Lady Budur.

It is related that the Commander of the Faithful, Harun al-Rashid was uneasy one night and could not sleep; so that he did not stop to toss from side to side for very restlessness, till, growing weary of this, he called Masrur and said to him, "Ho, Masrur, find me some one who may solace me in this my wakefulness." He answered, "O Prince of True Believers, will you walk in the palace garden and divert yourself with the sight of its blooms and gaze upon the stars and constellations and note the beauty of their ordinance

Jubayr bin Umayr and Lady Budur 229 and the moon among them rising in sheen over the water?" the Caliph said, "O Masrur, my heart inclins not to anything of this." he said, "O my lord, there are in your palace three hundred concubines, each of whom has her separate chamber. Do you bid all and every retire into her own apartment and then do you go your rounds and amuse yourself with gazing on them without their knowledge." The Caliph replied, "O Masrur, the palace is my palace and the girls are my property: furthermore my soul inclins not to anything of this." Then Masrur rejoined, "O my lord, summon the doctors of law and religion and the sages of science and poets, and bid them contend before you in argument and disputation and recite to you songs and verses and tell you tales and anecdotes." Replied the Caliph, "My soul inclins not to anything of this;" and Masrur rejoined, "O my lord, bid pretty boys and the wits and the cup companions attend you and solace you with witty sallies." "O Masrur," ejaculated the Caliph, "indeed my soul inclins not to anything of this." "Then, O my lord," cried Masrur, "strike off my head;"—

When it was the Three Hundred and Twenty eighth night

So al-Rashid laughed at his saying and said, "See which of the boon companions is at the door." Thereupon he went out and returning said, "O my lord, he who sits without is Ali bin Mansur of Damascus, the Wag." "Bring him to me," Said Harun: and Masrur went out and returned with Ibn Mansur, who said, on entering, "Peace be with you, O Commander of the Faithful!" The Caliph returned his salutation and said to him, "O Ibn Mansur, tell us some of your stories." Said the other, "O Commander of the Faithful, shall I tell you what I have seen With my eyes or what I have only heard tell?" Replied the Caliph, "If you have seen anything worth telling, let us hear it, for hearing is not like seeing." Said Ibn Mansur, "O Commander of the Faithful, lend me yours ear and your heart;" and he answered, "O Ibn Mansur, behold, I am listening to you with my ears and looking at you with my eyes and attending to you with my heart." So Ibn Mansur began: "Know then, O Commander of the Faithful, that I receive a yearly allowance from Mohammed bin Sulaymán al-Háshimi, Sultan of Bassorah; so I went to him, once upon a time, as usual, and found him ready to ride out hunting and birding. I saluted him and he returned my salute, and said, 'O son of Mansur, mount and come with us to the chase:' but I said, 'O my lord, I can no longer ride; so do you station me in the guest house and give your chamberlains and lieutenants charge over me.'

And he did so and departed for his sport. His people entreated me with the utmost honour and entertained me with the greatest hospitality; but I said to myself, 'By God, it is a strange thing that for so long I have been in the habit of coming from Baghdad to Bassorah, yet know no more of this town than from palace to garden and from garden to palace. When shall I find an occasion like this to view the different parts and quarters of Bassorah? I will rise immediately and walk forth alone and divert myself and digest what I have eaten.' Accordingly I donned my richest dress and went out a walking about Bassorah. Now it is known to you, O Commander of the Faithful, that it has seventy streets, each seventy leagues long, the measure of Irak; and I lost myself in its by streets and thirst overcame me. Presently, as I went along, O Prince of True Believers, behold, I came to a great door, on which were two rings of brass, with curtains of red brocade drawn before it. And on either side of the door was a stone bench and over it was a trellis, covered with a creeping vine that hung down and shaded the doorway. I stood still to gaze upon the place, and presently heard a sorrowful voice, proceeding from a heart which did not rejoice, singing melodiously and chanting these cinquains,

'My body bides the sad abode of grief and malady, Caused by a fawn whose land and home are in a far countrie: O you two Zephyrs of the wold which caused such pain in me By God, Lord of you! to him my heart's desire, go you And chide him so perchance you soften him I pray.

Jubayr bin Umayr and Lady Budur 231

And tell us all his words if he to hear your speech shall deign, And unto him the tidings bear of lovers 'twixt you twain: And both vouchsafe to render me a service free and glad, And lay my case before him showing how I ever complain: And say, 'What ails your bounden thrall this wise to drive away, Without a fault committed and without a sin to show; Or heart that leans to other people or would your love forego: Or treason to our plighted troth or causing you a throe?' And if he smile then say you twain in accents soft and slow 'If you to him a meeting grant 'twould be the kindest way! For he is gone distraught for you, as well indeed, he might His eyes are wakeful and he weeps and wails the livelong night:' If seem he satisfied by this why then 'tis well and right, But if he show an angry face and treat you with despite Trick him and 'nothing we know of him!' I beg you both to say.'

I said to myself, 'truly, if the owner of this voice be fair, she conjoins beauty of person and eloquence and sweetness of voice.' Then I drew near the door, and began raising the curtain little by little, when lo! I beheld a damsel, white as a full moon when it moons on its fourteenth night, with joined eyebrows twain and languorous lids of eyne, breasts like pomegranates twin and dainty, lips like double carnelian, a mouth as it were the seal of Solomon, and teeth ranged in a line that played with the reason of proser and rhymer, even as says the poet,

'O pearly mouth of friend, who set those pretty pearls in line, And filled you full of whitest chamomile and reddest wine? Who lent the morning glory in your smile to shimmer and shine Who with that ruby padlock dared your lips to seal and sign! Who looks on you at early morn with stress of joy and bliss Goes mad for aye, what then of him who wins a kiss of yours?'

