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mander of the Faithful. I accomplished both my occasions and being about to return home, said to myself, “Let us hear somewhat of the singing of Baghdad.” Wherefore I bought this damsel, knowing not how it was with you both; and I take God to witness that, when I reach Bassora, I will free her and marry her to thee and assign you what shall suffice you, and more: but on condition that, whenever I have a mind to hear music, a curtain shall be hung for her and she shall sing to me from behind it, and thou shalt be of the number of my brethren and boon-companions.’
At this I rejoiced and he put his head within the curtain and said to her, ‘Will that content thee?’ Whereupon she fell to blessing and thanking him. Then he called a servant and said to him, ‘Take this young man and do off his clothes and clothe him in costly raiment and incense him[1] and bring him back to us.’ So the servant did with me as his master bade him and brought me back to him, and he set wine before me, even as before the rest of the company. Then the damsel fell to singing after the goodliest fashion and chanted these verses:
They rail at me because, upon the parting day, I wept, when my belov’d farewell to me did say.
They never knew the taste of severance nor felt The fire that in my breast for sorrow rageth aye.
Only th’ afflicted one of passion knoweth, he Whose heart amongst these steads is lost and gone astray.
The folk rejoiced in her song with an exceeding joy and my gladness redoubled, so that I took the lute from her and preluding after the most melodious fashion, sang the following verses:
- ↑ i.e. perfume his clothes and person with the fragrant smoke of burning aloes-wood or ambergris, a common practice among the Arabs.
