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1005. "Why[1] doth the ardour of grief[2] for the heroes[3] continually burn me? why is my heart of rock and cliff become a hard rock? even three lances[4] cannot show a bruise[5] on me. Thou art the cause that this world is thus envenomed[6] for me."
1006. Avt'handil fares on alone to the seashore with the four slaves, with all his might he seeks balm for Tariel; weeping by day and night he pours forth pools of tears; all the world seems to him as straw, even as straw in weight.[7]
1007. Wherever he sees travellers walking by the shore he addresses them, he asks tidings of that sun (Nestan). He roamed a hundred days. He went up a hill; camels loaded with stuff appeared; merchants[8] distressed stood in perplexity[9] on the shore.
1008. A countless caravan was there on the seashore, they were distressed, they were gloomy, they could neither stand nor go forward. The knight greeted them; they hailed him with praise. He asked: "Merchants, who are ye?" They began to converse.
1009. Usam[10] was the chief of the caravan, a wise man. He uttered respectfully a perfect eulogy,[11] he invoked blessings on (Avt'handil) and praised his manners; he said: "O sun, thou art come as our life and comforter. Dismount; we will tell thee our story and business!"
1010. He dismounted. They said: "We are Bagdad merchants, holders of the faith of Mahmad; we never drink new wines[12]; we haste to trade in the city of the Sea-King: we are rich in wholesale goods,[13] we have no cut pieces of stuff.[14]
- ↑ Samsalebisa, with different meanings, is the ending of all the four lines of this taepi (quatrain), of which the sense is somewhat doubtful. For sali, cf. 330, 567, 1224, 1316.
- ↑ Samsala.
- ↑ Tariel and P'hridon, or ? "of heroes."
- ↑ Separation from T'hinat'hin, Tariel, and P'hridon.
- ↑ Leba.
- ↑ Gasamsaleba, envenom.
- ↑ Cf. 238.
- ↑ Mokaravneni, they of the caravan.
- ↑ Daqrit'h, 734.
- ↑ A., leader of caravan, here used as proper name.
- ↑ Khotba, P.
- ↑ Madjari.
- ↑ Sakonel srulni.
- ↑ Lari, silk stuff, goods in general, merchandise, treasure; nadjari, cut off, torn, ? second-hand.