And as says another,

'O pearl set mouth of friend Pity poor Ruby's cheek Boast not over one who owns You, union and unique.'

In brief she comprised all varieties of loveliness and was a seduction to men and women, nor could the gazer satisfy himself with the sight of her charms; for she was as the poet has said of her,

'When comes she, slays she; and when back she turns, She makes all men regard with loving eyes: A very sun! a very moon! but still From hurt and harmful ills her nature flies. Opes Eden's garden when she shows herself; And full moon see we over her necklace rise.'

Now as I was looking at her through an opening of the curtain, behold, she turned; and, seeing me standing at the door, said to her handmaid, 'See who is at the door.' So the slave girl came up to me and said, 'O Shaykh, have you no shame, or do impudent airs suit hoary hairs?' I said, 'O my mistress, I confess to the hoary hairs, but as for impudent airs, I think not to be guilty of unmannerliness.' Then the mistress broke in, 'And what can be more unmannerly than to intrude yourself upon a house other than your house and gaze on a Harim other than your Harim?' I pleaded, 'O my lady, I have an excuse;' and when she asked, 'And what is yours excuse?' I answered, 'I am a stranger and so thirsty that I am well near dead of thirst.' She rejoined, 'We accept yours excuse,' "—

When it was the Three Hundred and Twenty ninth night

—,

When it was the Three Hundred and Thirties night

So I said, 'Do what seems good to you;' where upon he called to one of his slave girls, 'Bring me ink case and paper;' and wrote these couplets,

Jubayr bin Umayr and Lady Budur 241

I pray in Allah's name, O Princess mine, be light On me, for Love has robbed me of my reason's sight!' Slaved me this longing and enthralled me love of you; And clad in sickness garb, a poor and abject people. I wont before this to think small things of Love and hold, O Princess mine, 'twas silly thing and over slight. But when it showed me swelling surges of its sea, To Allah's hest I bowed and pitied lover's plight. An will you, pity show and deign a meeting grant; An will you kill me still forget not good requite.'

Then he sealed the letter and gave it to me. So I took it and, repairing to Budur's house, raised the door curtain little by little, as before, and looking in behold, I saw ten damsels, high bosomed virgins, like moons, and the Lady Budur as she were the full moon among the stars, sitting in their midst, or the sun, when it is clear of clouds and mist; nor was there on her any trace of pain or care. And as I looked and marvelled at her case, she turned her glance upon me and, seeing me standing at the door, said to me, 'Well come, and welcome and all hail to you, O Ibn Mansur! Come in.' So I entered and saluting her gave her the letter; and she read it and when she understood it, she said laughingly to me, 'O Ibn Mansur, the poet lied not when he sang,

'Indeed I'll bear my love for you with firmest soul, Until from you to me shall come a messenger.'

'Look'you, O Ibn Mansur, I will write you an answer, that he may give you what he promised you.' And I answered, 'Allah requite you with good!' So she called out to a handmaid, 'Bring inkcase and paper,' and wrote these couplets,

'How comes it I fulfilled my vow the while that vow broke you? And, seen me lean to equity, iniquity wrought you? 'Twas you initiated wrongous dealing and despite: You were the treachetour and treason came from only you! I never ceased to cherish mid the sons of men my troth; And keep your honour brightest bright and swear by name of you, Until I saw with eyes of me what evil you had done; Until I heard with ears of me what foul report spread you.

Shall I bring low my proper worth while raising yours so high? By God had you honoured me eke I had honoured you! But now uprooting severance I will glad console my heart, And wring my fingers clean of you for evermore to part!'

I said, 'By God, O my lady, between him and death there is but the reading of this letter!' So I tore it in pieces and said to her, 'Write him other than these lines.' 'I hear and obey,' She answered and wrote the following couplets,

'Indeed I am consoled now and sleep without a tear, And all that happened slandering tongues have whispered in my ear: My heart obeyed my hest and soon forgot your memory, And learnt my eyelids 'twas the best to live in severance sheer: He lied who said that severance is a bitterer thing than gall: It never disappointed me, Like wine I find it cheer: I learnt to hate all news of you, even mention of your name, And turn away and look thereon with loathing pure and mere: Lookye! I cast you out of heart and far from vitals mine; Then let the slanderer know this truth and see I am sincere.'

I said, 'By God, O my lady, when he shall read these verses, his soul will depart his body!' she said, 'O Ibn Mansur, is passion indeed come to such a pass with him that you say this saying?' I said, 'Had I said more than this truly it were but the truth: but mercy is of the nature of the noble.' Now when she heard this her eyes brimmed over with tears and she wrote him a note, I swear By God, O Commander of the Faithful, there is none in your Chancery could write the like of it; and within it were these couplets,

'How long shall I your coyness and your great aversion see? You have satisfied my censurers and pleased their enmity: I did amiss and know it not; so deign to tell me now whatever they told you, Perhaps 'twas the merest calumny. I wish to welcome you, dear love, even as welcome I Sleep to these eyes and eyelids in the place of sleep to be. And since 'tis you have made me drain th' unmixed cup of love, If me you see with wine bemused heap not your blame on me!'

And when she had written the missive,"—

Jubayr bin Umayr and Lady Budur 243

When it was the Three Hundred and Thirty third night

Jubayr continued, 'So I cried to her, Repeat the couplets and the air!' But she would not; whereupon I bade the boatmen pelt her with oranges, and they pelted her till we feared her boat would founder. Then she went her way, and this is how the love was transferred from her heart to mine.' So I wished them joy of their union; and, taking the purse with its contents, I returned to Baghdad."

Now when the Caliph heard Ibn Mansur's story his heart was lightened and the restlessness and oppression from which he suffered forsook him. And they also tell the tale of