Page:The Book of the Thousand Nights and One Night, Vol 6.djvu/228

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Quoth Er Reshid, ‘This too is stolen.’ ‘Not so,’ said she; ‘it is mine.’ ‘If it be so,’ rejoined he, ‘change the rhyme once more.’ And she recited as follows:

Then said the Khalif, ‘Of what [part] of this encampment [art thou]?’ And she answered, ‘Of its midmost in dwelling and of its highest in tent-pole.’ Wherefore he knew that she was the chief’s daughter of the tribe. ‘And thou,’ asked she, ‘of what [art thou among] the guardians of the horses?’ Quoth he, ‘Of the highest in tree and of the ripest in fruit.’ ‘God protect thee, O Commander of the Faithful!’ said she and called down blessings on him. Then she went away with the maidens of the Arabs, and the Khalif said to Jaafer, ‘Needs must I take her to wife.’ So Jaafer repaired to her father and said to him, ‘The Commander of the Faithful hath a mind to thy daughter.’ ‘With all my heart,’ replied he; ‘she is a gift as a handmaid to His Highness our lord the Commander of the Faithful.’ So