Page:Tales from the Arabic, Vol 3.djvu/156

138 speech and her verses pleased him and he said to El Abbas, “O my son, verily, these damsels are weary with long versifying, and indeed they make us yearn after the dwellings and the homesteads with the goodliness of their songs. Indeed, these five have adorned our assembly with the excellence of their melodies and have done well in that which they have said before those who are present; wherefore we counsel thee to enfranchise them for the love of God the Most High.” Quoth El Abbas, “There is no commandment but thy commandment;” and he enfranchised the ten damsels in the assembly; whereupon they kissed the hands of the king and his son and prostrated themselves in thanksgiving to God the Most High. Then they put off that which was upon them of ornaments and laying aside the lutes [and other] instruments of music, clave to their houses, veiled, and went not forth.

As for King El Aziz, he lived after this seven years and was admitted to the mercy of God the Most High;