Then rose the six girls and kissing the ground before their lord，said to him'Judge thou between usO our lord！'He looked at their beauty and grace and the difference of their colours and praised God the Most High and glorified Him： then said he'There is none of you but has read the Koran and learnt to sing and is versed in the chronicles of the ancients and the doings of past peoples；so it is my desire that each of you rise and pointing to her oppositepraise herself and dispraise her rival；that is to saylet the blonde point to the blackthe plump to the slender and the yellow to the brunette；and afterthe latter shalleach in turndo the like with the former；and be this illustrated with citations from the Holy Koran and somewhat of anecdotes and verseso as to show forth your culture and elegance of discourse.'Quoth they'We hear and obey.'
So the blonde rose first and pointing at the blacksaid to her，'Out on theeblackamoor！ It is told that whiteness saith'I am the shining lightI am the rising full moon.'My colour is patent and my forehead is resplendentand of my beauty quoth the poet：
A blonde with smooth and polished cheeksright delicate and fairAs if a pearl in beauty hidas in a shellshe were.
Her shape a splendid Alif isher smile a medial Mim And over it her eyebrows make inverted Nounsa pair.
Yesand the glances of her eyes are arrowsand her brows A bow that therewithal is horned with death and with despair.
If to her cheeks and shape thou passher cheeks are roses red，Sweet basilayand eglantine and myrtles rich and rare.
'Tis of the saplings'wontto be implanted in the meads Butin the saplings of thy shapehow many meads are there！
My colour is like the wholesome day and the newly-gathered orange-blossom and the sparkling star；and indeed quoth God the Most Highin His precious bookto His prophet Moses（on whom be peace）'Put thy hand into thy bosom and it shall come forth white without hurt.'And again He saith'As for those whose faces are made whitethey are in the mercy of God and dwell for ever therein.'My colour is a miracle and my grace an extreme and my beauty a term. It is in the like of me that clothes show fair and to the like of me that hearts incline.
Moreoverin whiteness are many excellences；for instancethe snow falls white from heavenand it is traditional that white is the most beautiful of colours. The Muslims also glory in white turbans；but I should be tediouswere I to repeat all that may be said in praise of white；little and enough is better than too much. So now I will begin with thy dispraiseO blackO colour of ink and blacksmith's dustthou whose face is like the crow that brings about lovers'parting！ Verilythe poet saith in praise of white and dispraise of black：
Seest not that for their milky hue white pearls in price excel And charcoal for a groat a load the folk do buy and sell？
And eke white faces'tis well knowndo enter ParadiseWhilst faces black appointed are to fill the halls of Hell.
And indeed it is told in certain historiesrelated on the authority of devout menthat Noah（on whom be peace）was sleeping one daywith his sons Ham and Shem seated at his head，when a wind sprang up and lifting his clothesuncovered his nakedness；whereat Ham laughed and did not cover him；but Shem rose and covered him. PresentlyNoah awoke and learning what had passedblessed Shem and cursed Ham. So Shem's face was whitened and from him sprang the prophets and the orthodox Khalifs and Kings；whilst Ham's face was blackened and he fled forth to the land of Ethiopiaand of his lineage came the blacks. All people are of a mind in affirming the lack of understanding of the blackseven as saith the adage'How shall one find a black having understanding？'
Quoth her master'It sufficeth；sit downthou hast been prodigal.'And he signed to the negresswho roseand pointing at the blondesaid'Doth thou not know thatin the Koran sent down to His prophet and apostleis transmitted the saying of God the Most High'By the nightwhen it veileth [the world with darkness]and by the daywhen it appeareth in all its glory！'If the night were not more illustrious than the daywhy should God swear by it and give it precedence of the day？ And indeed those of sense and understanding accept this.
Knowst now that black [hair] is the ornament of youth and that，when whiteness descends upon the headdelights pass away and the hour of death draws nigh？ Were not black the most illustrious of thingsGod had not set it in the kernel of the heart and the apple of the eye；and how excellent is the saying of the poet：
An if I cherish the dusky maidsthis is the reason why；They have the hue of the core of the heart and the apple of the eye And youth；nor in error I eschew the whiteness of the blondes；For 'tis the colour of hoary hair and shrouds in them shun I.
And that of another：
The brownnot the whiteare first in my love And worthiest eke to be loved of me，For the colour of damask lips have theyWhilst the white have the hue of leprosy.
And of a third：
Black womenwhite of deedsare like indeed to eyne Thatthough jet-black they bewith peerless splendours shine.
If I go mad for herbe not amazed；for black The source of madness iswhen in the feminine.
'Tis as my colour were the middle dark of night；For all no moon it beyet brings it lightin fine.
Moreoveris the companying together of lovers good but in the night？ Let this quality and excellence suffice thee. What protects lovers from spies and censors like the blackness of the shadows？ And nought gives them cause to fear discovery like the whiteness of the dawn. Sohow many claims to honour are there not in blackness and how excellent is the saying of the poet：
I visit themand the mirk of night doth help me to my will And seconds mebut the white of dawn is hostile to me still.
And that of another：
How many a night in joy I've passed with the beloved oneWhat while the darkness curtained us about with tresses dun！
Whenas the light of morn appearedit struck me with affright，And I to him'The Magians liewho worship fire and sun.'
And saith a third：