The envoy came as swiftly as the wind,
Told all that he had heard, and gave the letter.
Sikandar said to him: “Go to, return
To that famed man, and say: ‘What things are these
That none e'er had in public or in private,
For we ourselves have seen whatever is,
And heaven will not create afresh?’”

The envoy

Went from the presence, journeyed swift as fire,

And said to Kaid: “The Sháh is fain to know
What things they are that no one else possesseth,
For seeing is believing.”

When he heard,

Kaid cleared the court and sat with his advisers
In council, set the envoy in his presence,
And courteously entreated him, then said:—
“I have within my bower a daughter such
That if the sun on high should gaze on her
'Twould gloom contrasted with my darling's face.
Her locks are lassos of one hue with pitch,
Milk savoureth on her lips, a cypress-stem
Is crooked to her, she scattereth pearls in speech,
Her looks and countenance make wisdom fly,
Yet 'tis the food of her discourse. When silent
She is the soul of modesty, and none
Hath seen her peer in this age. Sprung from chiefs,
And pious, she is chaste of heart and modest.
I have a cup which thou mayst fill with wine,
Or pour therein cold water, and although
Thou sat'st with boon-companions for ten years
The wine would fail not; whether wine or water
The cup affordeth thee, the marvel is:
No drinking draineth it. My third possession
Is this: a youthful leech who diagnoseth
Disease by making a uroscopy.
So long as he is at the court the Sháh
Will never ail; and, fourthly, I possess,
Though privily, a sage who will foretell
The Sháh all that will chance from circling sun
And shining moon.”

The noble messenger

Withdrew, made wind his mate, came and informed
Sikandar, and the heart of the world-king
Bloomed like a rose. He said: “If what is spoken
Be true could this world purchase all the four?
Kaid will illume my dark soul if he send them.
His country 'neath my feet I will not tread,
But with this good will hie me home instead.”