Isaac of Mosul said, "I went out one night from Al-Maamun's presence, on my way to my house; and, being taken with a pressing need to make water, I turned aside into a by street and stood in the middle fearing lest something might hurt me, if I squatted against a wall. Presently, I espied something hanging down from one of the houses; so I felt it to find out what it might be and found that it was a great four handled basket, covered with brocade. I said to myself, 'There must be some reason for this,' and knew not what to think; then drunkenness led me to seat myself in the basket, and behold, the people of the house pulled me up, thinking me to be the person they expected. Now when I came to the top of the wall; lo! four damsels were there who said to me, 'Descend and welcome and joy to you!' Then one of them went before me with a grow candle and brought me down into a mansion, in which were furnished sitting chambers, whose like I had never seen save in the palace of the Caliphate. So I sat down and, after a while, the curtains were suddenly drawn from one side of the room and, behold, in came damsels walking in procession and hending in hand lighted flambeaux of grow and censers full of Sumatran aloes wood, and amongst them a young lady as she were the rising full moon.

So I stood up to her and she said, 'Welcome to you for a visitor!' and then she made me sit down again and asked me how I came there. I said, 'I was returning home from the house of an intimate friend and went astray in the dark; then, being taken in the street with an urgent call to make water, I turned aside into this lane, where I found a basket let down. The strong wine which I had drunk led me to seat myself in it and it was drawn up with me into this house, and this is my story.' She rejoined, 'No harm shall befall you, and I hope you will have cause to praise the issue of yours adventure.' Then she added, 'But what is your condition?' I said, 'A merchant in the Baghdad bazar' and she, 'Can you repeat any verses?' 'Some small matter,' I said. she said,'Then call a few to mind and let us hear some of them.' But I said, 'A visitor is bashful and timid; do you begin.' 'True,' she replied and recited some verses of the poets, past and present, choosing their choicest pieces; and I listened not knowing whether more to marvel at her beauty and loveliness or at the charm of her style of declamation.

Then She said, 'Is that bashfulness of yours gone?' and I said, 'Yes, By God!' so she rejoined, 'Then, if you will, recite us somewhat.' So I repeated to her a number of poems by old writers, and she applauded, saying, 'By God, I did not think to find such culture among the trade folk the sons of the bazar!' Then she called for food" Whereupon Said Shahrazad's sister Dunyazad, "How pleasant is this tale and enjoyable and sweet to the ear and sound to the sense!" But she answered, "And what is this story compared with that which you will hear on the morrow's night, if I be alive and the King deign spare me!" Then Shahrazad perceived the dawn of day and, ceased saying her permitted say.

When it was the Two Hundred and Eighties night

Tis marvellous that a merchant should bear in memory such store of stories like these, for they are fit for Kings.' I said, 'I had a neighbour who used to consort with Kings and carouse with them; so, when he was at leisure, I visited his house and he has often told me what you have heard.' Thereupon she exclaimed, 'By my life, but you have a good memory!' So we continued to converse thus, and as often as I was silent, she would begin, till in this way we passed the most part of the night, whilst the burning aloes wood diffused its fragrance and I was in such case that if Al-Maamun had suspected it, he would have flown like a bird with longing for it. Then She said to me, 'truly, you are one of the most pleasant of men, polished, passing well bred and polite; but there lacks one thing.' 'What is that?' asked I, and she answered, 'If you only knew how to sing verses to the lute!' I answered, 'I was passionately fond of this art aforetime, but finding I had no taste for it, I abandoned it, though at times my heart yearns after it. Indeed, I should love to sing some what well at this moment and fulfil my night's enjoyment.'

Then She said, 'It seems to me you hintest a wish for the lute to be brought?' and I, 'It is yours to decide, if you will so far favour me, and to you be the thanks.' So she called for a lute and sang a song in a voice whose like I never heard, both for sweetness of tone and skill in playing, and perfection of art. Then She said, 'Know you who composed this air and whose are the words of this song?' "No," answered I; and she said, 'The words are so and so's and the air is Isaac's" I asked, 'And has Isaac then (may I be your sacrifice!) such a talent?' She replied, 'Bravo! Bravo, Isaac! Indeed, he excellells in this art.' I rejoined, 'Glory be to Allah who has given this man what he has vouchsafed unto none other!' Then she said, 'And how would it be, If you heard this song from himself? 'This wise we went on till break of day dawn, when there came to her an old woman, as she were her nurse, and said to her, 'truly, the time is come.' So she rose in haste and said to me, 'Keep what has passed between us to yourself; for such meetings are in confidence;' "—

When it was the Two Hundred and Eighty first night

. As soon as the Caliph was gone, and quite gone, my thoughts began to tempt and try me and, calling to mind my late delight, I recked little what might befall me from the Prince of True Believers. So I sprang up and turning my back upon the sitting room, ran to the street aforesaid, where I sat down in the basket and was drawn up as before. When the lady saw me, she aid, 'I begin to think you are a sincere friend to us.' I said,'Yea, By God!' and she said, 'Have you made our house yours abiding place?' I replied, 'May I be your ransom! A guest claims

Isaac of Mosul 123 guest right for three days and if I return after this, you are free to spill my blood.' Then we passed the night as before; and when the time of departure drew near, I bethought me that Al-Maamun would assuredly question me nor would ever be content save with a full explanation: so I said to her, 'I see you to be of those who delight in singing. Now I have a cousin, the son of my father's brother, who is fairer than I in face and higher of rank and better of breeding; and he is the most intimate of Allah's creatures with Isaac.' she said, 'Are you a parasite and an importunate one?' I said, 'It is for you to decide in this matter;' and she, 'If your cousin be as you have described him, it would not mislike us to make acquaintance with him.' Then, as the time was come, I left her and returned to my house, but hardly had I reached it, before the Caliph's runners came down on me and carried me before him by main force and roughly enough." —

When it was the Two Hundred and Eighty second night

She said, Isaac of Mosul continued, "And hardly had I reached my house before the Caliph's runners came down upon me and carried me before him by main force and roughly enough. I found him seated on a chair, wroth with me, and he said to me, 'O Isaac, are you a traitor to yours allegiance?' replied I, 'No, By God, O Commander of the Faithful!' and he rejoined, 'What have you then to say? tell me the whole truth;' and I, 'Yes, I will, but in private.' So he signed to his attendants, who withdrew to a distance, and I told him the case, adding, 'I promised her to bring you,' and he said, 'You did well.' Then we spent the day in our usual pleasures, but Al-Maamun's heart was taken up with her, and hardly was the appointed time come, when we set out. As we went along, I cautioned him, saying, 'Look that you call me not by my name before her; and I will demean myself like yours attendant.'

And having agreed upon this, we fared forth till we came to the place, where we found two baskets hanging ready. So we sat down in them and were drawn up to the usual place, where the damsel came forward and saluted us. Now when Al-Maamun saw her, he was amazed at her beauty and loveliness; and she began to entertain him with stories and verses. Presently, she called for wine and we fell to drinking, she paying him special attention and he repaying her in kind. Then she took the lute and sang these verses,

'My lover came in at the close of night, I rose till he sat and remained upright; And said 'Sweet heart, have you come this hour? Nor feared on the watch and ward to 'light:' he said,'The lover had cause to fear, But Love deprived him of wits and fright.'

And when she ended her song she said to me, 'And is your cousin also a merchant?' I answered, 'Yes,' and she said, 'Indeed, you resemble each other nearly.' But when Al-Maamun had drunk three pints, he grew merry with wine and called out, saying, 'Ho, Isaac!' And I replied, 'Labbayk, Adsum, O Commander of the Faithful,' whereupon he said, 'Sing me this air.' Now when the young lady learned that he was the Caliph, she withdrew to another place and disappeared; and, as I had made an end of my song, Al-Maamun said to me, 'See who is the master of this house'; whereupon an old woman hastened to make answer, saying, 'It belongs to Hasan bin Sahl.' 'Fetch him to me,' said the Caliph. So she went away and after a while behold, in came Hasan, to whom said Al-Maamun 'Have you a daughter?' He said, 'Yes, and her name is Khadijah.' Asked the Caliph, 'Is she married?' Answered Hasan, 'No, By God!' Al-Maamun said, 'Then I ask her of you in marriage.' Replied her father, 'O Commander of the Faithful, she is your

The Sweep and the Noble Lady 125 handmaid and at your commandment.' Al-Maamun said, 'I take her to wife at a present settlement of thirty thousand dinars, which you will receive this very morning; and, when the money has been paid you, do you bring her to us this night.' And Hasan answered, 'I hear and I obey.' Thereupon we went forth and the Caliph said to me, 'O Isaac, tell this story to no one.' So I kept it secret till Al-Maamun's death. Surely never did man's life gather such pleasures as were mine these four days' time, whenas I companied with Al-Maamun by day and Khadijah by night; and, By God, never saw I among men the like of Al-Maamun nor among women have I ever set eyes on the like of Khadijah; no, nor on any that came near her in lively wit and pleasant speech! And Allah is All knowing. But amongst stories is that of