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saw much people and tents pitched on the sea-shore. They built a ship, in which they embarked and sailed away. Then some of them returned with the ship and breaking it up, went their way; and methinks those, who embarked in the ship and returned not, are they whom thou seekest. In that case, thy trouble must needs be grievous and thou art excusable; though never yet was lover but suffered sorrows.’ Then he recited the following verses:
Uns el Wujoud, thou deem’st me free of heart, but, wel-a-way! Longing and transport and desire fold and unfold me aye.
Yea, love and passion have I known even from my earliest years, Since at my mother’s nursing breast a suckling babe I lay.
I struggled sore and long with Love, till I his power confessed. If thou enquire at him of me, he will me not unsay.
I quaffed the cup of passion out, with languor and disease, And as a phantom I became for pining and decay.
Strong was I, but my strength is gone and neath the swords of eyes, The armies of my patience broke and vanished clean away.
Hope not to win delight of love, without chagrin and woe; For contrary with contrary conjoinéd is alway.
But fear not change from lover true; do thou but constant be Unto thy wish, and thou shalt sure be happy yet some day:
For unto lovers passion hath ordained that to forget Is heresy, forbidden all its mandates that obey.
Night ccclxxv.Then he rose and coming to the youth, embraced him, and they wept together, till the hills rang with their crying and they fell down in a swoon. When they revived, they swore brotherhood in God the Most High, and the hermit said to Uns el Wujoud, ‘This night will I pray to God and seek of Him direction what thou shouldst do to attain thy desire.’
To return to Rose-in-bud. When they brought her into the castle and she beheld its ordinance, she wept and exclaimed, ‘By Allah, thou art a goodly place, save that thou lackest the presence of the beloved in thee!’ Then, seeing [many] birds in the island, she bade her people set snares for them and hang up all they caught in cages
