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<div style="background:#fff;border:#bbb dashed 1px;padding:5px"><a href="http://en.citatepedia.ro/comments.php?id=569563" style="color:#000;text-decoration:none"><div style="margin:10px 0"><strong>Prince Yousuf And The Alcayde</strong></div><div style="margin:10px 0">A Moorish Ballad<br>IN Grenada reigned Mohammed,<br>Sixth who bore the name was he;<br>But the rightful king, Prince Yousuf,<br>Pined in long captivity:<br>Yousuf, brother to Mohammed.<br>Him the king had seized and sent<br>Prisoner to a Moorish castle,<br>Where ten years his life was spent.<br>Ill and feeble, now the usurper<br>Felt his death was hastening on,<br>And would fain bequeath his kingdom<br>And his title to his son.<br>Calling then a trusty servant,<br>He to him a letter gave —<br>'Take my fleetest horse, and hasten,<br>If my life you wish to save.<br>'Hie thee to the brave Alcayde<br>Of my castle by the sea;<br>To his hands give thou this letter,<br>And his physician bring to me.'<br>Then in haste his servant mounted,<br>And for many a league he rode,<br>Till he reached the court and castle<br>Where the captive prince abode.<br>There sat Yousuf and the Alcayde<br>In the castle, playing chess.<br>'What is this?'<br>the keeper muttered.<br>'Some bad tidings, as I guess.'<br>Pale he grew, and sat and trembled,<br>While his eye the letter scanned;<br>And his voice was choked and speechless,<br>As he dropped it from his hand.<br>'Now what ails thee?'<br>cried Prince Yousuf.<br>'Doth the king demand my head?'<br>'Read it!'<br>gasps the good Alcayde.<br>'Ah, my lord — would I were dead!'<br>Yousuf read: 'When this shall reach you,<br>Slay my brother, and his head<br>Straightway by the bearer send me;,,<br>So I may be sure he's dead.'<br>'So' — cried Yousuf. 'This I looked for.<br>Now let us play out our game.<br>I was losing — you were winning<br>When this ugly message came.'<br>All confused, the poor Alcayde<br>Played his knights and bishops wrong;<br>And the prince his moves corrected.<br>So in silence sat they long.<br>In his mind Prince Yousuf pondered,<br>'Why this hasty message send,<br>If my kind and thoughtful brother<br>Were not hastening to his end?<br>'Surely he is ill or dying.<br>And if I must lose my head,<br>My young nephew will succeed him<br>O'er Grenada in my stead.<br>'Though my keeper still is friendly,<br>I must gain some hours' delay.<br>He is poor: the king may bribe him.<br>He may change ere close of day.'<br>Then aloud — 'Come, good Alcayde —<br>One more game before I die.<br>And be sure you make no blunders —<br>I may beat you yet. I'll try.'<br>In his lonely life the keeper<br>Dearly loved his game of chess;<br>Therefore needs he little urging,<br>Though sad thoughts his soul oppress.<br>For an hour or two they battled,<br>And the Alcayde gained amain;<br>For the prince with restless glances<br>Gazed beyond the window-pane.<br>Still the chess-board lay between them;<br>And the Alcayde played his best;<br>Took no note of gliding hours,<br>Till the sunset fired the west.<br>Yet he gained not, for Prince Yousuf<br>With a sudden checkmate sprang<br>Unforeseen — and that same moment —<br>Hark — was that a bugle rang?<br>Through the western windows gazing<br>Far across the dusty plain,<br>Yousuf saw the flash of lances —<br>And the bugle rang again.<br>And two knights appeared advancing<br>Like two eagles on the wing.<br>Allah Akbar! From Grenada<br>Faces flushed with joy they bring.<br>The king is dead! Long live King Yousuf!<br>Long lost lord — our rightful king!</div><div style="margin:10px 0"><br /></a><br />poem by <a href="http://en.citatepedia.ro/by.php?a=Christopher+Pearse+Cranch">Christopher Pearse Cranch</a><div class=q>
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<script type="text/javascript" src="//s7.addthis.com/js/300/addthis_widget.js#pubid=citatepedia" async="async"></script><div style="display:inline-block" class="addthis_sharing_toolbox" data-url="http://en.citatepedia.ro/comments.php?id=569563" data-title="Prince Yousuf And The Alcayde de Christopher Pearse Cranch" data-description="A Moorish Ballad
IN Grenada reigned Mohammed,
Sixth who bore the name was he;
But the rightful king, Prince Yousuf,
Pined in long captivity:
Yousuf, brother to Mohammed.
Him the king had seized and sent
Prisoner to a Moorish castle,
Where ten year..."></div>
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