- The fox replied, “It was a spell of magic that appeared in your eyes as a lion;
- گفت روبه آن طلسم سحر بود ** که ترا در چشم آن شیری نمود
- Else I am more puny in body than you, and I always feed there by night and day.
- ورنه من از تو به تن مسکین‌ترم ** که شب و روز اندر آنجا می‌چرم
- If he (the magician) had not wrought a spell of that kind, every famishing (animal) would have run thither.
- گرنه زان گونه طلسمی ساختی ** هر شکم‌خواری بدانجا تاختی
- (In) a foodless world full of elephants and rhinoceroses how should the meadow have remained verdant without (the protection of) a spell? 2615
- یک جهان بی‌نوا پر پیل و ارج ** بی‌طلسمی کی بماندی سبز مرج
- Truly, I meant to tell you, by way of instruction, not to be afraid if you should see a terrible thing like that;
- من ترا خود خواستم گفتن به درس ** که چنان هولی اگر بینی مترس
- But I forgot to impart (this) knowledge to you, because I was overwhelmed with grief and pity on your account.
- لیک رفت از یاد علم آموزیت ** که بدم مستغرق دلسوزیت
- I saw you were ravenously hungry and without food, (therefore) I was making haste so that you might attain to the remedy;
- دیدمت در جوع کلب و بی‌نوا ** می‌شتابیدم که آیی تا دوا
- Otherwise I would have explained the spell to you: it (the lion) presents itself as an apparition, it is not a (real) body.”
- ورنه با تو گفتمی شرح طلسم ** که آن خیالی می‌نماید نیست جسم
- The reply of the ass to the fox.
- جواب گفتن خر روباه را
- “Hark,” cried the ass, “begone, begone from my presence, O enemy, that I may not see your face, O ugly one! 2620
- گفت رو رو هین ز پیشم ای عدو ** تا نبینم روی تو ای زشت‌رو
- That God who made you ill-fated hath made your ugly face detestable and impudent.
- آن خدایی که ترا بدبخت کرد ** روی زشتت را کریه و سخت کرد