200
says: "Behold me, O lovers, me who have a rose for mine own! Away from her, I, the nightingale, like a carrioncrow, sit on the dungheap!"
1232. The tears which flowed there from him would have melted a stone, the thicket of jet dammed them up, there is a pool on the rose-field. P'hatman rejoiced in him as if she were a nightingale[1]; if a crow find a rose it thinks itself a nightingale.
1233. Day dawned; the sun (Avt'handil) whose rays were soiled by the world went forth to bathe. The woman gave him many coats, cloaks,[2] turbans,[3] many kinds of perfumes, fair clean shirts. "Whatsoever thou desirest," said she, "put on; be not shy of me!"
1234. Avt'handil said: "This day will I declare mine affair."[4] The wearing of merchant garb had hitherto been his resolve. That day wholly in knightly[5] raiment he apparelled his brave form; he increased his beauty, the lion resembled the sun.
1235. P'hatman prepared a meal, to which she invited Avt'handil. The knight came in adorned, gaily, not with louring looks.[6] P'hatman looked, she was astonished that he was not in merchant garb; she smiled at him: "Thus is it better for the pleasure of them that are mad for thee."
1236. P'hatman exceedingly admired his beauty. He made no answer, he smiled to himself: "It seems she does not recognize me!"[7] How foolishly he behaved, how he invited (her)! Though he took some liberty he did not go farther.
1237. When they had eaten they separated, the knight went home; having drunk wine, he lay down merry, pleasantly he fell asleep. At eventide he awoke; he shed his rays across the fields. He invited P'hatman: "Come, see me, I am alone, quite alone!"
- ↑ Iadoni, Gr. In the preceding quatrain and in the last line of this quatrain, bulbuli, P.
- ↑ Qabacha, P., short fur coat, pelisse; 1126.
- ↑ Ride, veil.
- ↑ I.e., "I will declare myself."
- ↑ Sadchabuco, 1221.
- ↑ Pir-bnelad, 1223.
- ↑ The remainder of the quatrain is far from clear. ? For "he" read "she" in these two lines.
