He said "Oh little maiden, sore distrest

"I sink for very want. Give me I pray,
A drop of water and a cake: I die
Of thirst and hunger, yet my sorrowing way
May tread once more, if thou my needs supply."


XIV.

"A long time missing from thy fondling arms--
It chanced that day thou'dst sent me in the shade
New bread, a cake of figs, and wine of palms [FN#10]
Mingled with water, sweet with honey made.

"These did I bring--raised as I could, his head;
Held to his lip the cup; and while he quaffed,
Upon my garment wiped the tears that sped
Adown his silvery beard and mingled with the draft.


[FN#10] "The palm is a very common plant in this country,
(Assyria,) and generally fruitful; this they cultivate like fig-trees
and it produces them bread, wine and honey." See Beloe's notes to his
translation of Herodotus. Mr. Gibbon adds, that the diligent natives
celebrated, either in verse or prose, three hundred and sixty uses to
which the trunk, the branches, the leaves, the juice and the fruit of
this plant were applied. Nothing can be more curious and interesting
than the natural history of the palm tree.