Page:The Book of the Thousand Nights and One Night, Vol 4.djvu/319

289 Then he clad her in the shift and giving her a lute sent her once more to his nephew. When she came into the latter’s presence, she kissed the earth before him and tuning the lute, sang thereto the following verses:

When she had made an end of her song, El Amin looked at her and reading that which was wrought upon her skirt, could not control himself, but drew near unto her and kissed her and appointed her a separate lodging in his palace. Moreover, he thanked his uncle for this and bestowed on him the government of Er Reï. EL FETH BEN KHACAN AND THE KHALIF EL MUTAWEKKIL.

The Khalif El Mutawekkil was once again taking medicine, and folk sent him all manner of presents and rarities. Amongst others, El Feth ben Khacan sent him a virgin slave, high-bosomed, of the fairest of women of her time, and with her a vase of crystal, containing red wine, and a goblet of red gold, whereon were graven in black the following verses:

VOL IV.