Tales from the Arabic | Page 7

mount them on beasts, face to tail,
and go round with them about all the city and banish them to a place
other than the city; and bid the crier make proclamation before them,
saying, 'This is the reward and the least of the reward of whoso
multiplieth words and molesteth his neighbours and stinteth them of
their delights and their eating and drinking!'" Jaafer received the order
[with submission] and answered with ["Hearkening and] obedience;"
after which he went down from before Aboulhusn to the city and did
that whereunto he had bidden him.
Meanwhile, Aboulhusn abode in the Khalifate, taking and giving,
ordering and forbidding and giving effect to his word, till the end of the
day, when he gave [those who were present] leave and permission [to
withdraw], and the Amirs and officers of state departed to their
occasions. Then the eunuchs came to him and calling down on him
length of life and continuance [of glory and prosperity], walked in
attendance upon him and raised the curtain, and he entered the pavilion
of the harem, where he found candles lighted and lamps burning and
singing-women smiting [on instruments of music]. When he saw this,
he was confounded in his wit and said in himself, "By Allah, I am in
truth Commander of the Faithful!" As soon as he appeared, the
slave-girls rose to him and carrying him up on to the estrade,[FN#30]
brought him a great table, spread with the richest meats. So he ate
thereof with all his might, till he had gotten his fill, when he called one
of the slave-girls and said to her, "What is thy name?" "My name is
Miskeh," replied she, and he said to another, "What is thy name?"

Quoth she, "My name is Terkeh." Then said he to a third, "What is thy
name?" "My name is Tuhfeh," answered she; and he went on to
question the damsels of their names, one after another, [till he had
made the round of them all], when he rose from that place and removed
to the wine-chamber.
He found it every way complete and saw therein ten great trays, full of
all fruits and cakes and all manner sweetmeats. So he sat down and ate
thereof after the measure of his sufficiency, and finding there three
troops of singing-girls, was amazed and made the girls eat. Then he sat
and the singers also seated themselves, whilst the black slaves and the
white slaves and the eunuchs and pages and boys stood, and the
slave-girls, some of them, sat and some stood. The damsels sang and
warbled all manner melodies and the place answered them for the
sweetness of the songs, whilst the pipes cried out and the lutes made
accord with them, till it seemed to Aboulhusn that he was in Paradise
and his heart was cheered and his breast dilated. So he sported and
joyance waxed on him and he bestowed dresses of honour on the
damsels and gave and bestowed, challenging this one and kissing that
and toying with a third, plying one with wine and another with meat,
till the night fell down.
All this while the Khalif was diverting himself with watching him and
laughing, and at nightfall he bade one of the slave-girls drop a piece of
henbane in the cup and give it to Aboulhusn to drink. So she did as he
bade her and gave Aboulhusn the cup, whereof no sooner had he
drunken than his head forewent his feet [and he fell down, senseless].
Therewith the Khalif came forth from behind the curtain, laughing, and
calling to the servant who had brought Aboulhusn to the palace, said to
him, "Carry this fellow to his own place." So Mesrour took him up [and
carrying him to his own house], set him down in the saloon. Then he
went forth from him and shutting the saloon-door upon him, returned to
the Khalif, who slept till the morrow.
As for Aboulhusn, he gave not over sleeping till God the Most High
brought on the morning, when he awoke, crying out and saying, "Ho,
Tuffaheh! Ho, Rahet el Culoub! Ho, Miskeh! Ho, Tuhfeh!" And he

gave not over calling upon the slave-girls till his mother heard him
calling upon strange damsels and rising, came to him and said, "The
name of God encompass thee! Arise, O my son, O Aboulhusn! Thou
dreamest." So he opened his eyes and finding an old woman at his head,
raised his eyes and said to her, "Who art thou?" Quoth she, "I am thy
mother;" and he answered, "Thou liest! I am the Commander of the
Faithful, the Vicar of God." Whereupon his mother cried out and said
to him, "God preserve thy reason! Be silent, O my son, and cause not
the