The Khalif Haroun er Reshid loved the Princess Zubeideh with an exceeding love and laid out for her a pleasauncein which he made a great pool and led thither water from all sides.
Moreoverhe set thereabout a screen of treeswhich so grew and interlaced over the poolthat one could go in and wash，without being seen of anyfor the thickness of the leafage. It chancedone daythat Zubeideh entered the garden and coming to the basingazed upon its goodlinessand the limpidity of the water and the interlacing of the trees over it pleased her.
Now it was a day of exceeding heat；so she put off her clothes and entering the poolwhich was not deep enough to cover her，fell to pouring the water over herself from an ewer of silver.
The Khalif heard she was in the pool；so he left his palace and came down to spy upon herthrough the screen of the leaves. He stood behind the trees and saw her nakedwith all her secret charms displayed. Presentlyshe became aware of him and turningsaw him behind the trees and was ashamed that he should see her naked. So she laid her hands on her kazebut it escaped from between themby reason of its much greatness and plumpness；and the Khalif turned and went awaywondering and reciting the following verse：
I looked on her whom I adore And longing rose in me full sore.
But he knew not what to say next；so he sent for Abou Nuwas and bade him make a piece of verse commencing with the above line. 'I hear and obey，'replied the poet and in a twinkling extemporized the following lines：
I looked on her whom I adoreAnd longing rose in me full sore For a gazelle that ravished meBy double lote-trees shaded o'er.
The water on her dainty part With silver ewer did she pour And would have hidden itseeing meBut all too small her hands therefor.
Would I were on itwel-a-wayAn hour or liefer two or more！
The Khalif smiled and made him a handsome presentand he went away rejoicing.