Then he wepttill he swooned awayand abode in his swoon a long while. When he came to himselfhe looked right and left and seeing none in the desertwas fearful of the wild beasts；so he climbed to the top of a high mountainwhere he heard a man's voice speaking within a cavern. He listened and found it to be that of a devoteewho had forsworn the world and given himself up to pious exercises. So he knocked thrice at the cavern door；but the hermit made him no answerneither came forth to him；wherefore he sighed heavily and recited the following verses：
What way is open unto meto my desire to get And put off weariness and toil and trouble and regret？
All pains and terrors have combined on meto make me hoar And old of head and heartwhilst I a very child am yet.
I find no friend to solace me of longing and unease'Nor one'gainst passion and its stress to aid me and abet.
Alasthe torments I endure for waste and wistful love！
Fortunemeseems'gainst me is turned and altogether set.
Ahwoe's me for the lover's painunrestingpassion-burnt，Him who in parting's bitter cup his lips perforce hath wet！
His wit is ravished clean away by separation's woeFire in his heart and all consumed his entrails by its fret.
Ahwhat a dreadful day it waswhen to her stead I came And thatwhich on the door was writmy eyes confounded met！
I weptuntil I gave the earth to drink of my despair；But still from friend and foe I hid the woes that me beset.
Then strayed I forth tillin the wastea lion sprang on me And would have slain me straight；but him with flattering words I met And soothed him. So he spared my life and succoured meas'twere He too had known love's taste and been entangled in its net.
Yetfor all thiscould I but win to come to my desireAll，that I've suffered and enduredstraightway I should forget.
O thouthat harbour'st in thy cavedistracted from the world，Meseems thou'st tasted love and been its slaveO anchoret！
Hardly had he made an end of these verses whenbeholdthe door of the cavern opened and he heard one say'Alasthe pity of it I'So he entered and saluted the hermitwho returned his greeting and said to him'What is thy name？'Uns el Wujoud，'answered the young man. 'And what brings thee hither？'asked the hermit. So he told him his whole storywhereat he wept and said'O Uns el Wujoudthese twenty years have I dwelt in this placebut never beheld I any heretill the other daywhen I heard a noise of cries and weepingand looking forth in the direction of the soundsaw much people and tents pitched on the sea-shore. They built a shipin which they embarked and sailed away. Then some of them returned with the ship and breaking it upwent their way；and methinks thosewho embarked in the ship and returned notare they whom thou seekest. In that casethy trouble must needs be grievous and thou art excusable；though never yet was lover but suffered sorrows.'Then he recited the following verses：