Page:The Book of the Thousand Nights and One Night, Vol 6.djvu/229

201 he equipped her and carried her to the Khalif, who took her to wife and went in to her, and she became of the dearest of his women to him.

Moreover, he bestowed on her father largesse such as succoured him among the Arabs, till he was transported to the mercy of God the Most High. The Khalif, hearing of his death, went in to her, troubled; and when she saw him thus, she entered her chamber and putting off all that was upon her of rich apparel, donned mourning raiment and raised lament for her father. It was said to her, ‘What is the reason of this?’ And she answered, saying, ‘My father is dead.’ So they went in to the Khalif and told him and he rose and going in to her, asked her who had given her to know of her father’s death; and she answered, ‘It was thy face, O Commander of the Faithful!’ ‘How so?’ asked he; and she said, ‘Since I have been with thee, I never saw thee thus till now, and there was none for whom I feared save my father, by reason of his great age; but may thy head live, O Commander of the Faithful!’ When the Khalif heard this, his eyes filled with tears and he condoled with her; but she ceased not to mourn for her father, till she followed him [to the grave,] may God have mercy on them both! EL ASMAÏ AND THE THREE GIRLS OF BASSORA.

The Khalif Haroun er Reshid was exceeding restless one night and rising from his bed, fared from chamber to chamber, but could not compose himself to sleep. As soon as it was day, he said, ‘Fetch me El Asmaï.’ So the eunuch went out and told the doorkeepers, who sent for the poet and when he came, informed the Khalif. The latter bade admit him and said to him, ‘O Asmaï, I wish