Page:The Book of the Thousand Nights and One Night, Vol 1.djvu/132

114 When we had done eating, the table was removed, and I washed my hands seven times. Then I took pen and ink and wrote the following verses:

Then I rose and seated myself at a distance, whilst the King read what I had written and marvelled and said, “Strange that an ape should be gifted with such fluency and skill in penmanship! By Allah, this is a wonder of wonders!” Then they set choice wine before the King in flagons of glass; and he drank, then passed the cup to me; and I kissed the earth and drank and wrote the following verses:

And these also: