whom belong might and whom be Honour and majesty), I felt no pain Glory!) I felt no pain, and and it was born in upon it became my conviction me that her prayer had that her prayer had been been answered.” answered.”

[The girl then praised God, who “straightway took her soul to Him.”  The story finishes with some verses which are rendered by Payne and Burton each according to his wont.]

135.  Abu al-Hasan.

We will next take “Abu al-Hasan and Abu Ja’afar the Leper.”

Payne Burton
V. 49 V. 294
(Lib.  Ed., iv., 242)

Aboulhusn ed Durraj                 Abu al-Hasan
and Abou Jaafer the                      and
leper                     Abu Ja’afar the leper

Quoth Aboulhusn ed              I had been many times
Durraj, I had been many         to Mecca (Allah increase
times to Mecca (which           its honour!) and the folk
God increase in honour)         used to follow me for my
and the folk used to follow     knowledge of the road and
me by reason of my knowledge    remembrance of the water
of the road and                 stations.   It happened one
the watering-places.   It        year that I was minded to
chanced one year that I         make the pilgrimage to
was minded to make the          the Holy House and visitation
pilgrimage to the Holy          of the tomb of His
House of God and visit the      Prophet (on whom be
tomb of His prophet (on         blessing and the Peace!)
whom be peace and blessing),    and I said in myself.   “I
and I said to myself,           well know the way and
“I know the road and will       will fare alone.”   So I
go alone.”   So I set out        set out and journeyed till I
and journeyed till I came       came to Al-Kadisiyah, and
to El Cadesiyeh, and entering   entering the Mosque there,
the Mosque there, saw           saw a man suffering from
a leper seated in the           black leprosy seated in
prayer-niche.   When he          the prayer-niche.   Quoth he
saw me, he said to me,          on seeing me, “O Abu
“O Aboulhusn, I crave           al-Hasan, I crave thy company
thy company to Mecca.”          to Meccah.”   Quoth I
Quoth I to myself, “I           to myself, “I fled from all
wished to avoid companions,     my companions and how
and how shall I                 shall I company with lepers.”
company with lepers?”           So I said to him, “I will
So I said to him, “I will       bear no man company,”
bear no one company,”           and he was silent at my
and he was silent.              words.

Next day I continued            Next day I walked on
my journey alone, till I        alone, till I came to
came to Acabeh, where           Al-Akabah, where I entered
I entered the Mosque and        the mosque and found the