for loveliesse,
of love, but could not but could not prevail
prevail upon her, for upon her, because she
that she still clave fast still held fast by her
unto chastity. Presently chastity. Presently there
there came a year of came a year of drought and
drought and hunger and hunger and hardship, food
hardship; food failed and failed, and there befell a
there befell a sore famine sore famine. As I was
in the land. I was sitting sitting one day at home,
one day in my house, somebody knocked at the
when one knocked at the door; so I went out, and,
door; so I went out and behold, she was standing
found her standing there; there; and she said to
and she said to me, 'O me, 'O my brother, I am
my brother, I am stricken sorely an hungered and I
with excessive hunger, and lift mine eyes to thee,
I lift mine eyes to thee, beseeching thee to feed me,
beseeching thee to feed for Allah's sake!' Quoth
me for God's sake!' I, 'Wottest thou not how
Quoth I, 'Dost thou not I love thee and what I have
know how I love thee suffered for thy sake? Now
and what I have suffered I will not give thee one
for thy sake! I will give bittock of bread except
thee no whit of food, thou yield thy person
except thou yield thyself to me.' Quoth she,
to me.' But she said, 'Death, but not
'Better death than disobedience to the Lord!'
disobedience to God.' Then Then she went away and
she went away and returned after two days with
returned after two days the same prayer for food
with the same petition as before. I made her a
for food. I made her a like like answer, and she
answer, and she entered entered and sat down in my
and sat down, being nigh house, being nigh upon
upon death. I set food death. I set food before
before her, whereupon her her, whereupon her eyes
eyes ran over with tears, brimmed with tears, and
and she said, 'Give me she cried, 'Give me meat
to eat for the love of God, for the love of Allah, to
to whom belong might whom belong Honour and
and majesty!' 'Not so, Glory!' But I answered
by Allah,' answered I, 'Not so, by Allah, except
'except thou yield thyself thou yield thyself to me.'
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