Page:The Book of the Thousand Nights and a Night - Volume 4.djvu/278

 s brightness? So, how many claims to honour are there not in blackness and how excellent is the saying of the poet,

'I visit them, and night-black lendeth aid to me * Seconding love, but dawn-white is mine enemy.'

And that of another,

'How many a night I've passed with the beloved of me, * While gloom with dusky tresses veilèd our desires: But when the morn-light showed it caused me sad affright; * And I     to Morning said, 'Who worship light are liars!'

And saith a third,

'He came to see me, hiding neath the skirt of night, * Hasting his steps as wended he in cautious plight. I rose and spread my cheek upon his path like rug, * Abject, and trailed my skirt to hide it from his sight; But rose the crescent moon and strave its best to show * The world our loves like nail-slice raying radiant light: Then what befel befel: I need not aught describe; * But think thy best, and ask me naught of wrong or right. Meet not thy lover save at night for fear of slander * The Sun's     a tittle-tattler and the Moon's a pander.'

And a fifth,

'I love not white girls blown with fat who puff and pant; * The maid for me is young brunette embonpoint-scant. I'd rather ride a colt that's darn upon the day * Of race, and set my friends upon the elephant.'

And a sixth,

My lover came to me one night, * And clips we both with fond embrace; And lay together till we saw * The morning come with swiftest pace. Now I pray Allah and my Lord * To reunite us of His grace And make night last me long as he * Lies in the arms that tightly lace.'

Were I to set forth all the praises of blackness, my tale would be tedious; but little and enough is better than too much of unfilling stuff.