第64章 KEMEREZZEMAN AND BUDOUR.(26)

Then he kissed the gardeners hand，saying，O my father，even as thou hast brought me glad tidings，so I also have great good news for thee，'and told him of his discovery in the garden；whereat the gardener rejoiced and said，O my son，fourscore years have I dwelt in this garden and have never chanced on aught；whilst thou，who hast not sojourned with me a year，hast discovered this thing；wherefore it is Gods gift to thee，for the cesser of thine ill fortune，and will aid thee to rejoin thy folk and foregather with her thou lovest.'Not so，'answered Kemerezzeman，it must be shared between us.'Then he carried him to the underground chamber and showed him the gold，which was in twenty jars.So he took ten and the gardener ten，and the latter said to him，O my son，fill thyself jars with the olives that grow in the garden，for they are not found but in our land and are sought after；the merchants carry them to all parts and they are called Asafiri[50] olives.Lay the gold in the jars and cover it with olives： then stop them and cover them and take them with thee in the ship.'So Kemerezzeman took fifty jars and laying in each somewhat of the gold，filled it up with olives.

At the bottom of one of the jars he laid the talisman，then stopped and covered the jars and sat down to talk with the gardener，making sure of speedy reunion with his own people and saying in himself，When I come to the Ebony Islands，I will journey thence to my fathers country and enquire for my beloved Budour.I wonder whether she turned back to her own land or journeyed on to my fathers country or whether there befell her any accident by the way.'And he repeated the following verses：

Love in my breast they lit and passed away forthright： Far distant is the land that holds my souls delight.

Far，far from me the camp and those that dwell therein；No visitation-place again shall us unite.

Patience and reason fled from me，when they fared forth；Sleep failed me and despair oercame me，like a blight.

They left me，and with them departed all my joy；Tranquillity and peace with them have taken flight.

They made mine eyes run down with tears of love laid waste；My lids for lack of them brim over day and night.

Whenas my sad soul longs to see them once again And waiting and desire are heavy on my spright，Midmost my heart of hearts their images I trace，Love and desireful pain and yearning for their sight.

Then he told the gardener what he had seen pass between the birds，whereat he wondered；and they both lay down and slept till the morning.The gardener awoke sick and abode thus two days；

but on the third day，his sickness increased on him，till they despaired of his life and Kemerezzeman grieved sore for him.

Meanwhile，the captain and sailors came and enquired for the gardener.Kemerezzeman told them that he was sick，and they said，Where is the young man that is minded to go with us to the Ebony Islands？He is your servant，'answered the prince and bade them carry the jars of olives to the ship.So they transported them to the ship，saying，Make haste，for the wind is fair；and he answered，I hear and obey.'Then he carried his victual on board and returning，to bid the gardener farewell，found him in the agonies of death.So he sat down at his head and closed his eyes，and his soul departed his body；whereupon he laid him out and committed him to the earth to the mercy of God the Most High.Then he went down to the port，to embark，but found that the ship had already weighed anchor and set sail；nor did she cease to cleave the waters，till she disappeared from his sight.So he returned to the garden，sorrowful and heavy-hearted，and sitting down，threw dust on his head and buffeted his face.Then he rented the garden of its owner and hired a man to help him tend the trees.Moreover，he went down to the underground chamber and bringing up the rest of the gold，stowed it in other fifty jars，which he filled up with olives.

Then he enquired of the ship and was told that it sailed but once a year；at which his affliction redoubled and he mourned sore for that which had befallen him，above all for the loss of the princess Budours talisman，and spent his nights and days weeping and repeating verses.

Meanwhile，the ship sailed with a favouring wind，till it reached the Ebony Islands.As fate would have it，the princess Budour was sitting at a window overlooking the sea and saw the ship cast anchor in the port.At this sight，her heart throbbed and she mounted and riding down to the port，with her officers，halted by the ship，whilst the sailors broke out the cargo and transported the goods to the storehouses；after which she called the captain and asked what he had with him.'O King，'answered he，I have with me drugs and cosmetics and powders and ointments and plasters and rich stuffs and Yemen rugs and other costly merchandise，not to be borne of mule or camel，and all manner essences and spices and perfumes，civet and ambergris and camphor and Sumatra aloes-wood，and tamarinds and Asafiri olives to boot，such as are rare to find in this country.'When she heard talk of Asafiri olives，her heart yearned for them and she said to the captain，How much olives hast thou？Fifty jars full，

answered he.'Their owner is not with us，but the King shall take what he will of them.'Quoth she，Bring them ashore，that I may see them.'So he called to the sailors，who brought her the fifty jars；and she opened one and looking at the olives，said to the captain，I will take the whole fifty and pay you their value，whatever it may be.'