The Man in the Panther's Skin, 1912

604. "We crossed the sea, we landed. Mounted they threw themselves on us. Again we engaged; there began the vicissitudes of battle. P’hridon's bravery and agility pleased me then; in warfare a lion, in face a sun, that aloe-tree fought.

605. "With his sword he cast down both his cousins, he cut their hands clean off; thus he crippled them; he led them away bound by the arms; the one did not abandon the two. He made their knights to weep, his knights to vaunt themselves.

606. "Their soldiers fled from us, we threw ourselves upon them, we scattered them; swiftly we seized the city, we wasted no time; we broke their legs with stones, we tanned their skin into leather. Kill me, if it was possible to empty the treasure both by lading and stowing!

607. "P’hridon inspected the treasures and put his seals upon them; he himself led away his two vanquished cousins; he shed their blood in exchange for his, and poured it out on the fields. Of me they said: 'Thanks God who has planted aloe-trees!'

608. "We went back (to P’hridon's). The triumph exhibited by the citizens was heard; suppliants there laid hold on the heart of beholders. All uttered praise to me and Nuradin, in a panegyric; they said to us: 'Through the strength of your (right) arms their blood still flows!'

609. "The soldiers acclaimed P’hridon as king and me as king of kings, themselves as subjects and me as sovereign of them all. I was gloomy, they could never find me culling roses; they knew not my story, there it was not lightly spoken of.

P’HRIDON TELLS TARIEL TIDINGS OF NESTANDAREDJAN

610. "One day the king and I went forth to the chase; we climbed upon a cape jutting out into the sea. P’hridon said to me: 'I will tell thee how, when we were out riding for sport, I once saw a wonderful thing from this cape.'

611. "I bade him speak, and P’hridon told me even this tale: 'One day I wished to hunt, I mounted this steed of mine. It seemed as if there were a duck in the sea, a falcon on the land; I stood here and watched the flight of the hawk thitherward.

612. “Now and then as I climbed uphill I gazed out to sea. I perceived a small thing far away on the sea, going so swiftly that nothing of its kind could equal it; I could not make it out; in my mind I marvelled at these two things.

613. “I said to myself: "What is it? To what can I liken it? Is it bird or beast?" It was a boat tented over with many-folded stuff; a steersman guided it. I fixed mine eyes upon it, and there in a litter sat the moon; I would have given her the seventh heaven (as habitation).

614. “Two slaves as black as pitch crept out, they put ashore a maiden, I saw her thick-tressed hair, the lightning that flashed from her–to what colours can it be likened?–would illumine the earth (and) make the sunbeams of no account.

615. “Joy made me hasten, quiver, stagger. I loved that rose who appearedtorn to mine eyes. I resolved to engage them, I said: "Let me go towards them; what creature can fly away from my black (steed)."

616. “I pressed my horse with my heel. There was a noise and rustling among the rushes. I could not reach her, however much I used the spur; they were gone. I came to the seashore and looked round, she appeared only as a last ray of the setting sun, she went farther away, she was gone from me, therefore was I consumed by flame.'

617. "This I heard from P’hridon; heat was added to my fire. I threw myself down from my horse, I wholly abased myself; with mine own blood shed from my cheeks I anointed myself. Kill me! That anyone but I should have seen that tree!

618. "This behaviour of mine astonished P’hridon, it seemed passing strange to him; but he was exceedingly pitiful to me, by weeping he placated me, like a son he soothed me, he pled with me, treated me with deference, and, pearl-like, hot tears sprang from his eyes.

619. “Alas! what have I, misguided, madly told thee?' I said: 'It matters not, grieve not for that! She was my moon; for her the fire consumes me hotly. Now will I tell thee my tale, since thou thyself wishest to have me as comrade.'

620. "I told P’hridon all that had befallen me. He said to me: 'What have I, mistaken, shamed, said to thee? Thou mighty king of the Indians, wherefore art thou come to me? A royal seat and throne become thee, a whole palace.'

621. "Again he said to me: 'To whom God gives for form a young cypress, from him He withdraws the spear, though at first He lacerate his heart therewith. He will grant us His mercy, He will thunder it from heaven, He will turn our sorrow to joy, He will never grieve us.'

622. "We went back tearful; we sat down alone together in the palace. I said to P’hridon: 'Save thee, none is mine aid. God has not sent thy like to earth, and since I know thee what more do I want?