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It was near the time of mid-afternoon prayer [FN#465] and it so

fortuned that he had just dressed a confection of

pomegranate-grains. When the twain drew near to him and Ajib saw

him, his heart yearned towards him, and noticing the scar of the

blow, which time had darkened on his brow, he said to him, "Peace

be on thee, O man!" [FN#466] know that my heart is with thee."

But when Badr al-Din looked upon his son his vitals yearned and

his heart fluttered, and he hung his head earthwards and sought

to make his tongue give utterance to his words, but he could not.

Then he raised his head humbly and suppliant-wise towards his boy

and repeated these couplets:-

"I longed for my beloved but when I saw his face, * Abashed I

held my tongue and stood with downcast eye; And hung my head in

dread and would have hid my love, * But do whatso I would hidden

it would not lie; Volumes of plaints I had prepared, reproach and

blame, * But when we met, no single word remembered I."