The Book of the Thousand Nights and a Night — Volume 04

To Foster Fitzgerald Arbuthnot.
My Dear Arbuthnot,
I have no fear that a friend, whose friendship has lasted nearly a third of a century, will misunderstand my reasons for inscribing his name upon these pages. You have lived long enough in the East and, as your writings show, observantly enough, to detect the pearl which lurks in the kitchen-midden, and to note that its lustre is not dimmed nor its value diminished by its unclean surroundings.
Ever yours sincerely, Richard F. Burton.
Athenжum Club, October 1, 1885

Ni'amah was charmed with these verses and said to her, By my life, O Naomi, sing to us with the tambourine and other instruments! So she sang these couplets to a lively measure,
By His life who holds my guiding rein, I swear I'll meet on love ground parlous foe nor care: Good sooth I'll vex revilers, thee obey And quit my slumbers and all joy forswear: And for thy love I'll dig in vitals mine A grave, nor shall my vitals weet 'tis there!
When it was the Two Hundred and Thirty-eighth Night,
When it was the Two Hundred and Thirty-ninth Night,
When it was the Two Hundred and Fortieth Night,
When it was the Two Hundred and Forty-First Night,