Jaafer ben Mousa el Hadi once had a slave-girla lute playercalled El Bedr el Kebirthan whom there was not in her time a fairer of face nor a better-shaped nor a more elegant of manners nor a more accomplished in singing and smiting the strings；she was indeed perfect in beauty and charm. Mohammed el Aminson of Zubeidehheard of her and was instant with Jaafer to sell her to him；but he replied'Thou knowest it beseems not one of my rank to sell slave-girls nor traffic in concubines；butwere it not that she was reared in my houseI would send her to theeas a giftnor grudge her to thee.'
Some days after thisEl Amin went to Jaafer's houseto make merry；and the latter set before him that which it behoves to set before friends and bade El Bedr sing to him and gladden him. So she tuned the lute and sang right ravishinglywhilst El Amin fell to drinking and making merry and bade the cupbearers ply Jaafer with winetill he became drunkenwhen he took the damsel and carried her to his own housebut laid not a finger on her. On the morrowhe sent to invite Jaafer；and when he camehe set wine before him and bade the girl sing to himfrom behind the curtain. Jaafer knew her voice and was angered at thisbutof the nobleness of his nature and the greatness of his mindhe dissembled his vexation and let no change appear in his demeanour.
When the carousel was at an endEl Amin commanded one of his servants to fill the boatin which Jaafer had comewith dirhems and dinars and all manner jewels and jacinths and rich clothes and other treasures of price. So he laid therein a thousand myriads of money and a thousand fine pearlseach worth twenty thousand dirhems；nor did he give over loading the barge with all manner of precious thingstill the boatmen cried out for quartersaying'The boat cannot hold any more；'whereupon he bade them carry all this to Jaafer's palace. Such are the fashions of the magnanimousmay God have mercy on them！
