Now when it was the Four Hundred and Twenty-first Night,
She said, It hath reached me, O auspicious King, that the Shaykh continued, “So if any one enlarge in praise of a slave-girl and wish to enhance her value by the mention of her beauties, he likeneth her to a youth, because of the illustrious qualities that belong to the male, even as saith the poet:—
Boy-like of backside, in the deed of kind, ✿ She sways, as sways the wand-like boughs a-wind.
An youths, then, were not better and fairer than girls, why should these be likened to them? And know also (Almighty Allah preserve thee!) that a youth is easy to be led, adapting himself to every rede, pleasant of converse and manners, inclining to assent rather than dissent, especially when his side-face is newly down’d and his upper lip is first embrowned, and the purple lights of youth on his cheeks abound, so that he is like the full moon sound; and how goodly is the saying of Abu Tammám[[236]]:—
The slanderers said There’s hair upon his cheeks; ✿ Quoth I, Exceed not; that’s no blemish there.
When he could bear that haling of his hips ✿ And pearl-beads shaded by mustachio-hair;[[237]]
And Rose swore solemn, holiest oath that is, ✿ From that fair cheek she nevermore would fare,
I spoke with eyelids without need of speech, ✿ And they who answered me his eyebrows were.
He’s even fairer than thou knewest him, ✿ And cheek-down guards from all would overdare.
Brighter and sweeter now are grown his charms, ✿ Since down robes lip and cheek before were bare.