(waḥsh, a dumb brute, a wild beast, and also “a famished man.”)

How often one who had eased his bowels called me and talked to me, and nor he nor I in manners were lacking aught.

(mustanjî, one who cleans himself after evacuation, and also one who sits on an elevated place [najwah].)

How oft I made kneel my beast beneath a pomegranate-bud that would have shaded no end of ‘Ajam [i.e., foreign] and Arab men.

(junbuẕah, the flower or bud of a pomegranate, a bud in general, and also “a dome, a cupola”; ‘urub, here probably by poetical license for ‘urb, Arabs, may also be taken as pl. of ‘arûb, “a woman fond of her husband,” as in Koran, lvi. 36: “loving their spouses, of equal age with them.”)

How oft I saw one rejoiced a little while, and his tears were seen to fall freely as the drops of rain from a cloud.

(surra, he was filled with joy, and also “his navel-string was cut,” the remaining part being called surrah, navel.)

How often times have I seen a shirt that hurt badly him who owned it maiming his limbs, unnerving him thoroughly.

(qamîṣ, a shirt or vest, and also “a beast given to jumping and rearing.”)

How many a veil there is, if time but would make away with it, I trow numerous wayfarers would stay at home.

(izâr, a wrapper or veil covering the upper part of the body, and also used metaphorically for “woman.”)

So far, and how many more of wondrous arts owns my mind, and sallies of pleasing wit, and sayings choice, sweet to hear.

So if you are quick to seize the drift of words, you will find that all is true and my bloom leads you to guess at my fruit.

But if you are baffled, then the fault, forsooth, lies with him who knows not how to discern ’twixt sandal and common wood.”

Said Al Ḥarîth, son of Hammâm: Then we began to grapple with his verse, and the explanation of the riddles proposed by him, while he made game of us as the careless makes game of the perplexed, saying: “It is not thy nest, so get thee gone!” until the birth proved too difficult and the debarment complete. Therefore we thrust the lead on him, and asked him for enlightenment, and we were suspended between hope and despair, he saying: “The coaxing before the call for milking.” So we knew him to be one of those who want a return for their gift, and expect a bribe for their judgment. Now it galled him who had given us shelter, that we should be exposed to a mulct, or igno­miniously frustrated; accordingly the lord of the mansion sent for a camel of the breed of ‘Id, and a robe like Sa‘îd’s, and said to him: “Take them both as a lawful property, and levy not from my guests [even] a trifle for a forfeit.” Said he: “I testify that this is a disposi­tion like Akhzam’s and liberality like Ḥâtim’s.” There­upon he approached us with a countenance whose serenity was translucent and whose brightness beaming, and said: “O my people, the night is well-nigh gone, and drowsiness has got the victory, so betake yourselves to the sleeping-places, and snatch the repose of the sleeper, so that ye may sip a draught of refreshing rest and rise invigorated, when ye will understand that which is explained to you, and things difficult will become easy.” Then every one approved of his opinion, and laid himself down on the pillow of his slumber. Now when the lids were closed in sleep and the guests had fallen a-doze, he sprang to the camel, and straight­way saddled her; then he mounted her and started her on the journey, saying, addressing her:

“Serûj, my eamel, is thy goal, so fare apace, now through the night, now through the day, now day and night,

So that thy hoofs may gladly tread her pastures moist and thou mayst find thee thence well off and prosperous,

And safe of being jaded over hill and dale: ay haste thee on, my precious beast, and speed thy pace,

Crossing the flinty mountains, peak by peak, contented with a chance draught from the wat’ring pond,

And not alighting until yonder goal is reached; for I have sworn it, and in earnest made my oath

By worship due to Mecca’s lofty-pillared house, if thou but bring me safely to my native town

Thou wilt for aye be held by me instead of child.”

Said the narrator: Then I knew that it was the Serûji, who when he had sold out, was wont to start off, and when he had filled his bushel, to decamp, and as soon as the dawn of the morrow broke and the sleepers recovered from their sleep, I informed them that at the time when unconsciousness had overcome them, the Shaykh had given them the slip for good, and mounted his camel and departed. Then a fresh vexation took hold of them after vexations of old, and they forgot the good of him for his bad. Thereupon we disbanded in all directions, and went away under every star of heaven.