Al-Hajjaj Bin Yusuf Al-Sakafi had been long in pursuit of a certain man of the notables, and when at last he was brought before him, he said, "O enemy of Allah, He has delivered you over to me;" and cried, "Hale him to prison and lay him by the heels in heavy fetters and build a closet over him, that he may not come forth of it nor any go into him." So they bore him to jail and summoned the blacksmith with the irons; and every time the smith gave a stroke with his hammer, the prisoner raised his eyes to heaven and said, "Is not the whole Creation and the Empire of it His?" Then the gaolers built the cage over him and left him within it, lorn and lone, whereupon longing and consternation entered into him and the tongue of his case recited in extempore verse,

O Wish of wistful men, for You I yearn; My heart seeks grace of one no heart shall spurn. Unhidden from your sight is this my case; And for one glance of you I pine and burn. They jailed and tortured me with sorest pains: Alas for lone one can no aid discern!

But, albe lone, I find Your name befriends And cheers, though sleep eyes shall never return: If you accept of me, I care for nothing; And only You what's in heart can learn!"

Now when night fell dark, the gaoler left his watchmen to guard him and went to his house; and on the morrow, when he came to the prison, he found the fetters lying on the ground and the prisoner gone; at which he was affrighted and made sure of death. So he returned to his place and bade his family farewell, after which he took in his sleeve his shroud and the sweet herbs for his corpse, and went in to Al-Hajjaj. And as he stood before the presence, the Governor smelt the perfumes and asked, "What is that?" when the gaoler answered, "O my lord, it is I who have brought it." "And what moved you to that?" enquired the Governor; whereupon he told him his case,—

When it was the Four Hundred and Seventy first night

Answered the gaoler, "Yes! Whilst the blacksmith was hammering his irons, he did not stop to look up heavenwards and say, 'Is not the whole Creation and the Empire of it His?' " Rejoined Al-Hajjaj, "Do you not know that He, on whom he called in your presence, delivered him in yours absence?" And the tongue of the case recited on this theme,

"O Lord, how many a grief from me have driven Nor can I sit or stand without Your hold: How many many things I cannot count, You sav'st from many and manifold!"

And they also tell a tale of

Blacksmith who Could Handle Fire. 271