Fate hath so ordered it that I must needs thy lover be, O thou whose charms shine as the moon, when at the full is she! All beauty and all eloquence thou dost in thee contain And over all the world of men thou'rt bright and brave to see. That thou my torturer shouldst be, I am indeed content, So but thou wilt one glance bestow, as almous-deed, on me. Happy, thrice happy is her lot who dieth for thy love! No good is there in any one that doth not cherish thee.
To thee, O Asaad, of the pangs of passion I complain; Have pity on a slave of love, that burns for longing pain. How long, I wonder, shall the hands of passion sport with me And love and dole and sleeplessness consume me, heart and brain? Whiles do I plain me of a sea within my heart and whiles Of flaming; surely, this is strange, O thou my wish and bane! Give o'er thy railing, censor mine, and set thyself to flee From love that maketh eyes for aye with burning tears to rain. How oft, for absence and desire, I cry, "Alas, my grief!" But all my crying and lament in this my case are vain. Thou hast with rigours made me sick, that passed my power to bear: Thou'rt the physician; do thou me with what befits assain. O thou my censurer, forbear to chide me for my case, Lest, of Love's cruel malady, perdition thee attain.
Then she scented the letter with odoriferous musk and winding it in the tresses of her hair, which were of Irak silk, with tassels of oblong emeralds, set with pearls and jewels, delivered it to the old woman, bidding her carry it to prince Asaad. She undertook the errand, to pleasure her, and going in straightway to the prince, found him in his closet and delivered him the letter; after which she stood waiting for the answer. When Asaad had read the letter and knew its purport, he wrapped it up again in the tresses and put it in his pocket, cursing false women; then, for he was beyond measure wroth, he sprang up and drawing his sword, smote the old woman on the neck and cut off her head. Then he went in to his mother, Queen Heyat en Nufous, whom he found lying on her bed, sick for that which had betided her with prince Amjed, and railed at her and cursed her; after which he left her and betook himself to his brother, to whom he related what had befallen him with Queen Budour, adding, 'By Allah, O my brother, but that I feared to grieve thee, I had gone in to her forthright and smitten her head off her shoulders!' 'By Allah, O my brother,' replied Amjed, 'the like of what hath befallen thee befell me also yesterday with thy mother Queen Heyat en Nufous.' And he told him what had passed, adding, 'By Allah, O my brother, nought but respect for thee withheld me from going in to her and dealing with her even as I dealt with the eunuch!' They passed the rest of the night in trouble and affliction, conversing and cursing false women, and agreed to keep the matter secret, lest their father should hear of it and kill the two women.
