صفحة 299 من 1116

Know, O my lady, that the cause of my beard being shorn and my

eye being out torn was as follows. My father was a King and he

had a brother who was a King over another city; and it came to

pass that I and my cousin, the son of my paternal uncle, were

both born on one and the same day. And years and days rolled on;

and, as we grew up, I used to visit my uncle every now and then

and to spend a certain number of months with him. Now my cousin

and I were sworn friends; for he ever entreated me with exceeding

kindness; he killed for me the fattest sheep and strained the

best of his wines, and we enjoyed long conversing and carousing.