And when Al-Hayfa had finished her improvisation and her poetry, Yusuf drained the goblet and after kissing it returned it to her; but he was as one a-swoon. Then she took it from him and he recovered and presently declaimed for her the following couplets:—
“A maiden in your tribe avails my heart with love to fire[[215]] ✿ And how can I a hidden bear the love my eyes declare?
The branches of the sand-hill tree remember and recall ✿ What time she softly bent and showed a grace beyond compare;
And taught me how those eyne o’erguard the roses of her cheek ✿ and knew to ward them from the hand to cull her charms would dare.”
As soon as Yusuf had finished his improvisation and what of poetry he had produced, Al-Hayfa took seat by his side and fell to conversing with him in sweetest words with softest smiles, the while saying, “Fair welcome to thee, O wonder of beauty and lovesome in eloquence and Oh charming in riant semblance and lord of high degree and clear nobility: thou hast indeed illumined our place with the light of thy flower-like forehead and to our hearts joyance hast thou given and our cares afar hast thou driven and eke our breasts hast made broad; and this is a day of festival to laud, so do thou solace our souls and drain of our wine with us for thou art the bourne and end and aim of our intent.” Then Al-Hayfa took a cup of chrystal, and crowning it with clear-strained wine which had been sealed with musk and saffron, she passed it to Prince Yusuf. He accepted it from her albeit his hand trembled from what befel him of her beauty and the sweetness of her poetry and her perfection; after which he began to improvise these couplets:—
“O thou who drainest thy morning wine ✿ With friends in a bower sweet blooms enshrine—
Place unlike all seen by sight of man ✿ In the lands and gardens of best design——,
Take gladly the liquor that quivers in cup ✿ And elevates man, this clean Maid of the Vine:
This goblet bright that goes round the room ✿ Nor Chosroës held neither Nu’uman’s line.
Drink amid sweet flowers and myrtle’s scent ✿ Orange-bloom and Lily and Eglantine,