Pagina 194 de 1116

There be rulers who have ruled with a foul tyrannic sway * But

they soon became as though they had never, never been: Just, they

had won justice: they oppressed and were opprest * By Fortune,

who requited them with ban and bane and teen: So they faded like

the morn, and the tongue of things repeats * "Take this for that,

nor vent upon Fortune's ways thy spleen."

No sooner had the head ceased speaking than the King rolled over

dead. Now I would have thee know, O Ifrit, that if King Yunan had

spared the Sage Duban, Allah would have spared him, but he

refused so to do and decreed to do him dead, wherefore Allah slew

him; and thou too, O Ifrit, if thou hadst spared me, Allah would

have spared thee.