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 goodwill! 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 King Yusuf and Ibrahim the Cup-companion were like to rend that was upon them of raiment and they joyed with extreme joy after hearing what Surúr had sang to them. Hereupon she passed her cup to her fellow, hight Zahrat al-Hayy,[[289]] who took it and recited as follows:—
“O cup-boy, I crave thee cup-comrade to be ✿ And hearten my heart of its malady;
Nor pass me the bowls for I sorely dread ✿ When drunken all dolours of Love-lowe to dree,
To be vilely reviled in the sittings of men, ✿ To be frowardly treated where zephyrs play free.
God-blest is the Lute for her melodies ✿ Which pain me with painfullest penalty,
With the jewels of speech whose transcendent charms ✿ Like fires of Jahím[[290]] burn the vitals of me.
By Allah, show ruth, be compassionate, ✿ For Allah deals pardon compassionately.”
Yusuf and Ibrahim, hearing her words, were gladdened with excessive gladness and cried to the ninth handmaid, “May the lord be copious to thee like the fruitful years!” Then the Cup-companion bade gift her with one thousand gold pieces as likewise did her lord. Hereupon she passed her cup to the tenth handmaiden known as Muhjat al-Kulúb[[291]] who fell to improvising these couplets:—
“O Blamer, who canst not my case explain; ✿ Cease, for who blame friends shall of blame complain;
And whoso unknoweth the workings of Love ✿ Mankind shall reckon him mean and vain: