"Ho thou, who past and bygone risks regardest with uncare! *
Thou who to win thy meeting prize dost overslowly fare!
In pride of spirit thinkest thou to win the star Soha[FN#36]? *
Albe thou may not reach the Moon which shines through
upper air?
How darest thou expect to win my favours, hope to clip *
Upon a lover's burning breast my lance like shape and rare?
Leave this thy purpose lest my wrath come down on thee some
day, * A day of wrath shall hoary turn the partings of
thy hair!"

Then she folded the letter and gave it to the old woman, who took
it and repaired to Taj al-Muluk. And when he saw her, he rose to
his feet and exclaimed, "May Allah never bereave me of the
blessing of thy coming!" Quoth she, "Take the answer to thy
letter." He took it and reading it, wept with sore weeping and
said, "I long for some one to slay me at this moment and send me
to my rest, for indeed death were easier to me than this my
state!" Then he took ink case and pen and paper and wrote a
letter containing these two couplets,

"O hope of me! pursue me not with rigour and disdain: *
Deign thou to visit lover wight in love of thee is drowned;
Deem not a life so deeply wronged I longer will endure; * My soul
for severance from my friend divorced this frame unsound."

Lastly he folded the letter and handed it to the old woman,
saying, "Be not angry with me, though I have wearied thee to no
purpose." And he bade Aziz give her other thousand ducats,
saying, "O my mother, needs must this letter result in perfect