How the King of the Arabians Saw  the Knight Clad in the Tiger's Skin
84	THEY saw a certain stranger knight; he sat weeping on the bank of the stream, he held his black horse by the rein, he looked like a lion and a hero; his bridle, armour and saddle were thickly bedight with pearls; the rose of his cheek was frozen in tears that welled up from his woe-stricken heart.
85	HIS form was clad in a coat of tiger's skin with the fur outside; his head, too, was covered with a cap of tiger's skin; in his hand he held a whip thicker than a man's arm. They looked and liked to look at that wondrous sight.
86	A SLAVE went forth to speak to the knight of the woe-stricken heart, who, weeping with downcast head, seems not a spectacle for jesting; from the jet channel of his eyelashes rains a crystal shower. When the slave approached, he could by no means bring himself to speak a word;
87	THE slave was much perturbed; he dared not address him. A long time he gazed in wonder till his heart was strengthened; then he said: "The king commands thee to attend him." The slave came near, and greeted him gently; the knight wept on and heard not, he knew not that the slave was there.
88	HE heard not a word of the slave, nor what he said; he was wholly unconscious of the shouting of the soldiers, he was sobbing strangely, his heart burnt up with fires; tears were mingled with blood, and flowed forth as from floodgates.
89	BY his head! His mind was wafted elsewhither. Once again the slave uttered the king's message, but the knight ceased not from weeping and heard him not, nor was the rose-bouquet of speech plucked from his lips.
90	SINCE he answered not, the slave went back and said to Rostevan: "I have told him what you said, but he will not listen. Mine eyes were dazzled as by the sun; my heart was sorely troubled. I could not make him hear a word though I have tarried there so long."
91	THE king wondered, he was wroth, he was vexed in heart against him. He sent the twelve slaves standing before him; he commanded: "Take weapons of war in your hands; go and bring hither him who sits yonder."
92	THE slaves went forth, they drew nigh to him, their armour clanked. Then indeed the knight started up, he wept still more woefully; he raised his eyes and looked round, he saw the band of warriors. But once he said, "Woe is me!" and spoke no word more.
93	HE passed his hands over his eyes, he wiped away the hot tears, he made fast his sabre and quiver, and braced his strong arms. He mounted his horse—why should he heed the words of slaves ? He wended his way elsewhither, and healed not their troubles.
94	THE slaves stretched forth their hands to seize that knight; he fell upon them—alas! even their enemies would have pitied them; he beat one against another, he slew them without raising his hand, some with his whip he smote, cleaving them down to the breast.
95	WRATHFUL was the king, and annoyed; he shouted to the slaves. The youth looked not back nor heeded his pursuers till they were upon him; as many as overtook him he made to look like dead men, he threw down man on man; Rostevan lamented thereat.
96	THE king and Avt'handil mounted to follow the youth. Proud and haughty, his form swayed to and fro, his steed was like Merani,1 the sun shone brightly on the field; he perceived that the king pursued him.
97	WHEN he saw that the king was come, he struck his horse with his whip; in that very moment he was lost, our eyes see him not; he seemed to have sunk into an abyss or flown to heaven; they sought, but could find no trace of his course.
98	HIS footprints they sought, and marvelled to find no trace. Thus, leaving no vestige, the man passed away like a Devi.2 The soldiers mourned for their dead; they hastened to bind up the wounded. The king said: "I have seen cause for loss of joy."
99	HE said: "God is weary of the happiness I have had hitherto, therefore He turns my pleasure into the gall of bitterness; He has wounded me unto death, none can cure me. I am grateful, such are His will and desire."
100	THUS he spoke, and returned; he went frowning away. They summoned not to the lists; groan was mingled with groan. Each ceased from the chase wherever he was following it. Some said: "He is right!" Others said: "0 God!"
101	THE king went into his bedchamber sad and frowning. He considered Avt'handil like his son and none else followed him; all went away, the household dispersed; merriment ceased, the castanet and the sweet harp.
