The Prince of True Believers, Caliph Harun al-Rashid, was exceeding restless one night; so he rose and walked about his palace, till he happened on a handmaid overcome with wine. Now he was prodigiously enamoured of this damsel; so he played with her and pulled her to him, whereupon her zone fell down and her petticoat trousers were loosed and he besought her of amorous favour. But she said to him, "O Commander of the Faithful wait till to morrow night, for I am unprepared for you, knowing not of your coming." So he left her and went away. But, when the morrow showed its light and the sun shone bright, he sent a page to her saying, "The Commander of the Faithful is about to visit yours apartment;" but she replied, "Day does away with the promise of night." So he said to his courtiers, "Make me something of verse, introducing these words, 'The promise of Night is effaced by Day.' " Answered they, "We hear and obey," and al-Rakáshi came forward and recited the following couplets,

By God, could you but feel my pain, Your rest had turned and had fled away. Has left me in sorrow and love distraught, Unseen and unseeing, that fairest may: She promised me grace, then jilted and said, 'The promise of night is effaced by day!' "

Then Abu Mus'ab came forward and recited these couplets,

"When will you be wise and love heat allay That from food and sleeping so leads astray? Suffices you not ever weeping eye, And vitals on fire when your name they say? He must smile and laugh and in pride must cry 'The promise of Night effaced by Day.'"

Last came Abu Nowas and recited the following couplets,

"As love waxt longer less met we tway And fell out, but ended the useless fray One night in the palace I found her fou'; Yet of modesty still there was some display: The veil from her shoulders had slipt; and showed Her loosened trousers Love's seat and stay: And rattled the breezes her huge hind cheeks And the branch where two little pomegranates lay: I, said, 'Give me tryst;' whereto she said,> 'To morrow the fane shal wear best array:' Next day I he asked, 'Your word?' Said she 'The promise of Night is effaced by Day.'"

The Caliph bade give a myriad of money each to al-Rakashi an Abu Mus'ab, but bade strike off the head of Abu Nowas, saying "You were with us yesternight in the palace." He said, "By God, I slept not but in my own house! I was directed to what I said by yours own words as to the subject of the verse; and indeed Almighty Allah said,(and He is the truest of all speakers): 'As for poets (devils pursue them!) do you not see that they rove as bereft of their senses through every valley and that they say that which they do not?' " So the Caliph forgave him and gave two myriads of money. And another tale is that of

Mus'ab Bin Al-Zubayr and Ayishah. 79