Pagina 240 di 1116

With this she sprinkled her husband saying, "By virtue of the

dread words I have spoken, if thou becamest thus by my spells,

come forth out of that form into thine own former form." And lo

and behold! the young man shook and trembled; then he rose to his

feet and, rejoicing at his deliverance, cried aloud, "I testify

that there is no god but the God, and in very truth Mohammed is

His Apostle, whom Allah bless and keep!" Then she said to him,

"Go forth and return not hither, for if thou do I will surely

slay thee;" screaming these words in his face. So he went from

between her hands; and she returned to the dome and, going down

to the sepulchre, she said, "O my lord, come forth to me that I

may look upon thee and thy goodliness!" The King replied in faint

low words, "What[FN#135] thing hast thou done? Thou hast rid me

of the branch but not of the root." She asked, "O my darling! O

my negroling! what is the root?" And he answered, "Fie on thee, O

my cuss!