321
No man art thou of prowess thou hast no hosts at call; Thou’rt neither king nor viceroy, nor kingdom nor domain
Hast; and were this the fashion of one who is our peer, Hoary for war and terrors he had returned again.
Yet that wherein thou sinnest once more I’ll pardon thee, So thou from this time forward repent thee and refrain.
Then she gave the letter to the old woman, saying, ‘O my nurse, do thou admonish the dog, lest we [be forced to] cut of his head and commit sin on his account.’ ‘By Allah, O my lady,’ replied the old woman, ‘I will not leave him a side to turn on!’ Then she returned to Ardeshir and gave him the letter. He read it and shook his head, saying, ‘Verily, we are God’s and to Him we return! O my mother, what shall I do? My fortitude fails me and my patience is exhausted.’ ‘O my son,’ answered she, ‘take patience: peradventure, after this God shall bring somewhat to pass. Write that which is in thy mind and I will fetch thee an answer, and be of good cheer; for needs must I bring about union between her and thee, so God please.’ He blessed her and wrote the following verses:
Since there is none to succour me in love and to assain, Me who of passion’s tyranny am all forgone and slain,
Since flames of fire within my heart by day I do endure And through the weary night I seek a resting-place in vain,
How should I leave to hope in thee, O term of all desire, Or rest content with what I dree of passion and its pain?
I beg the Empyrean’s Lord to grant me His approof, Since I with longing for the fair am perished, heart and brain,
Yea, and enjoyment speedily to give me. Oh, consent! For with the terrors of desire I’m smitten and o’erta’en.
Then he folded the letter and gave it to the old woman, together with a purse of four hundred dinars. She took the whole and returning to the palace, gave the letter to the princess; but she refused to take it and said, ‘What is this?’ ‘O my lady,’ replied the old woman, ‘this is the answer to
