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Otbeh, what sayst thou of union with one who seeks union with thee?’ So saying, she left me and went away; and since then I have had no tidings of her nor come upon any trace of her; and behold, I am distracted and do nought but remove from place to place.’ Then he cried out and fell down in a swoon. When he came to himself, it was as if the damask of his cheeks were dyed with turmeric, and he recited the following verses:
I see you with my heart from lands that yet far distant are; I wonder eke if with your hearts ye see me from afar.
My heart and eyes alike for you do sorrow; yea, with you My soul abideth and the thoughts of you with me still are.
I cannot take delight in life, till I upon you look; Your lack the very pleasantness of Paradise would mar.
‘O Otbeh, O son of my uncle,’ said I, ‘repent to thy Lord and seek pardon for thine offence; for before thee is the terror of the standing up [to judgment].’ ‘Away!’ answered he. ‘I shall never leave to love till the two mimosa-gatherers return.’[1]
I abode with him till daybreak, when I said to him, ‘Come, let us go to the Mosque [of El Ahzab].’ So we went thither and sat there, till we had prayed the midday prayers, when up came the women; but the damsel was not among them. Quoth they to him, ‘O Otbeh, what deemest thou of her who seeketh union with thee?’ ‘And what of her?’ asked he. ‘Her father hath taken her,’ answered they, ‘and departed to Es Semaweh.’ I asked them the name of the damsel and they said, ‘She is called Reyya, daughter of El Ghitrif es Suleimi.’ Whereupon Otbeh raised his head and recited these verses:
Reyya hath mounted, O my friends, and fared away at dawn; Unto Semaweh’s distant land her caravan is gone.
Friends, I have wept till I can weep no more: hath any tears, That I may borrow them and weep my love from me withdrawn?
- ↑ Two men of the tribe of Anezeh went forth to gather mimosa-fruit and never returned; hence the proverb.
