the advantage of such repentance? it is like the smoke that rises from a
conflagration.

When flames have done their worst, thick clouds arise
Of lurid smoke, which useless mount the skies.

He sought everywhere for him; went to the romantic retreat where the
daughter of Afrásiyáb resided; but the place was deserted, nothing was
to be seen, and nothing to be heard. At length he saw Byzun's horse
astray, and securing him with his kamund, thought it useless to remain
in Túrán, and therefore proceeded in sorrow back to Irán. Gíw, finding
that his son had not returned with him from Armán, was frantic with
grief; he tore his garments and his hair, and threw ashes over his head;
and seeing the horse his son had ridden, caressed it in the fondest
manner, demanding from Girgín a full account of what he knew of his
fate. "O Heaven forbid," said he, "that my son should have fallen into
the power of the merciless demons!" Girgín could not safely confess the
truth, and therefore told a falsehood, in the hope of escaping from the
consequences of his own guilt. "When we arrived at Armán," said he, "we
entered a large forest, and cutting down the trees, set them on fire. We
then attacked the wild boars, which were found in vast numbers; and as
soon as they were all destroyed, left the place on our return. Sporting
all the way, we fell in with an elk, of a most beautiful and wonderful
form. It was like the Símúrgh; it had hoofs of steel, and the head and
ears and tail of a horse. It was strong as a lion and fleet as the wind,
and came fiercely before us, yet seemed to be a thing of air. Byzun
threw his kamund over him; and when entangled in the noose, the animal
became furious and sprung away, dragging Byzun after him. Presently the
prospect was enveloped in smoke, the earth looked like the ocean, and
Byzun and the phantom-elk disappeared. I wandered about in search of my