ISAAC OF MOSUL AND THE MERCHANT.

(Quoth Ishak bin Ibrahim al-Mausili), It so chanced that, one day feeling weary of being on duty at the Palace and in attendance upon the Caliph, I mounted horse and went forth, at break of dawn, having a mind to ride out in the open country and take my pleasure. So I said to my servants, “If there come a messenger from the Caliph or another, say that I set out at daybreak, upon a pressing business, and that ye know not whither I am gone.” Then I fared forth alone and went round about the city, till the sun waxed hot, when I halted in a great thoroughfare known as Al-Haram,——And Shahrazad perceived the dawn of day and ceased to say her permitted say.

Now when it was the Four Hundred and Eighth Night,

She said, It hath reached me, O auspicious King, that Ishak bin Ibrahim the Mausili continued:—When the sun waxed hot I halted in a great thoroughfare known as Al-Haram, to take shelter in the shade and found it in a spacious wing of a house which projected over the street. And I stood there but a little while before there came up a black slave, leading an ass bestridden by a damsel; and under her were housings set with gems and pearls and upon her were the richest of clothes, richness can go no farther; and I saw that she was elegant of make with languorous look and graceful mien. I asked one of the passers-by who she was, and he said, “She is a singer,” so I fell in love with her at first sight: hardly could I keep my seat on horseback. She entered the house at whose gate I stood; and, as I was planning a device to gain access to her, there came up two men young and comely who asked admission and the housemaster gave them leave to enter. So they alighted and I also and they entered and I with them, they supposing that the master of the house had invited me; and we sat awhile, till food was brought and we ate. Then they set wine before us, and the damsel came out, with a lute in her hand. She sang and we drank, till I rose to obey a call of nature. Thereupon the host questioned the two others of me, and they replied that they knew me not; whereupon quoth he, “This is a parasite[[187]]; but he is a pleasant fellow, so treat him courteously.” Then I came back and sat down in my place, whilst the damsel sang to a pleasing air these two couplets:—

Say to the she-gazelle, who’s no gazelle, ✿ And Kohl’d ariel who’s no ariel.[[188]]

Who lies with male, and yet no female is, ✿ Whose gait is female most unlike the male.

She sang it right well, and the company drank and her song pleased them. Then she carolled various pieces to rare measures, and amongst the rest one of mine, which consisted of this distich:—

Bare hills and camp-ground desolate ✿ And friends who all have ganged their gait.

How severance after union leaves ✿ Me and their homes in saddest state!

Her singing this time was even better than the first; then she chanted other rare pieces, old and new, and amongst them, another of mine with the following two couplets:—