By Allah，this is wonderful！ But I must needs follow this bird whether it lead me to death or to life；and I will go wherever it goeth，for at all events it will not abide save in some inhabited land.[309] So he continued to follow the bird which roosted every night upon a tree；and he ceased not pursuing it for a space of ten days，feeding on the fruits of the earth and drinking of its waters. At the end of this time，he came in sight of an inhabited city，whereupon the bird darted off like the glance of the eye and，entering the town，disappeared from Kamar alZaman，who knew not what it meant or whither it was gone；so he marvelled at this and exclaimed，'Praise be to Allah who hath brought me in safety to this city！'Then he sat down by a stream and washed his hands and feet and face and rested awhile；and，recalling his late easy and pleasant life of union with his beloved and contrasting it with his present plight of trouble and fatigue and distress and strangerhood and famine and severance，the tears streamed from his eyes and he began repeating these cinquains，'Pain had I hid thy handwork，but it showed，Changed sleep for wake，and wake with me abode：
When thou didst spurn my heart I cried aloud
Pate，hold thy hand and cease to gird and goad：
In dole and danger aye my sprite I spy！
An but the Lord of Love were just to me，
Sleep fro' my eyelids ne'er were forced to flee.
Pity，my lady，one for love o' thee
Prom his tribes darling brought to low degree：
Love came and doomed Wealth beggardeath to die.
The railers chide at thee： I ne'er gainsay，
But stop my ears and dumbly sign them Nay：
'Thou lov'st a slender may，' say they；I say，
'I've picked her out and cast the rest away：'
Enough；when Fate descends she blinds man's eye！'[310]
And as soon as he had finished his poetry and had taken his rest，he rose and walked on little by little，till he entered the city.And Shahrazad perceived the dawn of day and ceased saying her permitted say.
When it was the Two Hundred and Eighth Night，She said，It hath reached me，O auspicious King，that as soon as Kamar alZaman had finished his poetry and had taken his rest，he arose and entered the citygate[311] not knowing whither he should wend. He crossed the city from end to end，entering by the landgate，and ceased not faring on till he came out at the sea
gate，for the city stood on the seashore. Yet he met not a single one of its citizens. And after issuing from the landgate he fared forwards and ceased not faring till he found himself among the orchards and gardens of the place；and，passing among the trees presently came to a garden and stopped before its door；whereupon the keeper came out to him and saluted him. The Prince returned his greeting and the gardener bade him welcome，saying，'Praised be Allah that thou hast come off safe from the dwellers of this city！ Quick，come into the garth，ere any of the townfolk see thee.'Thereupon Kamar alZaman entered that garden，wondering in mind，and asked the keeper，'What may be the history of the people of this city and who may they be？'The other answered，'Know that the people of this city are all Magians： but Allah upon thee，tell me how thou camest to this city and what caused thy coming to our capital.'Accordingly Kamar alZaman told the gardener all that had befallen him from beginning to end，whereat he marvelled with great marvel and said，'Know，O my son，that the cities of AlIslam lie far from us；and between us and them is a four months' voyage by sea and a whole twelve months' journey by land. We have a ship which saileth every year with merchandise to the nearest Moslem country and which entereth the seas of the Ebony Islands and thence maketh the Khalidan Islands，the dominions of King Shahriman.'Thereupon Kamar al Zaman considered awhile and concluded that he could not do better than abide in the garden with the gardener and become his assistant，receiving for pay one fourth of the produce. So he said to him，'Wilt thou take me into thy service，to help thee in this garden？'Answered the gardener，'To hear is to consent；'and began teaching him to lead the water to the roots of the trees.
So Kamar alZaman abode with him，watering the trees and hoeing up the weeds and wearing a short blue frock which reached to his knees. And he wept floods of tears；for he had no rest day or night，by reason of his strangerhood and he ceased not to repeat verses upon his beloved，amongst others the following couplets，'Ye promised us and will ye not keep plight？
Ye said a say and shall not deed be dight？
We wake for passion while ye slumber and sleep；
Watchers and wakers claim not equal right：
We vowed to keep our loves in secrecy，
But spake the meddler and you spoke forthright：
O friend in pain and pleasure，joy and grief，
In all case you，you only，claim my sprite！
Mid folk is one who holds my prisoned heart；
Would he but show some ruth for me to sight.
Not every eye like mine is wounded sore，
Not every heart like mine lovepipings blight：
Ye wronged me saying，Love is wrongous aye
Yea！ ye were right，events have proved that quite.
Forget they one lovethralled，whose faith the world
Robs not，though burn the fires in heart alight：
If an my foeman shall become my judge，
Whom shall I sue to remedy his despight？
Had not I need of love nor love had sought，
My heart forsure were not thus lovedistraught.'
