Saffron small portion of her glance can show; ✿ Nay,[[377]] she outvies the moon when brightest bright.
And I shall at once begin in thy dispraise, O berry-brown girl! Thy tincture is that of the buffalo, and all souls shudder at thy sight. If thy colour be in any created thing, it is blamed; if it be in food, it is poisoned; for thy hue is the hue of the dung-fly; it is a mark of ugliness even in dogs; and among the colours it is one which strikes with amazement and is of the signs of mourning. Never heard I of brown gold or brown pearls or brown gems. If thou enter the privy, thy colour changeth, and when thou comest out, thou addest ugliness to ugliness. Thou art a non-descript; neither black, that thou mayst be recognised, nor white, that thou mayst be described; and in thee there is no good quality, even as saith the poet:—
The hue of dusty motes is hers; that dull brown hue of hers ✿ Is mouldy, like the dust and mud by Cossid’s foot upthrown:[[378]]
I never look upon her brow, e’en for eye-twinkling’s space, ✿ But in brown study fall I and my thoughts take browner tone.
Quoth her master, “Sit thee down; this much sufficeth;” so she sat down and he signed to the brunette. Now she was a model of beauty and loveliness and symmetry and perfect grace; soft of skin, slim of shape, of stature rare, and coal-black hair; with cheeks rosy-pink, eyes black-rimmed by nature’s hand, face fair, and eloquent tongue; moreover slender-waisted and heavy-hipped. So she rose and said:—Praise be to Allah who hath created me neither 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;[[379]]
Languid of eyelids and with silky down on either cheek, ✿ Who fixed in lover’s heart work to his life mischance.