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the city, intending for the cavern of Fatimeh the recluse. When he came thither, he entered and saw her sleeping on her back on a piece of matting; so he went up to her and sitting down[1] on her breast,[2] drew his dagger and cried out at her; whereupon she awoke and opening her eyes, saw a man, a Maugrabin, with a drawn dagger, sitting on her breast[3] and offering to kill her. So she feared and trembled and he said to her, “Harkye, an thou say aught or cry out, I will kill thee on the spot. Arise now and do all that I shall bid thee.” And he swore an oath to her that, if she did for him that which he should bid her, he would not kill her.
Then he rose from her and she rose also, and he said to her, “Give me thy clothes and take mine.” So she gave him her clothes and head-bands and her kerchief and veil; and he said to her, “Now must thou
- ↑ Caäda. Burton translates “he mounted,” apparently reading szaida for caäda.
- ↑ Lit. “belly” (betn); but that “breast” is meant is shown by the next line, which describes Fatimeh as finding the enchanter seated on her heart.
- ↑ Lit. “heart” (kelb).
appears to be the past participle (in the secondary form for mecnouz, as ketil, slain, for mectoul,) of keneza, a lost verb of which only the fourth form acneza, he drank from a cup (kinz), survives, and to mean “something drunk from a cup.” Burton, “wine.”
