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deed—announce my death to him, be as if thou art drunk; say to him: 'For him is come to pass[1] the thing which none escape.' Give to the poor my treasure—gold, silver and copper.[2]
158. "Thus shalt thou help me after the best fashion, by this thou shalt aid me most; do not forget me soon, think of me often, take good thought of provision for me, pray for my soul. Remember my childhood; let thy heart be motherly[3] towards me."
159. When the slave[4] heard this he wondered, he was alarmed, from his eyes the hot tears poured like pearls. He said: "How can the heart deprived of thee rejoice? I know thou wilt not stay; so I cannot hinder thee in this matter.
160. "Why didst thou say thou wouldst appoint me in thy stead? How can I undertake the lordship, how can I imitate thee or resemble thee? It were better that the earth cradled me too than that I should have to think that thou art alone; rather let us both steal forth, I will accompany thee, take me with thee."
161. The knight replied: "Hearken unto me, I tell thee truth without beating about the bush:[5] when a lover would roam the fields, alone he must wander; a pearl falls to the lot of none without buying and bargaining. An evil and treacherous man should be pierced with a lance.
162. "To whom could I tell my secret? save thee, none is worthy. To whom can I entrust the lordship save thee, who else can do it well? Fortify the marches that the enemy may not encamp near.[6] Perchance I shall return, if God make me not to be wholly lost.
163. "Hazard kills equally be it one or a hundred. Loneliness can matter naught if the group[7] (? grouping)
- ↑ T'hko, 103, quotha.
- ↑ Cf. 784, 785, 810, 1558, 1571.
- ↑ Moimdedre, ? from deda, but perhaps "soften thy heart." Cf. Abul.
- ↑ Mona.
- ↑ Dchrelad—lit., in a variegated manner; 121, 1465.
- ↑ 142, 148, 303, 388, 761, 1537. Cf. Dr. J. B. Bury's Romances of Chivalry on Greek Soil, Oxford, 1911, p. 17.
- ↑ Dasi—lit., rank, host; 33.
