It is related the Khalif Haroun er Reshid was restless one night and could not sleep；so that he ceased not to toss from side to side for very restlessnesstillgrowing weary of thishe called Mesrour and said to him'O Mesrourlook what may solace me of this my restlessness.'O Commander of the Faithful，'answered Mesrour'wilt thou walk in the garden of the palace and divert thyself with the sight of its flowers and gaze upon the stars and note the beauty of their ordinance and the moon among themshining on the water？'O Mesrour，'replied the Khalif'my heart inclines not to aught of this.'O my lord，'continued Mesrour'there are in thy palace three hundred concubineseach of whom hath her separate lodging. Do thou bid retire each into her own apartment and then go thou about and divert thyself with gazing on themwithout their knowledge.'O Mesrour，'answered Haroun'the palace is mine and the girls are my property：
moreovermy soul inclineth not to aught of this.'O my lord，'said Mesrour'summon the doctors and sages and poets and bid them contend before thee in argument and recite verses and tell thee tales and anecdotes.'My soul inclines not to aught of this，'answered the Khalif；and Mesrour said'O my lordbid the minions and wits and boon-companions attend thee and divert thee with witty sallies.'O Mesrour，'replied the Khalif'indeed my soul inclineth not to aught of this.'ThenO my lord，'rejoined Mesrour'strike off my head；maybethat will dispel thine unease and do away the restlessness that is upon thee.'
At this the Khalif laughed and said'See which of the boon-companions is at the door.'So Mesrour went out and returning，said'O my lordhe who sits without is Ali ben Mensour of Damascusthe Wag.'Bring him to me，'quoth Haroun；and Mesrour went out and returned with Ibn Mensourwho saidon entering，'Peace be on theeO Commander of the Faithful！'The Khalif returned his salutation and said to him'O Ibn Mensourtell us one of thy stories.'O Commander of the Faithful，'said the other'shall I tell thee what I have seen with my eyes or what I have only heard tell？'If thou have seen aught worth telling，'replied the Khalif'let us hear it；for report is not like eye-witness.'O Commander of the Faithful，'said Ibn Mensour'lend me thine ear and thy heart.'O Ibn Mensour，'answered the Khalif'beholdI am listening to thee with mine ears and looking at thee with mine eyes and attending to thee with my heart.'
'Know thenO Commander of the Faithful，'began Ibn Mensour，'that I receive a yearly allowance from Mohammed ben Suleiman el HashimiSultan of Bassora；so I went to himonce upon a timeas usualand found him about to ride out a-hunting. I saluted himand he returned my salute and would have me mount and go a-hunting with him；but I said'O my lordI cannot ride；so do thou stablish me in the guest-house and give thy chamberlains and officers charge over me.'And he did so and departed for the chase. His officers entreated me with the utmost honour and hospitality；but I said in myself'By Allahit is a strange thing that I should have used so long to come from Baghdad to Bassorayet know no more of the town than from the palace to the garden and back again！ When shall I find an occasion like this to view the different parts of Bassora？ I will rise at once and walk forth alone and divert myself and digest what I have eaten.'
So I donned my richest clothes and went out a-walking in Bassora.
Now it is known to theeO Commander of the Faithfulthat it hath seventy streetseach seventy parasangs long of Irak measure；and I lost myself in its by-streets and thirst overcame me. Presentlyas I went alongI came to a great dooron which were two rings of brasswith curtains of red brocade drawn before it. Over the door was a trelliscovered with a creeping vinethat hung down and shaded the doorway；and on either side the porch was a stone bench. I stood stillto gaze upon the placeand presently heard a sorrowful voiceproceeding from a mourning heartwarbling melodiously and chanting the following verses：
My body is become th'abode of sickness and dismayBy reason of a fawnwhose land and stead are far away.
O zephyr of the wastethat roused my pain in meI prayBy God your Lordto himwith whom my heart dwellstake your way And prithee chide himso reproach may soften him，maybe.
And if to you he do incline and hearkenthen make fair Your speech and tidings unto him of lovers'twixt youbear.
Yeaand vouchsafe to favour me with service debonair And unto him I love make known my case and my despair，Saying'What ails thy bounden slave thatfor estrangementshe Should die without offence of her committed or despite Or disobedience or breach of plighted faith or slight Or fraud or turning of her heart to other or unright？'And if he smilewith dulcet speech bespeak ye thus the wight：
'An thou thy company wouldst grant to her'twere well of thee；For she for love of thee's distraughtas needs must be the case；Her eyes are ever void of sleep；she weeps and wails apace.'
If he show favour and incline to grant the wished-for grace'Tis well and good；butif ye still read anger in his face，Dissemble then with him and say'We know her notnot we.'
Quoth I to myself'Verilyif the owner of this voice be fair，she unites beauty of person and eloquence and sweetness of voice.'Then I drew near the doorand raising the curtain little by littlebeheld a damselwhite as the moonwhen it rises on its fourteenth nightwith joined eyebrows and languorous eyelidsbreasts like twin pomegranates and dainty lips like twin corn-marigoldsmouth as it were Solomon's seal and teeth that sported with the reason of rhymester and prosereven as saith the poet：
O mouth of the belovedwho set thy pearls arow And eke with wine fulfilled thee and camomiles like show，And lent the morning-glory unto thy smileand who Hath with a padlock sealed thee of rubies sweet of show？
Whoso but looks upon thee is mad for joy and pride. How should it fare with himwho kisseth theeheigho！