The Khalif Haroun er Reshidbeing one night exceeding restless and oppressed with melancholy thoughtwent out and walked about his palacetill he came to a chamberover whose doorway hung a curtain. He raised the curtain and sawat the upper end of the rooma bedon which lay something blackas it were a man asleepwith a candle on his right hand and another on his left and by his side a flagon of old wineover against which stood the cup. The Khalif wondered at thissaying'How came yonder black by this wine-service？'Thendrawing near the bed，he found that it was a girl asleep thereveiled with her hair，and uncovering her facesaw that it was like the moon on the night of her full. So he filled a cup of wine and drank it to the roses of her cheeks；then bent over her and kissed a mole on her facewhereupon she awoke and cried outsaying'O Trusty One of Godwhat is to do？'A guest who knocks at thy dwelling by night，'replied the Khalif'[hoping] that thou wilt give him hospitality till the dawn.'It is well，'
answered she；'I will grace the guest with my hearing and my sight.'
So she brought the wine and they drank it together；after which she took the lute and tuning itpreluded in one-and-twenty modesthen returning to the firststruck a lively measure and sang the following verses：
The tongue of passion in my heart bespeaks thee for my soul，Telling I love thee with a love that nothing can control.
I have an eyethat testifies unto my sore diseaseAnd eke a heart with parting wrunga-throb for love and dole.
IndeedI cannot hide the love that frets my life away；Longing increases still on memy tears for ever roll.
Ah mebefore the love of theeI knew not what love was；But God's decree must have its course on every living soul.
Then said she'O Commander of the FaithfulI am a wronged woman.'How so？'quoth he'and who hath wronged thee？'She answered'Thy son bought me awhile agofor ten thousand dirhemsmeaning to give me to thee；but the daughter of thine uncle sent him the price aforesaid and bade him shut me up from thee in this chamber.'Whereupon'Ask a boon of me，'said the Khalif；and she'I ask thee to lie to-morrow night with me.'If it be the will of God，'replied the Khalifand leaving herwent away.
Next morninghe repaired to his sitting-room and called for Abou Nuwasbut found him not and sent his chamberlain to seek for him. The chamberlain found him in pawnin a tavernfor a score of a thousand dirhemsthat he had spent on a certain boyand questioned him. So he told him what had befallen him with the boy and how he had spent a thousand dirhems upon himwhereupon quoth the chamberlain'Show him to me；and if he be worth thisthou art excused.'Wait awhile，'replied the poet，'and thou shalt see him presently.'As they were talkingup came the boyclad in a white tunicunder which was another of red and yet another of black. When Abou Nuwas saw himhe sighed and repeated the following verses：
To me he appeared in a garment of whiteHis eyes and his eyelids with languor bedight.
Quoth I'Dost thou pass and salutest me not？ Though God knows thy greeting were sweet to my spright.
Be He blessed who mantled with roses thy cheeksWho creates，without letwhat He willof His might！'
'Leave prating，'he answered；'for surely my Lord Is wondrous of workingsans flaw or dissight.
Yeatrulymy garment is even as my face And my fortuneeach white upon white upon white.'
When the boy heard thishe put off the white tunic and appeared in the red one；whereupon Abou Nuwas redoubled in expressions of admiration and repeated the following verses：
Appeared in a garmentthe colour of flameA foeman of mine，'The beloved，'by name.
'Thou'rt a full moon，'I said in my wonder'And com'st In a garment that putteth the roses to shame.
Hath the red of thy cheek clad that vest upon thee Or in heart's blood of lovers hast tinctured the same？'