Now, when he was alone, he staggered awhile and then flung himself to the earth, looking neither to the right nor to the left, nor above.  All he could think was, ‘O accursed old woman!’ and this he kept repeating to himself for solace; as the poet says: 

     ’Tis sure the special privilege of hate,
     To curse the authors of our evil state.

As he was thus complaining, behold the very old woman before him!  And she wheezed, and croaked, and coughed, and shook herself, and screwed her face into a pleasing pucker, and assumed womanish airs, and swayed herself, like as do the full moons of the harem when the eye of the master is upon them.  Having made an end of these prettinesses, she said, in a tone of soft insinuation, ’O youth, nephew of the barber, look upon me.’

Shibli Bagarag knew her voice, and he would not look, thinking, ’Oh, what a dreadful old woman is this! just calling on her name in detestation maketh her present to us.’  So the old woman, seeing him resolute to shun her, leaned to him, and put one hand to her dress, and squatted beside him, and said, ‘O youth, thou hast been thwacked!’

He groaned, lifting not his face, nor saying aught.  Then said she, ’Art thou truly in search of great things, O youth?’

Still he groaned, answering no syllable.  And she continued, ’’Tis surely in sweet friendliness I ask.  Art thou not a fair youth, one to entice a damsel to perfect friendliness?’

Louder yet did he groan at her words, thinking, ‘A damsel, verily!’ So the old woman said, ’I wot thou art angry with me; but now look up, O nephew of the barber! no time for vexation.  What says the poet?—­

     “Cares the warrior for his wounds
     When the steed in battle bounds?”

Moreover: 

     “Let him who grasps the crown strip not for shame,
     Lest he expose what gain’d it blow and maim!”

So be it with thee and thy thwacking, O foolish youth!  Hide it from thyself, thou silly one!  What! thou hast been thwacked, and refusest the fruit of it—­which is resoluteness, strength of mind, sternness in pursuit of the object!’

Then she softened her tone to persuasiveness, saying, ’’Twas written I should be the head of thy fortune, O Shibli Bagarag! and thou’lt be enviable among men by my aid, so look upon me, and (for I know thee famished) thou shah presently be supplied with viands and bright wines and sweetmeats, delicacies to cheer thee.’

Now, the promise of food and provision was powerful with Shibli Bagarag, and he looked up gloomily.  And the old woman smiled archly at him, and wriggled in her seat like a dusty worm, and said, ’Dost thou find me charming, thou fair youth?’

He was nigh laughing in her face, but restrained himself to reply, ’Thou art that thou art!’

Said she, ‘Not so, but that I shall be.’  Then she said, ’O youth, pay me now a compliment!’

Shibli Bagarag was at a loss what further to say to the old woman, for his heart cursed her for her persecutions, and ridiculed her for her vanities.  At last he bethought himself of the saying of the poet, truly the offspring of fine wit, where he says: