She resumed, It hath reached me, O auspicious King, that when the sons of the merchants sat down in the pavilion they seated Nur al-Din in their midst on a rug of gold-purfled leather of Al-Táif,[[409]] leaning on a pillow[[410]] of minever, stuffed with ostrich down. And they gave him a fan of ostrich feathers, whereon were written these two couplets:—
A fan whose breath is fraught with fragrant scent; ✿ Minding of happy days and times forspent,
Wafting at every time its perfumed air ✿ O’er face of noble youth on honour bent.
Then they laid by their turbands and outer clothes and sat talking and chatting and inducing one another to discourse, while they all kept their eyes fixed on Nur al-Din and gazed on his beauteous form. After the sitting had lasted an hour or so, up came a slave with a tray on his head, wherein were platters of china and crystal containing viands of all sorts (for one of the youths had so charged his people before coming to the garden); and the meats were of whatever walketh earth or wingeth air or swimmeth waters, such as Katá-grouse and fat quails and pigeon-poults and mutton and chickens and the delicatest fish. So, the tray being sat before them, they fell to and ate their fill; and when they had made an end of eating, they rose from meat and washed their hands with pure water and musk-scented soap, and dried them with napery embroidered in silk and bugles; but to Nur al-Din they brought a napkin laced with red gold whereon he wiped his hands. Then coffee[[411]] was served up and each drank what he would, after which they sat talking, till presently the garden-keeper who was young went away and returning with a basket full of roses, said to them, “What say ye, O my masters, to flowers?” Quoth one of them, “There is no harm in them,[[412]] especially roses, which are not to be resisted.” Answered the gardener, “’Tis well, but it is of our wont not to give roses but in exchange for pleasant converse; so whoever would take aught thereof, let him recite some verses suitable to the situation.” Now they were ten sons of merchants of whom one said, “Agreed: give me thereof and I will recite thee somewhat of verse apt to the case.” Accordingly the gardener gave him a bunch of roses[[413]] which he took and at once improvised these three couplets:—
The Rose in highest stead I rate ✿ For that her charms ne’er satiate;
All fragrant flow’rs be troops to her ✿ Their general of high estate:
Where she is not they boast and vaunt; ✿ But, when she comes, they stint their prate.
Then the gardener gave a bunch to another and he recited these two couplets:—
Take, O my lord, to thee the Rose ✿ Recalling scent by musk be shed.
Like virginette by lover eyed ✿ Who with her sleeves[[414]] enveileth head.