth he, Yes, and indeed, before I succeeded to this office, he was wont to visit the learned and company with the devout; but, when I became Caliph, he grew estranged from me and withdrew himself apart.[FN#168] Then said I to his mother, Verily this thy son hath cut the world and devoted his life to Almighty Allah, and it may be that hard times shall befal him and he be smitten with trial of evil chance; wherefore do thou given him this ruby, which he may find useful in hour of need.' So she gave it him, conjuring him to take it, and he obeyed her bidding. Then he left to us the things of our world and removed himself from us; nor did he cease to be absent from us, till he went to the presence of Allah (to whom be Honour and Glory!), pious and pure.' Then said he, Come, show me his grave.' So, I travelled with him to Bassorah and showed him his son's grave; and when he saw it, he wept and lamented, till he fell down in a swoon; after which he recovered and asked pardon of the Lord, saying, We are Allah's and unto Him we are returning!'; and involved blessings on the dead. Then he asked me to become his companion, but I said to him, "O Commander of the Faithful, verily, in thy son's case is for me the most momentous of admonitions!' And I recited these couplets,
"Tis I am the stranger, visited by none; *
I am the stranger though in town my own:
Tis I am the stranger! Lacking kith and son, *
And friend to whom I mote for aidance run.
I house in mosques which are my only home; *
My heart there wones and shall for ever wone:
Then laud ye Allah, Lord of Worlds, as long *
As soul and body dwell in union!'"
And a famous tale is told of
THE UNWISE SCHOOLMASTER WHO FELL IN LOVE BY REPORT
Quoth one of the learned, "I passed once by a school, wherein a schoolmaster was teaching children; so I entered, finding him a good-looking man and a well-dressed; when he rose to me and made me sit with him. Then I examined him in the Koran and in syntax and prosody and lexicography; and behold, he was perfect in all required of him, so I said to him, Allah strengthen thy purpose! Thou art indeed versed in all that is requisite,' thereafter I frequented him a while, discovering daily some new excellence in him, and quoth I to myself, This is indeed a wonder in any dominie; for the wise are agreed upon a lack of wit in children's teachers.' Then I separated myself from him and sought him and visited him only every few days, till coming to see him one day as of wont, I found the school shut and made enquiry of his neighbors, who replied, Some one is dead in his house.' So I said in my mind, It behoveth me to pay him a visit of condolence,' and going to his house, knocked at the door, when a slave-girl came out to me and asked, What dost thou want?' and I answered, I want thy master.' She replied, He is sitting alone, mourning;' and I rejoined, Tell him that his friend so and so seeketh to console him.' She went in and told him; and he said, Admit him.' So she brought me in to him, and I found him seated alone and his head bound with mourning fillets. So I said to him, Allah requite thee amply! this is a path all must perforce tread, and it behoveth thee to take patience;' adding, But who is dead unto thee?' He answered, One who was dearest of the folk to me, and best beloved.' Perhaps thy father?' No!' Thy brother?' "No!' "One of thy kindred?' No!' Then asked I, What relation was the dead to thee?'; and he answered, My lover.' Quoth I to myself, This is the first proof to swear by his lack of wit.' So I said to him, Assuredly there be others than she and fairer;' and he made answer, I never saw her, that I might judge whether or no there be others fairer than she.' Quoth I to myself, This is another proof positive.' Then I said to him, And how couldst thou fall in love with one thou hast never seen?' He replied Know that I was sitting one day at the window, when lo! there passed by a man, singing the following distich,
Umm Amr',[FN#169] thy boons Allah repay! *
Give back my heart be't where it may!'"
And Shahrazad perceived the dawn of day and ceased to say her permitted say.
When it was the Four Hundred and Third Night,
She said, It hath reached me, O auspicious King, that the schoolmaster continued, " When I heard the man humming these words as he passed along the street, I said to myself Except this Umm Amru were without equal in the world, the poets had not celebrated her in ode and canzon.' So I fell in love with her; but, two days after, the same man passed, singing the following couplet,