Page:The Book of the Thousand Nights and a Night - Volume 4.djvu/284

 leper-white nor bile-yellow nor charcoal-black, but hath made my colour to be beloved of men of wit and wisdom, for all the poets extol berry-brown maids in every tongue and exalt their colour over all other colours. To 'brown of hue (they say) praise is due;' and Allah bless him who singeth,

'And in brunettes is mystery, could'st" thou but read it right, *     Thy sight would never dwell on others, be they red or white: Free-flowing conversation, amorous coquettishness * Would teach     Hárut himself a mightier spell of magic might.'

And saith another,

'Give me brunettes, so limber, lissom, lithe of sway, * Brunettes tall, slender straight like Samhar's nut-brown lance; Languid of eyelids and with silky down on either cheek, * Who fixed in lover's heart work to his life mischance.'

And yet another,

'Now, by my life, brown hue hath point of comeliness * Leaves whiteness nowhere and high o'er the Moon takes place; But an of whiteness aught it borrowed self to deck, * 'Twould change its graces and would pale for its disgrace: Not with his must I'm drunken, but his locks of musk * Are wine inebriating all of human race. His charms are jealous each of each, and all desire * To be the down that creepeth up his lovely face.'

And again another,

'Why not incline me to that show of silky down, * On cheeks of dark brunette, like bamboo spiring brown? Whenas high rank in beauty poets sing, they say * Brown ant-like specklet worn by nenuphar in crown. And see I sundry lovers tear out others' eyne * For the brown mole beneath that jetty pupil shown, Then why do censors blame me for one all a mole? * Allah I pray demolish each molesting clown!'