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let him join me in the Islands of Wac.”’ When they heard this, they signed to one another with their eyes and shook their heads, and each looked at her sister, whilst Hassan looked at them. Then they bowed their heads and bethought themselves awhile; after which they raised their heads and said, ‘There is no power and no virtue save in God the Most High, the Supreme! Put forth thy hand to heaven Night dccxcix.and if thou win thither, then shalt thou win to thy wife and children.’
When he heard this, the tears ran down his cheeks like rain and wet his clothes, and he recited the following verses:
Red cheeks and eyes of melting black have charmed my wit away; And still, when cometh sleeplessness, patience farewell doth say.
The fair with inhumanity have worn my body sore; No breath of life abideth there that folk discover may.
Houris, as graceful in their gait as desert antelopes, Whose unveiled beauties if saints saw, they’d doat thereon straightway;
Faring as fares the garden breeze that blows before the dawn, Trouble and restlessness for love of these on me do prey;
I hung my hopes upon a maid of them, a loveling fair, For whom my heart is all consumed with fire that rageth aye;
A loveling soft of sides and proud and graceful in her gait, The darkness dwelleth in her hair, but in her face is day.
She troubleth me, and champions stout how many have the eyes And cheeks of lovely women stirred to trouble and dismay!
Then he wept, whilst the princesses wept for his weeping, and they were moved to compassion and jealousy for him. So they fell to comforting him and exhorting him to patience and offering up prayers for his reunion with his wife; whilst his sister [the youngest] said to him, ‘O my brother, take heart and be of good courage and have patience; so shalt thou come to thy desire; for whoso is patient and waiteth, attaineth that he seeketh. Patience is the key of relief and indeed the poet saith:
