The Caliph Harun Al-Rashid was walking one day with Ja'afar the Barmecide, when he espied a company of girls drawing water and went up to them, having a mind to drink. As he drew near, one of them turned to her fellows and improvised these lines,

"Your phantom bid you fleet, and fly Far from the couch on which I lie So I may rest and quench the fire, Bonfire in bones aye flaming high, My love sick form Love's restless palm Rolls over the rug on which I sigh: How 'tis with me you know well How long, then, union will deny?"

The Caliph marvelled at her elegance and eloquence. —

When it was the Six Hundred and Eighty sixth night

She replied, "They are my very own," and he rejoined, "If you say truth keep the sense and change the rhyme." So she said,

"Bid you your phantom distance keep And quit this couch the while I sleep So I may rest and quench the flames Through all my body rageful creep, In lovesick one, whom passion's palms Roll over the bed where grief I weep, How 'tis with me you know well; All but your union hold I cheap!"

Harun Al-Rashid and the Arab Girl. 109

The Caliph said, "This also is stolen"; and she said, "Nay, 'tis my very own." He said, "If it be indeed your own, change the rhyme again and keep the sense." So she recited the following,

"Unto your phantom deal behest To shun my couch the while I rest, So I repose and quench the fire That burns what lies in my breast My weary form Love's restless palm Rolls over with boon of sleep unblest. How 'tis with me you know well When union's bought 'tis Perhaps best!"

Al-Rashid said, "This too is stolen"; and she said, "Not so, 'tis mine." He said, "If your words be true change the rhyme once more." And she recited,

"Drive off the ghost that ever shows Beside my couch when I'd repose, So I may rest and quench the fire Beneath my ribs ever flames and glows In love sick one, whom passion's palms Roll over the couch where weeping flows How 'tis with me you know well Will union come as union goes?"

Then said the Caliph, "Of what part of this camp are you?"; and she replied, "Of its middle in dwelling and of its highest in tent poles." Then he knew that she was the daughter of the tribal chief. "And you," she said, "of what are you among the guardians of the horses?"; and he said, "Of the highest in tree and of the ripest in fruit." "Allah protect you, O Commander of the Faithful!" she said, and kissing ground called down blessings on him. Then she went away with the maidens of the Arabs, and the Caliph said to Ja'afar, "There is no help for it but I take her to wife." So Ja'afar repaired to her father and said to him, "The Commander of the Faithful has a mind to your daughter." He replied, "With love and goodwill, she is a gift as a handmaid to His Highness our Lord the Commander of the Faithful." So he equipped her and carried her to the Caliph, who took her to wife and went in to her, and she became of the dearest of his women to him. Furthermore, he bestowed on her father largesse such as succoured him among Arabs, till he was transported to the mercy of Almighty Allah. The Caliph, hearing of his death, went in to her greatly troubled; and, when she saw him looking afflicted, she entered her chamber and doffing all that was upon her of rich raiment, donned mourning apparel and raised lament for her father. It was said to her, "What is the reason of this?"; and she replied, "My father is dead."

So they repaired to the Caliph and told him and he rose and going in to her, he asked who had informed her of her father's death; and she answered, "It was your face, O Commander of the Faithful!" He said, "How so?"; and she said, "Since I have been with you, I never saw you on such wise till this time, and there was none for whom I feared save my father, by reason of his great age; but may your head live, O Commander of the Faithful!" The Caliph's eyes filled with tears and he condoled with her; but she did not stop to mourn for her father, till she followed him Allah have mercy on the twain! And a tale is also told of