as I had ran all these risks to develop this mystery, I forced the door, though trembling with fear, and under the screen of the trunk [238] of a tree, I stood and saw [what was going on].  The young man threw down the club with which he was beating [the bull], and unlocked a room and entered it.  Then, instantly coming out, he stroked the bull’s back with his hand, and kissed its mouth; and having given it some grain and grass, he came towards me.  On perceiving this, I ran off quickly, and hid myself in the room.

The young man unfastened the chains of all the rooms, and the whole of the slaves came out, bringing with them a small carpet, a wash-hand basin, and a water pot.  After washing his hands and face, he stood up to pray; when he had finished his prayers, he called out, “Where is the pilgrim?” On hearing myself called, I ran out and stood before him; he desired me to sit down; after making him a salam, I sat down; the dinner was served; he partook of it, and gave me some, which I also ate.  When the dishes were removed, and we had washed our hands, he dismissed his slaves and told them to go to rest.  When no one [except ourselves] remained in the apartment, he then spoke to me, and asked, “O friend, what great misfortune has befallen thee that thou goest about seeking thy death?” I related in full detail all the adventures of my life, from beginning to end, and added, that, “from your goodness, I have hopes of obtaining my wishes.”  On hearing this, he heaving a deep sigh, went raving mad, and began to say, “O God! who except thee is acquainted with the tortures of love!  He whose chilblain has not yet broken out, how can he know the pains of others? he only knows the degree of this pain who has felt the pangs of love!

    ’The anguish of love, you must ask of the lover,
    Not of him who feigns, but of the true lover.’”

A moment after, coming to himself, he heaved a heart-burning sigh; the room resounded with it; then I perceived that he was likewise tortured with the pangs of love, and was suffering from the same malady [as myself].  On this discovery, I plucked up courage and said, “I have related to you all my own adventures; now do me the favour to impart to me the past events [of your life]; I will then first of all assist you as far as I can, and by exerting myself obtain for you the desires of your heart.”  In short, that true lover, conceiving me his companion and fellow-sufferer, began the relation of his adventures in the following manner.  “Hear, O friend!  I whose heart is tortured with anguish, am the prince of this country of Nimroz; the king, that is to say, my father, at my birth, collected together all the fortune tellers, astrologers and learned men, and ordered them to cast and examine my horoscope, to fix my nativity, and to state in full to his majesty whatever was to befall me every individual moment, and hour, and pahar, and day, and month, and year, [of my life].  They