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He came in a tunic all sable of hue And shone out, thus veiled in the dark, to men’s view.
“Thou passest,” quoth I, “without greeting, and thus Givest cause to exult to the rancorous crew.
Thy garment resembles thy locks and my lot, Yea, blackness and blackness and blackness thereto.”
Then the chamberlain returned to Haroun er Reshid and acquainted him with the poet’s predicament, whereupon he bade him take a thousand dirhems and go and take him out of pawn. So he returned to Abou Nuwas and paying his score, carried him to the Khalif, who said, ‘Make me some verses containing the words, “O Trusty One of God, what is to do?”’ Night cccxl.‘I hear and obey, O Commander of the Faithful,’ answered he and improvised the following verses:
My night was long for sleeplessness and care. Weary I was and many my thoughts were.
I rose and walked awhile in my own place, Then midst the harem’s cloistered courts did fare,
Until I chanced on somewhat black and found It was a damsel shrouded in her hair.
God bless her for a shining moon! Her shape A willow-wand, and pudour veiled the fair.
I quaffed a cup to her; then, drawing near, I kissed the mole upon her cheek so rare.
She woke and swayed about in her amaze, Even as the branch sways in the rain-fraught air;
Then rose and said, “O Trusty One of God, What is to do, and thou, what dost thou there?”
“A guest”, quoth I, “that sues to thee, by night, For shelter till the hour of morning-prayer.”
“Gladly,” she said; “with hearing and with sight To grace the guest, my lord, I will not spare.”
‘Confound thee!’ cried the Khalif. ‘It is as if thou hadst been present with us.’ Then he took him by the hand and carried him to the damsel, who was clad in a dress and veil of blue. When Abou Nuwas saw her, he
