drawn from a familiar element; and when he had prostrated himself thrice
and called on the Prophet's name in the form of thanksgiving, he wrung
his beard of the wet, and had wit to bless the action of Noorna, that
saved him. Then the two raised Shibli Bagarag from the rock, and
reclined him lengthwise under the wings of Koorookh, and Noorna stretched
herself there beside him with one arm about his neck, the fair head of
the youth on her bosom. And she said to Abarak, 'He hath dreamed many
dreams, my betrothed, but never one so sweet as that I give him.
Already, see, the hue returneth to his cheek and the dimples of
pleasure.' So was it; and she said, 'Mount, O thou of the net and the
bar! and stride Koorookh across the neck, for it is nigh the setting of
the moon, and by dawn we must be in our middle flight, seen of men, a
cloud over them.'

Said Abarak, 'To hear is to obey!'

He bestrode the neck of Koorookh and sat with dangling feet, till she
cried, 'Rise!' and the bird spread its wings and flapped them wide,
rising high in the silver rays, and flying rapidly forward with the three
on him from the mountain in front of Aklis, and the white sea with its
enchanted isles and wonders; flying and soaring till the earth was as
what might be held in the hollow of the hand, and the kingdoms of the
earth a mingled heap of shining dust in the midst.






THE REVIVAL