When night had shut in, and the usual hour of the damsel’s coming approached, my kind host impatiently expefted her arrival; but in vain, for she did not appear.  He rose, stood in the doorway of the tent, opened his mouth, and drew in the exhalations of the gale, then returned, sat down pensively for a few minutes, and at last bursting into tears, exclaimed, “Ah! my cousin, there are no tidings of the daughter of my uncle, some, mishap must have befallen her.  Remain here while I go in search of intelligence.”  Having said thus, he took up his sabre, his lance, and departed.

When somewhat more than an hour had elapsed, I heard his footstep, and soon perceived him advancing, bearing something bulky in his arms, while he called loudly upon me in a distressful tone.  I hastened towards him, and upon my arrival he exclaimed, “Alas, alas! the beloved daughter of my uncle is no more, and I bear her remains.  She was hastening, as usual, to my tent, when suddenly a lion sprung upon her in the path, and tore her in pieces.  These relics are all that remain of my beloved.”  He then laid them down, and, lo! the thigh bones of the damsel and part of her ribs.  He wept piteously, and said, “Remain here till I return;” after which he departed with the swiftness of an arrow.  In about an hour he returned, and in his hand was the head of the lion, which he threw down, and asked eagerly for water, which I brought him.  He then washed his hands, cleansed the mouth of the lion, which he rapturously kissed, and wept bitterly for some moments.  He then exclaimed, “By Allah, I conjure thee, O son of my uncle, and by the ties of relationship between us, that thou observe my will; for within this hour I shall follow my beloved; be thou our mourner, and bury her remains with mine in the same grave.”  Having said this, he retired into the sleeping partition of the tent; where he remained at his devotions for an hour, then came out, beat his breast, sighed deeply, and at length heaved his expiring groan, saying, “I come, I come, my beloved, I come!” and his pure soul took flight for the mansions of Paradise.

When I beheld his corpse, sad indeed was my condition, and from excess of sorrow I found it difficult to perform my promise; but at length I arose, washed, enshrouded, and laid the remains of these constant lovers in the same grave, near which I remained for three days in prayer and lamentation; after which I departed homewards:  but have not failed annually to visit the spot, to bedew their grave with my tears, and pray for the mercy of Allah to their souls and my own errors.

STORY OF THE PRINCE OF SIND, AND FATIMA, DAUGHTER OF AMIR BIN NAOMAUN.