Vis and Ramin

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134 VISRAMIANI
not as if they were faring in such a grievous place and
road. In China l on a stone it is written how hell seems to
lovers like Paradise ; when the beloved is near, the lover
even when filthy will be beloved by her. The plain seems
a vineyard, the snow a garden. The lover is like a
drunkard, for when a man is drunk, woe and joy seem
alike to him.
They passed that plain in ten days, and came from
Marav to the city of Re. Ramin had a good friend and
trusty; he had in Re a good dwelling, and was a very
generous and good man. His name was Behroz, son of
Shehro. His house was pleasant to abide in, and full of
2
everything good. At twilight, when through the darkness
of night the road was not seen, Ramin went to the door of
Behroz with glad heart and free from trouble. When
Behroz saw Ramin, he could not for joy believe that he
was not dreaming. He said :
" Wherefore does a guest like Ramin come at such an
hour ?"
Ramin said :
"Brother, hide this secret like thy virtue, and tell no
one that Ramin is come, or that thou hast a guest."
Behroz
thus replied :
" God and my good luck have brought thee to be my
guest. Thou art the master, I am thy slave's slave. 3
If
thou commandest me, I will send everyone out of the
house. My palace and whatever is in it are yours, and
may God give me good speed in your service."
Then Vis, Ramin, and Behroz rejoiced as they wished
for a hundred days, so that none knew tidings of them.
With closed doors and open hearts they sported by day,
and after the appearance of night Ramin took his harp, 4
1 CMnet'hi. Cf. Chin, Machin, Sin, 26, 155 ; chinuri, chineli, 62 ;
Manechineli, 13 ; Chini-Machini, 178. B., 834. For grammatical
construction of " "
Chineths," cf. Arabeths," B., 32.
2 Dzilpirisa, B., 472. Cf. Cecelidze, Canons of Jerusalem, p. 340 ;
Marr., I., 22, 23, note 1.
3
Qmisa qma, 138, 150, 174.
*
Changi, 165.