（Quoth Amr ben Mesaadeh ）Abou Isason or Er Reshid and brother to El Mamounwas enamoured of a girl called Curret el Ainbelonging to Ali ben Hishamand she also loved him；but he concealed his passioncomplaining of it to none neither discovering his secret to anyof his pride and magnanimity；and he had used his utmost endeavour to buy her of her lordbut in vain. At lastwhen his patience failed him and his passion was sore on him and he was at his wits'end concerning her affairhe went inone day of stateto El Mamounafter the folk had retiredand said to him'O Commander of the Faithfulif thou wilt this day make trial of thy governorsby visiting them unawaresthou wilt the men of worth from those that lack of it and note each one's[due] placeafter the measure of his faculties.'（But he purposedin saying thisto win to sit with Curret el Ain in her lord's house.）El Mamoun approved his proposal and bade make ready a bargecalled the Flyerin which he embarked，with his brother and a party of his chief officers. The first house he visited was that of Hemid et Tawil of Touswhom he found seated on a mat and before him singers and playerswith lutes and hautboys and other instruments of music in their hands. El Mamoun sat with him awhileand presently he set before him dishes of nothing but flesh-meatwith no birds among them. The Khalif would not taste thereof and Abou Isa said to him'O Commander of the Faithfulwe have taken the owner of this place unawaresand he knew not of thy coming；but now let us go to another placethat is prepared and fitted for thee.'
So the Khalif arose and betook himselfwith his brother and his suiteto the abode of Ali ben Hishamwhoon hearing of their approachcame out and received them after the goodliest fashionand kissed the earth before El Mamoun. Then he brought them into his palace and opened to them a saloonthan which never saw eyes a goodlier. Its floors and walls and columns were of vari-coloured marbleadorned with Greek paintings： it was spread with Indian mattingon which were carpets and divans of Bassora makefitted to the length and breadth of the room. The Khalif sat awhileexamining the house and its roof and wallsthen said'Give us to eat.'So they brought him forthwith nigh upon a hundred dishes of fowlsbesides other birds and brewises and fricassees and marinades. When he had eatenhe said'Give us to drinkO Ali；'and the latter set before him raisin-wineboiled with fruits and spicesin vessels of gold and silver and crystalserved by boys like moonsclad in garments of Alexandrian cloth of gold and bearing on their breasts flagons of crystalfull of rose-water mingled with musk. El Mamoun marvelled exceedingly at all this and said'HarkyeAboulhusn！'Whereupon Ali sprang to the carpet [on which the Khalif was seated] and kissing it，said'At thy serviceO Commander of the Faithful！'and stood before him. Quoth El Mamoun'Let us hear some pleasant songs.'
'I hear and obeyO Commander of the Faithful，'replied Ali and said to one of his servants'Fetch the singing-women.'
So he went out and returned in a momentfollowed by ten eunuchsbearing ten golden stoolswhich they set down；and these in their turn were followed by ten damselsas they were shining full moons or flowerful gardensclad in black brocade，with crowns of gold on their heads. They sat down on the stools and sang various songs. Then El Mamoun looked at one of them and captivated by her elegance and the beauty of her aspect，said to her'What is thy nameO damsel？'My name is Sejahi，O Commander of the Faithful，'answered she；and he said'Sing to usO Sejahi！'So she took the lute and playing a lively measuresang the following verses：
Right stealthilyfor fearfulnessI farethe weakling's gait，Who sees unto the watering-place two lion-whelps draw near，With cloakinstead of swordbegirt and bosom love-distraught And heart for eyes of enemies and spies fulfilled of fear，Till in to one at last I comea loveling delicateLike to a desert antelopethat's lost its younglings dear.
'Well doneO damsel！'said the Khalif. 'Whose is this song？'
'The words are by Amr ben Madi Kerib er Zubeidi，'answered she'and the air is Mabid's.'Then the Khalif and Ali and Abou Isa drank and the damsels went away and were succeeded by other tenclad in flowered silk of Yemen，brocaded with goldwho sat down on the chairs and sang various songs. The Khalif looked at one of themwho was like a wild cow of the desertand said to her'What is thy nameO damsel？'My name is ZebiyehO Commander of the Faithful，'answered she. 'Sing to usO Zebiyeh，'said he；so she warbled some roulades and sang the following verses：
Hourisnoble ladiesthat reck not of disquietLike antelopes of Meccaforbidden to be slain；Of their soft speechthey're taken for courtezans；but Islam Still makes them from unseemliness and lewdness to refrain.
When she had finished'Bravo！'cried the Khalif. 'Whose is this song？'The words are by Jerir，'answered she，'and the air by Suraij.'Then the Khalif and his company drank，whilst the girls went away and there came yet another tenas they were rubiesbareheaded and clad in red brocadegold inwoven and broidered with pearls and jewelswho sat down on the stools and sang various airs. The Khalif looked at one of themwho was like the sun of the dayand said to her'What is thy name？'O Commander of the Faithful，'answered she'my name is Fatin.'Sing to usO Fatin，'quoth he. So she played a lively measure and sang the following verses：
Vouchsafe me of thy grace；'tis time to yield consent： Enough have I endured of absence and lament.
Thou'rt he whose face unites all charmson whose account My patience have I lostfor very languishment.
