When Shamikh read the letter and saw the name of Uns el Wujoud,
he burst into tears and said to the Vizier, 'And where is Uns
el Wujoud? He went away, and we know not his place of abiding.
Bring him to me, and I will give thee the sum of the presents
thou hast brought me, twice told.' And he wept and sighed and
groaned, reciting the following verses:
Him whom I loved to me restore; By gold and gifts I set no
store.
Nor do I crave largesse, indeed, Of pearls and gems and
precious ore.
As 'twere a moon at full, for us, In beauty's heaven he did
soar.
Passing in wit and grace, gazelles With him comparison gave
o'er.
His shape was as a willow-wand, For fruits that sweet
seductions bore;
But in the willow, to enslave The hearts of men, there is no
lore.
I reared him from a child upon The bed of fondness evermore;
And now I am at heart distraught For him and sorrow passing
sore.
Then said he to the Vizier, 'Go back to thy master and tell him
that Uns el Wujoud has been missing this year past, and his
lord knoweth not whither he is gone nor hath any news of him.'
'O my lord,' answered King Dirbas's Vizier, 'my master said to
me, "An thou come back without him, thou shalt be ousted from
the Vizierate and shall not enter my city.
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