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ʾILÂM-EN-NÂS.
ANECDOTE OF MÎSÛN.
MÎSÛN, the daughter of Báhdal,[1] was married to Muʾâwiyah, and he brought her from amongst the wandering Arabs into Damascus. But she sorrowed exceedingly for her people, and at the remembrance of her home; and one day, whilst he was listening to her, he heard her reciting, and saying:
A hut that the winds make tremble
Is dearer to me than a noble palace;
And a dish of crumbs on the floor of my home
Is dearer to me than a varied feast;
And the soughing of the breeze thro' every crevice
Is dearer to me than the beating of drums;
And a camel's-wool Abâh[2] which gladdens my eye
Is dearer to me than filmy robes;
And a dog barking around my path
- ↑ I think Báhdal is a mistake. I find the other authorities speak of Mîsûn as the daughter of Yáhdak, of the tribe of Kalb. She had an excellent genius for poetry; and at Muʾâwiyah's command took her son Yezîd (Muʾâwiyah's successor) with her into the desert, among her own relations, in order to inspire him with poetic sentiments.
- ↑ The long loose cloak of camel's wool which is to this day worn by the Bedawîn Arabs.