102	THINATHIN heard other father's great sadness. She rose and came to the door; she with whom the sun strove asked the chamberlain: "Sleeps he or wakes he?" He answered: "He sits brooding; his colour has suffered a change.
103	"AVT'HANDIL alone is present; he sits in a chair before him. They have seen a certain stranger knight; this is the cause of his melancholy." T'hinat'hin said: "I will now depart; it is not time for me to go in. When he asks for me, say: 'She was here but now.'"
104	TIME passed; he inquired: "What doth the maiden, my solace and jewel, my water of life?" The chamberlain replied: "She came, pale-faced, but now; she learned of your sadness and went away, but she is ready to come to your presence."
105	HE said: "Go, call her; how can I bear absence from her! Say unto her: 'Why didst thou turn back, 0 life of thy father? Come, drive away my grief, heal my wounded heart. I will tell thee wherefore my joy is fled.'"
106	T'HINAT'HIN rose and came; she did as her father wished. The light of her face is like the splendour of the moon. Her father set her by his side, and, kissing her tenderly, gently, said: "Why earnest thou not to me ? Wert thou waiting till I sent for thee ?"
107	THE maiden said: "0 king, who, however venturesome, would dare to approach you aware that you were frowning ? This sadness of yours upsets even the lights of heaven. Let a man seek to solve the difficulty; this, I think, would be better than grieving."
108	HE answered: "0 my child, however much this sad affair grieves me, thy sight and nearness cause me joy. My grief is dissipated as if I had taken an electuary. I believe that when thou knowest thou too wilt justify my sighing and groaning.
109	"I MET a certain beautiful, wondrous youth, his ray enlightened the firmament and the bounds of the earth. I could not find out why he was afflicted, nor for whom he wept. He came not to see me; I was irritated and quarrelled with him.
110	"WHEN he saw me, he mounted his horse and wiped the tears from his eyes. I cried out that he must be seized; he utterly destroyed my men; like an evil spirit, he was lost to me, he saluted me not like a man. Even now I know not whether he was real or a vision.
111	"I WONDER, what has happened ? How was it and what have I seen ? He has killed my warriors and shed torrents of blood. Can one believe him a human being when he has so completely disappeared! God was wont to protect me but now he has forsaken me.
112	"HIS tender mercies at length have become thus bitter to me; I have forgotten the past days of my joy. Every one will make me sad and comfort me no more. However long my days may be, I can no more rejoice."
113	THE maid replied: "Deign to hearken to my uttered words. 0 king, why repine at God or Fate! Why accuse of bitterness the All-seeing, who is tender to all! And why should the Creator of good make evil!
114	"IF this knight was indeed a man of flesh wandering over the earth, others must have seen him; they will appear to instruct you. If not, it is a devil who has appeared to you to disturb your joys. Refrain from sadness. Why art thou become cheerless ?
115	"THIS is my advice: Thou art king, ruler over kings; wide is your boundary, boundless is your power; send everywhere men with news of this story; soon shall you know whether this youth be a mortal or not."
116	HE commanded men and sent them forth even to the four corners of the heavens, saying: "Go, spare yourselves no pains; search, hunt for that youth, let nothing hinder you; send a letter whither ye cannot go nor attain."
117	THE men went, they wandered about for a year; they looked, they sought that youth, they inquired again and again. They could find none of God's creatures who had seen him. Wearied in vain, they returned.
118	THE slaves said: "0 king, we have wandered over the lands, yet could we not find that youth, so we could not rejoice; we could meet no living man who had seen him; we have not been able to serve you, now devise some other plan."
119	THE king replied: "My daughter, my child, spoke truth. I have seen a hideous, unclean spirit; he has been sent as my foe, flying down from heaven. Grief is fled from me; I care nothing for all that."
120	THUS he spoke, and sporting was increased with rejoicing; they called the minstrel and the acrobat wherever they were found, many gifts were distributed, he summoned all to the throne-room. What other did God create with