foes are no less
than their power. They are lions and likewise poisonous serpents."

These lines were signed with the name of Akusch, and the words, Ibn Tagri
Verdi al-Mahmudi, which is to say: Akusch, Son of Tagri Verdi al-Mahmudi.

We were at home at the Forest-lodge or ever the sun had set; there we
found Aunt Jacoba more calm than we had hoped for, inasmuch as that not
only had her husband sent her brief tidings of us, but likewise she had
heard more exactly all that had kept us away. Kubbeling, albeit the lady
Abbess had bidden him to her table, had privily stolen forth to send a
messenger to the grieving lady, whereas the thought of her gave him no
peace among the feasters. Eppelein was neither better nor worse. But, in
his stead, Master Windecke the Imperial Councillor, who was learned in
the trading matters of all the world and who, in our absence, had wholly
won the heart of the other women and, above all, of Cousin Maud by his
good discourse, was able to interpret somewhat which had been dark to us
in Akusch's letter. When I showed it to him he started to his feet in
amazement and declared that my squire's father, Tagri Verdi al-Mahmudi,
had been one of the most famous Captains of the host who had struck the
great blow in Cyprus and carried off King Janus to the Sultan at Cairo.
Nay, and he could likewise tell us what had led to the overthrow of this
same Tagri Verdi, inasmuch as he had heard the tale from a certain noble
gentleman of Cyprus, who had come to the court of Emperor Sigismund to
entreat him to provide moneys for the ransom of King Janus, as follows:
When Akusch's glorious father was raised to the dignity of a chief
Mameluke, together with Burs Bey, now the Sultan of Egypt, they were both
cast into prison during a certain war and lay in the same dungeon. There
had Tagri Verdi dreamed one night that his fellow, Burs Bey, would in due
time be placed on the throne, and had revealed this to him. Then, when
this prophecy was fulfilled, and Burs Bey was Sultan, Tagri Verdi rose
step by step to high honor, and had won many glorious fights as his
Sovereign's chief Emir and Captain. The Sultan heaped him with honors and
treasure, until he learned that his former companion had dreamed another
dream, and this time that it was to be his fate to mount the throne.
Hereupon Burs Bey was sore afraid; thus he had cast the victorious
Captain into prison, and many feared for Tagri that his life would not be
spared.