Page:The Book of the Thousand Nights and One Night, Vol 4.djvu/116

92 them joy of their reunion and taking the purse, with its contents, returned to Baghdad.’

When the Khalif heard Ibn Mensour’s story, his heart was lightened and the restlessness and oppression from which he suffered forsook him. THE MAN OF YEMEN AND HIS SIX SLAVE-GIRLS.

The Khalif El Mamoun was sitting one day in his palace, surrounded by his grandees and officers of state, and there were present also before him all his poets and minions, amongst the rest one named Mohammed of Bassora. Presently, the Khalif turned to the latter and said to him, ‘O Mohammed, I wish thee to tell me something that I have never before heard.’ ‘O Commander of the Faithful,’ answered Mohammed, ‘shall I tell thee a thing that I have heard with my ears or a thing that I have seen with my eyes?’ ‘Tell me whichever is the rarer,’ said El Mamoun.

‘Know then, O Commander of the Faithful,’ began Mohammed, ‘that there lived once a wealthy man, who was a native of Yemen; but he left his native land and came to this city of Baghdad, whose sojourn so pleased him that he transported hither his family and possessions. Now he had six slave-girls, the first fair, the second dark, the third fat, the fourth thin, the fifth yellow and the sixth black, all fair of face and perfectly accomplished and skilled in the arts of singing and playing upon instruments of music. One day he sent for them all and called for meat and drink; and they ate and drank and made merry. Then he filled the cup and taking it in his hand, said to the blonde, “O new-moon-face, let us hear somewhat pleasing.” So she took the lute and tuning it, made music thereon with such melodious trills and modulations