salam’d to it from afar to the far and the Trap returned his salutation, adding thereto, “And the ruth of Allah and His blessings;” and presently pursued, “Welcome and fair welcome to the brother dear and the friend sincere and the companionable fere and the kindly compeer, why stand from me so far when I desire thou become my neighbour near and I become of thine intimates the faithful and of thy comrades the truthful?  So draw thee nigh to me and be of thy safety trustful and prove thee not of me fearful.”  Quoth the Fowl-let, “I beseech thee by Allah, say me who art thou so I may not of thee feel affright and what be thy bye-name and thy name and to which of the tribes dost trace thy tree?” And quoth the Trap, “My name is Hold-fast[FN#282] and my patronymic is Bindfast and my tribe is hight the Sons of Fallfast.”  Replied the Birdie, “Sooth thou sayest; for such name is truly thy name and such bye-name is without question thy bye-name nor is there any doubt of thy tribe being the noblest of the tribes.”  The Trap answered him saying, “Alhamdolillah—­laud to the Lord—­that me thou hast recognised and that I be of thy truest friends thou hast acknowledged, for where shalt thou find a familiar like unto me, a lover soothful and truthful and my fellow in mind?  And indeed I a devotee of religious bent and from vain gossip and acquaintances and even kith and kin abstinent; nor have I any retreat save upon the heads of hills and in the bellies of dales which be long and deep; and from mundane tidings I am the true Holdfast and in worldly joys the real Bindfast.”  The Fowl replied, “Sooth hast spoken, O my lord; and all hail to thee; how pious and religious and of morals and manners gracious art thou?  Would to Heaven I were a single hair upon thy body.”  Rejoined the Trap, “Thou in this world art my brother and in the next world my father;” and the other retorted, “O my brother, fain would I question thee concerning matters concealed within thy thoughts;” whereto the Trap, “Enquire of whatso thou requires”, that I make manifest to thee what in heart thou desirest; for I will truly declare to thee mine every aim and disclose to thee soothly all my case and my thoughts concealed, nor shall remain unrevealed of mine intent aught.”  So the Birdie began, “O my brother, why and wherefore see I thee on this wise abiding in the dust and dwelling afar from relations and companeers and thou hast parted from thy family and peers and hast departed from the fondness of thy dears?” “Hast thou not learned, O my brother,” answered the Trap, “that retirement is permanent heal and farness from folk doth blessings deal and separation from the world is bodily weal; and on this matter hath one of the poets said, and said right well,

’Fly folk, in public ne’er appearing, * And men shall name thee
     man God-fearing;[FN#283]
Nor say I’ve brother, mate and friend:  * Try men with mind still
     persevering: 
Yea, few are they as thou couldst wish:  * Scorpions they prove
     when most endearing.’[FN#284]