" And she repeated the words of the
poet:
Two opposites, dissevered still in charms and straitly knit, And
each one's beauty brightlier shows against its opposite.
"By the Great God," said the Khalif, "she is as handsome as Num,
and to-morrow, I will appoint her a separate chamber beside that
of Num and send her furniture and linen and all that befits her,
in honour of Num." Then, the princess called for food and set it
before her brother, who ate and filling a cup, signed to Num to
sing. So she took the lute, after drinking two cups, and sang
the following verses:
Whenas my cup-companion hath poured me out of wine Three foaming
cups, brimmed over with nectar from the vine,
I trail my skirts in glory all night, as if o'er thee, Commander
of the Faithful, the empery were mine.
The Khalif was delighted and filling another cup, gave it to Num
and bade her sing again. So she drank off the cup, and sweeping
the strings of the lute, sang as follows:
O thou, the noblest man of men that live in this our day, Whose
equal none may boast himself in power and mightiness,
O all unpeered in pride of place, to whom munificence Is as a
birthright, Lord and King, whom all in all confess,
Thou, that dost lord it, sovran-wise, o'er all the kings of earth
And without grudging or reproach, giv'st bountiful largesse,
God have thee ever in His guard, despite thine every foe, And be
thy fortune ever bright with victory and success!
When the Khalif heard this, he exclaimed, "By Allah, it is good!
By Allah, it is excellent! Verily, God hath been good to thee, O
Num! How sweet is thy voice and how clear thy speech!" They
passed the time thus in mirth and good cheer, till midnight, when
the Khalif's sister said to him, "O Commander of the Faithful,
give ear to a tale I have read in books of a certain man of
rank.
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