Page:The Book of the Thousand Nights and One Night, Vol 1.djvu/321

295 and said, “Be patient; there remains but little to do.” At this his face cleared and he said, “Tell me what she would have the maid do with me.” “Nothing but good,” replied she, “as I am thy ransom. She only wishes to dye thine eyebrows and pluck out thy moustaches.” Quoth he, “As for the dyeing of my eyebrows, that will come off with washing, but the plucking out of my moustaches will be irksome.” “Beware of crossing her,” said the old woman; “for her heart is set on thee.” So my brother suffered them to dye his eyebrows and pluck out his moustaches, after which the damsel returned to her mistress and told her. Quoth she, “There is one thing more to be done; thou must shave his chin, that he may be beardless.” So the maid went back and told my brother what her mistress bade her do, whereupon cried my fool of a brother, “How can I do what will dishonour me among the folk?” But the old woman said, “She only wishes to do thus with thee, that thou mayst be as a beardless youth and that no hair may be left on thy face to prick her; for she is passionately in love with thee. Be patient and thou shalt attain thy desire.” So he submitted to have his beard shaved off and his face rouged, after which they carried him back to the lady. When she saw him with his eyebrows dyed, his whiskers and moustaches plucked out, his beard shaved off and his face rouged, she was affrighted at him, then laughed till she fell backward and said, “O my lord, thou hast won my heart with thy good nature!” Then she conjured him, by her life, to rise and dance; so he began to dance, and there was not a cushion in the place but she threw it at him, whilst the damsels pelted him with oranges and limes and citrons, till he fell down senseless. When he came to himself, the old woman said to him, “Now thou hast attained thy desire. There is no more beating for thee and there remains but one thing more. It is her wont,