Pagina 415 di 1116

Then all the young men tucked up their sleeves to the elbows and

fell a weeping and wailing and they blackened their faces and

smeared their clothes and buffetted their brows and beat their

breasts, continually exclaiming, "We were sitting at our ease but

our frowardness brought us unease! " They ceased not to do this

till dawn drew nigh, when the old man rose and heated water for

them; and they washed their faces, and donned other and clean

clothes. Now when I saw this, O my lady, for very wonderment my

senses left me and my wits went wild and heart and head were full

of thought, till I forgot what had betided me and I could not

keep silence feeling I fain must speak out and question them of

these strangenesses; so I said to them, "How come ye to do this

after we have been so open hearted and frolicksome? Thanks be to

Allah ye be all sound and sane, yet actions such as these befit

none but mad men or those possessed of an evil spirit.