第112章 NOUREDDIN ALI AND THE DAMSEL ENIS EL JELIS.(1)

There was once a King in Bassora who cherished the poor and needy and loved his subjects and bestowed of his wealth on those who believed in Mohammed （whom God bless and preserve！） and he was even as the poet hath described him：

A King whowhen the hostile hosts assault him in the field，Smites them and hews themlimb from limbwith trenchant sword and spear Full many a character of red he writes upon the breasts What time the mailed horsemen break before his wild career.

His name was King Mohammed ben Suleiman ez Zeiniand he had two Viziersone called Muin ben Sawa and the other Fezl ben Khacan.

Fezl was the most generous man of his time；noble and upright of lifeall hearts concurred in loving himand the wise complied with his counselwhilst all the people wished him long life；for that he was a compend of good qualitiesencouraging good and preventing evil and mischief. The Vizier Muinon the contrary，was a hater of mankind and loved not goodbeing indeed altogether evil；even as says of him the poet：

Look thou consort with the generoussons of the gen'rous；for lo！The generoussons of the gen'rousbeget the gen'rous，I trow.

And let the mean-minded mensons of the mean-mindedgoFor the mean-mindedsons of the meanbeget none other than so.

And as much as the people loved Fezlso much did they hate Muin.

It befell one daythat the Kingbeing seated on his throne，with his officers of state about himcalled his Vizier Fezl and said to him'I wish to have a slave-girl of unsurpassed beauty，perfect in grace and symmetry and endowed with all praiseworthy qualities.'Said the courtiers'Such a girl is not to be had for less than ten thousand dinars！'whereupon the King cried out to his treasurer and bade him carry ten thousand dinars to Fezl's house. The treasurer did soand the Vizier went awayafter the King had charged him to go to the market every day and employ brokers and had given orders that no girl worth more than a thousand dinars should be soldwithout being first shown to the Vizier. Accordinglythe brokers brought him all the girls that came into their handsbut none pleased himtill one day a broker came to his house and found him mounting his horseto go to the palace；so he caught hold of his stirrup and repeated the following verses：

O thou whose bounties have restored the uses of the stateO Vizier helped of heavenwhose acts are ever fortunate！

Thou hast revived the virtues all were dead among the folk. May God's acceptance evermore on thine endeavours wait！

Then said he'O my lordshe for whom the august mandate was issued is here.'Bring her to me，'replied the Vizier. So he went away and returned in a little with a damsel of elegant shapeswelling-breastedwith melting black eyes and smooth cheeksslender-waisted and heavy-hippedclad in the richest of clothes. The dew of her lips was sweeter than syrupher shape more symmetrical than the bending branch and her speech softer than the morning zephyreven as says one of those who have described her：

A wonder of beauty！Her face full moon of the palace sky；Of a tribe of gazelles and wild cows the dearest and most high！

The Lord of the empyrean hath given her pride and state，Elegancecharm and a shape that with the branch may vie；

She hath in the heaven of her face a cluster of seven starsThat keep the ward of her cheek to guard it from every spy.

So if one think to steal a lookthe imps of her glance Consume him straight with a starthat shoots from her gleaming eye.

When the Vizier saw her she pleased him exceedinglyso he turned to the broker and said to him'What is the price of this damsel？'Her price is ten thousand dinars，'replied he'and her owner swears that this sum will not cover the cost of the chickens she hath eatenthe wine she hath drunk and the dresses of honour bestowed on her teachers；for she hath learnt penmanship and grammar and lexicology and the exposition of the Koran and the rudiments of law and theologymedicine and the calendaras well as the art of playing on instruments of music.'

Then said the Vizier'Bring me her master.'So the broker brought him at onceand beholdhe was a foreignerwho had lived so long that time had worn him to bones and skin. Quoth the Vizier to him'Art thou content to sell this damsel to the Sultan for ten thousand dinars？'By Allah，'replied the merchant'if I made him a present of herit were but my duty！'

So the Vizier sent for the money and gave it to the slave-dealer，who said'By the leave of our lord the VizierI have something to say.'Speak，'said the Vizier： and the slave-dealer said'If thou wilt be ruled by methou wilt not carry the damsel to the King to-dayfor she is newly off a journey；the change of air has affected her and the journey has fretted her. But let her abide in thy palace ten daysthat she may recover her good looks. Then send her to the bath and dress her in the richest of clothes and go up with her to the Sultanand this will be more to thy profit.'The Vizier considered the man's advice and approved it；so he took her to his palacewhere he appointed her a separate lodging and a daily allowance of meat and drink and so forthand she abode thus awhile.

Now the Vizier Fezl had a son like the rising full moonwith shining visagered cheeks covered with a tender down and a mole like a grain of ambergris；as says of him the poet and therein errs not：

A moonwhose glances slay the folkon whom he turns his eye；A branchwhose graces break all heartsas he goes stately by Slack as the night his browlocks arehis face the hue of gold；Fair is his personand his shape the spear-shaft doth outvie.

Ah mehow hard his hearthow soft and slender is his waist！Why is the softness not transferred from this to thatah why？

Were but the softness of his sides made over to his heartHe'd ne'er to lovers be unjust nor leave them thus to sigh.

O thou that blam'st my love of theeexcuse me rather thouNor chide meif my body pine for languor like to die.

The faultindeedlies not with mebut with my heart and eye；So chide me notbut let me be in this my misery.