"By Allah, O fisherman," replied Nur al-Din, "there befel me and
this damsel a wondrous tale and a marvellous matter: an 't were
graven with needle-gravers on the eye-corners it would be a
warner to whoso would be warned." Cried the Caliph, "Wilt thou
not tell me thy story and acquaint me with thy case? Haply it may
bring thee relief, for Allah's aid is ever nearhand." "O
fisherman," said Nur al-Din, "Wilt thou hear our history in verse
or in prose?" "Prose is a wordy thing, but verses," rejoined the
Caliph, "are pearls on string." Then Nur al-Din bowed his head,
and made these couplets,

"O my friend! reft of rest no repose I command, * And my grief is
redoubled in this far land:
Erst I had a father, a kinder ne'er was; * But he died and to
Death paid the deodand:
When he went from me, every matter went wrong * Till my heart was
nigh-broken, my nature unmanned:
He bought me a handmaid, a sweeting who shamed * A wand of the
willow by Zephyr befanned:
I lavisht upon her mine heritage, * And spent like a nobleman
puissant and grand:
Then to sell her compelled, my sorrow increased; * The parting
was sore but I mote not gainstand:
Now as soon as the crier had called her, there bid * A wicked old
fellow, a fiery brand:
So I raged with a rage that I could not restrain, * And snatched
her from out of his hireling's hand;
When the angry curmudgeon made ready for blows, * And the fire of
a fight kindled he and his band,
I smote him in fury with right and with left, * And his hide,