A Plain and Literal Translation of The Arabian Nights Entertainments, Now Entitled The Book Of The Thousand Nights and A — Part 125

Then he looked at the third, whereon he found written in ultramarine these two couplets:—

Ever thy pomp and pride, O House! display ✿ While starkeneth Night and shineth sheeny Day! Boon Fortune bless all entering thy walls, ✿ And whomso dwell in thee, for ever and aye!

Then he looked at the fourth and saw painted in yellow characters this couplet:—

This garden and this lake in truth ✿ Are fair sitting-steads, by the Lord of Ruth!

Moreover, in that garden were birds of all breeds, ring-dove and cushat and nightingale and culver, each singing his several song, and amongst them the lady, swaying gracefully to and fro in her beauty and grace and symmetry and loveliness and ravishing all who saw her. Presently quoth she to Masrur, “Hola man! what bringeth thee into a house other than thy house and wherefore comest thou in unto women other than thy women, without leave of their owner?” Quoth he, “O my lady, I saw this garden, and the goodliness of its greenery pleased me and the fragrance of its flowers and the carolling of its birds; so I entered, thinking to gaze on it awhile and wend my way.” Said she, “With love and gladness!”; and Masrur was amazed at the sweetness of her speech and the coquetry of her glances and the straightness of her shape, and transported by her beauty and seemlihead and the pleasantness of the garden and the birds. So in the disorder of his spirits he recited these couplets:—

As a crescent-moon in the garth her form ✿ ’Mid Basil and Jasmine and Rose I scan; And Violet faced by the Myrtle-spray ✿ And Nu’umán’s bloom and Myrobalan: By her perfume the Zephyrs perfumèd breathe ✿ And with scented sighings the branches fan. O Garden, thou perfect of beauty art ✿ All charms comprising in perfect plan; And melodious birdies sing madrigals ✿ And the Full Moon[308] shineth in branch-shade wan;

Its ring-dove, its culver, its mocking-bird ✿ And its Philomel sing my soul t’ unman; And the longing of love all my wits confuseth ✿ For her charms, As the man whom his wine bemuseth.

Now when Zayn al-Mawásif heard his verse, she glanced at him with eyes which bequeathed a thousand sighs and utterly ravished his wisdom and wits and replied to him in these lines:—

Hope not of our favours to make thy prey ✿ And of what thou wishest thy greed allay: And cease thy longing; thou canst not win ✿ The love of the Fair thou’rt fain t’ essay, My glances to lovers are baleful and naught ✿ I reek of thy speech: I have said my say!