Then he entrusted the writ to Ibn Ibrahim, after giving him an hundred dinars, and he fared forth and ceased not faring till he had reached the palace of the Princess. Presently he went in and handed to her the writ, and as soon as she had read it, the contents seemed to her sore and she wept until her vitals were torn with sobs. After this she raised her hand[250] heavenwards and invoked Allah and humbled herself before him and said, "My God, O my Lord, do Thou soften the heart of Yusuf ibn Sahl and turn him mewards and afflict him with love of me even as thou hast afflicted me with his love; for Thou to whatso Thou wishest canst avail, O bestest of Rulers and O forcefullest of Aiders." Anon she fell to writing and indited these verses,
"Love rules my bosom and a-morn doth moan * The Voice, ah Love,
who shows strength weakness grown!
His lashes' rapier-blade hath rent my heart; * That keen curved
brand my me hath overthrown:
That freshest cheek-rose fills me with desire: * Fair fall who
plucketh yonder bloom new-blown!
Since love befel me for that youth did I * Begin for charms of
him my pride to own:
O thou my hope, I swear by Him did share * Love and decreed thou
shouldst in longing wone,
In so exceeding grief why sight I thee * Jacob made Joseph by
the loss of me?"
She then handed the letter to Ibn Ibrahim, after giving him an hundred dinars; and he returned forthright to the city of Sind and, repairing to Yusuf, gave him the writ which he took and read. Hereupon the Prince waxed sore sorrowful and said to himself, "By Allah, indeed Al-Hayfa cleaveth to love."—And Shahrazad was surprised by the dawn of day and fell silent and ceased to say her permitted say. Then quoth her sister Dunyazad, "How sweet is thy story, O sister mine, and how enjoyable and delectable!" Quoth she, "And where is this compared with that I would relate to you on the coming night an the King suffer me to survive?" Now when it was the next night and that was
The Six Hundred and Ninety-first Night,
Dunyazad said to her, "Allah upon thee, O my sister, an thou be other than sleepy, finish for us thy tale that we may cut short the watching of this our latter night!" She replied, "With love and good will!" It hath reached me, O auspicious King, the director, the right-guiding, lord of the rede which is benefiting and of deeds fair-seeming and worthy celebrating, that Prince Yusuf said, "By Allah, had Al-Hayfa any save myself she had not sent me these letters; but the outgoings of the heart conciliate lovers and correspond each with other." Then he took writing materials and after thinking awhile he improvised these couplets,
O thou of stature fair with waist full slight[251] *
Surpassing sandhill-branch and reedlet light;
I deal in words and gems of speech that melt, * By none 'mid all
of mortal kind indite;
From my tribe's lord, a lion rending foes * Moon of Perfections
and 'The Yusuf' hight:
Homed in thy home I joyed my joys with maids *
High-breasted,[252] virgins weakening forceful sprite;
Your songs and touch of lute 'mid trembling wine * Consoled all
sorrows, made all hearts delight,
Till you to other deignèd union grant * And I your nature learnt
and learnt aright,
Whereat my vitals failed, sore bane befel, * Pine,
disappointment, and injurious blight.
No virtue dwelleth in the fairest forms * But forms the fairest
are by goodness dight.
How many a maiden deckt with crescent brow * Hath nature dealing
injury and despite?
Man hath no merit save in kindly mind * And loquent tongue with
light of wits unite."[253]
And when Yusuf had ended his poetry he presented an hundred dinars to Ibn Ibrahim, who took the letter and fell to cutting through the wilds and the wolds, after which he went in to the presence of Al-Hayfa and gave her the missive. She wept and wailed and cried, "O Ibn Ibrahim, this letter is indeed softer than all forewent it; and as thou hast brought it to me, O Ibn Ibrahim, I will largesse thee with two honourable robes of golden brocade and a thousand dinars." So saying, she called for pen-case and paper whereupon she indited these couplets,
"O my lord, these words do my vitals destroy, * O thou gem of the
earth and full moon a-sky!
How long this recourse to denial and hate * With heart whose
hardness no rocks outvie?
Thou hast left my spirit in parting-pangs * And in fires of
farness that flame on high:
How long shall I 'plain of its inner pains? * Haps thy grace
shall grant me reunion-joy:
Then pity, my vitals and whatso homed * Thy form within me before
I die."