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for ball-play, the Vizier’s daughter seated herself at her lattice, to divert herself by looking on at the game; and as they were at play, her eyes fell upon a youth among them, never was seen a handsomer than he or a goodlier of favour, for he was bright of face, laughing-teethed, tall and broad-shouldered. She looked at him again and again and could not take her fill of gazing on him. Then she said to her nurse, ‘What is the name of yonder handsome young man among the troops?’ ‘O my daughter,’ replied the nurse, ‘they are all handsome. Which of them dost thou mean?’ ‘Wait till he passes,’ said Rose-in-bud, ‘and I will point him out to thee.’ So she took an apple and waited till he came under her window, when she dropped it on him, whereupon he raised his head, to see who did this, and saw the Vizier’s daughter at the window, as she were the full moon in the darkness of the night; nor did he withdraw his eyes, till he had fallen passionately in love with her; and he recited the following verses:
Was it an archer shot me or did thine eyes undo The lover’s heart that saw thee, what time thou metst his view?
Did the notched arrow reach me from midst a host, indeed, Or was it from a lattice that launched at me it flew?
When the game was at an end, he went away with the King, [whose servant and favourite he was,] with heart occupied with love of her; and she said to her nurse, ‘What is the name of that youth I showed thee?’ ‘His name is Uns el Wujoud,’ answered she; whereat Rose-in-bud shook her head and lay down on her couch, with a heart on fire for love. Then, sighing deeply, she improvised the following verses:
