Page:The Book of the Thousand Nights and One Night, Vol 7.djvu/306

278 And what is this beside the saying of another?

On the morrow, the Khalif sent for Ibn el Kirnas and ordered him ten thousand dinars to her price. And his heart was taken up with her and he forsook the princess Zubeideh bint el Casim, for all she was his father’s brother’s daughter, and all his favourites and abode a whole month without stirring from Cout el Culoub’s side, save to go to the Friday prayers and return to her in haste. This was grievous to the grandees of the realm and they made their complaint thereof to the Vizier Jaafer the Barmecide, who waited till the next Friday, when he entered the congregational mosque and foregathering with the Khalif, related to him all that occurred to him of extraordinary stories concerning love, with intent to draw out what was in his mind. ‘By Allah, O Jaafer,’ said Haroun, ‘this is not of my choice; but my heart is caught in the snare of love and I know not what is to be done!’ ‘O Commander of the Faithful,’ replied Jaafer, ‘this girl Cout el Culoub is become at thy disposal and of the number of thy servants, and that which the hand possesseth the soul coveteth not. Moreover, I will tell thee another thing and it is that the greatest glory of kings and princes is in hunting and the pursuit of sport and victory; and if thou apply thyself to this, belike it will divert thee from her, and it may be thou wilt forget her.’ ‘Thou sayest well, O Jaafer,’ rejoined the Khalif. ‘Come, let us go a-hunting forthright.’