| |
| THEY had a tale on which to gloat, | |
| The gossips sitting in a row: | |
| How Feylimeed took wife by throat | |
| And broke her beauty with a blow. | |
| |
| And one, and then another, said: | 5 |
| Ah, fortunate if now she die; | |
| For piteous is a cloth-bound head | |
| Instead of beauty’s flashing eye. | |
| |
| Else to some desert let her go | |
| From women’s words and eyes of men, | 10 |
| But ancient Eefa whispered low: | |
| “Simply you read the story then.” | |
| |
| No other word old Eefa spoke | |
| But smiling blinked from side to side, | |
| Till Enna, breathless, on them broke | 15 |
| Her mouth and eyes with horror wide. | |
| |
| “He gropes his way, his eyes are out!” | |
| “Who gropes his way?” “Why, Faylimeed!” | |
| “The blind cat’s fingers, without doubt | |
| Got at them sleeping?” “Nay, indeed, | 20 |
| |
| “No fingers but his own plucked, flung | |
| Them dazzling in the sullen tide, | |
| For ah, they say his heart was wrung | |
| To see the wreck of beauty’s pride.” | |
| Then Eefa whispered from her place: | 25 |
| “As Faylimeed gripped wife by throat | |
| Her eyes flashed love into his face | |
| And his heart blazed while his hand smote.” | |
| |
