“Ah would thou knew what I of parting dree * When all my hiddens
     show for man to see;
Passion and longing, pine and lowe o’ love * Descend surcharged
     on the head of me: 
God help the days that sped as branches lopt * I spent in Garden
     of Eternity.[FN#246]
And I of you make much and of your love * By rights of you, while
     dearest dear be ye:[FN#247]
May Allah save you, parted though we be, * While bide I parted
     all unwillingly: 
Then, O my lord, an come thou not right soon * The tomb shall
     home me for the love of thee.”

And when she had written her reply, she largessed Ibn Ibrahim with an hundred dinars, after which he returned[FN#248] to the capital of Sind, where he found Yusuf issuing forth to hunt; so he handed to him the letter, and the Prince returning citywards set apart for him a fair apartment and spent the livelong night asking anent Al-Hayfa.  And when it was morning he called for pen-case and paper whereupon he wrote these improvised couplets,

“You dealt to us a slender dole our love mote satisfy, * Yet nor
     my gratitude therefor nor laud of me shalt gain: 
I’m none of those console their hearts by couplets or by verse *
     For breach of inner faith by one who liefly breaks the
     chain: 
When so it fortunes she I love a partner gives to me * I wone in
     single bliss and let my lover love again: 
Take, then, what youth your soul desires; with him forgather, for
     * I aim not at your inner gifts nor woo your charms I deign: 
You set for me a mighty check of parting and ill-will * In public
     fashion and a-morn you dealt me bale and bane: 
Such deed is yours and ne’er shall it, by Allah satisfy * A boy,
     a slave of Allah’s slaves who still to slave is fain.”

Then Prince Yusuf robed Ibn Ibrahim in a robe of green; and giving him an hundred gold pieces, entrusted him with the letter which he carried to Al-Hayfa and handed it to her.  She brake the seal and read it and considered its contents, whereupon she wept with sore weeping which ended in her shrieking aloud; and after she abode perplext as to her affair and for a time she found no sweetness in meat and drink, nor was sleep pleasant to her for the stress of her love-longing to Yusuf.  Also her nature tempted her to cast herself headlong from the terrace of the Palace; but Ibn Ibrahim forbade her saying, “Do thou write to him replies, time after time; haply shall his heart be turned and he will return unto thee.”  So she again called for writing materials and indited these couplets, which came from the very core of her heart,

“Thou art homed in a heart nothing else shall invade; * Save thy
     love and thyself naught shall stay in such stead;
O thou, whose brilliancy lights his brow, * Shaped like
     sandhill-tree with his locks for shade,
Forbid Heaven my like to aught else incline * Save you whose
     beauties none like display’d: 
Art thou no amongst mortals a starless moon * O beauty the dazzle
     of day hath array’d?”