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upon thee, O my lady, whenas thou becomest of the household of the Commander of the Faithful, do not thou forget me!’ And she replied, saying, ‘Allah, O my lord, thou art the source of my fortunes and in thee is my heart fortified.’ So he took her hand and made a covenant with her of this and she swore to him that she would not forget him.
Then said he to her, ‘By Allah, thou art the desire of the Commander of the Faithful![1] So take the lute and sing a song that thou shalt sing to the Khalif, whenas thou goest in to him.’ So she took the lute and tuning it, sang the following verses:
His love on him took pity and wept for his dismay: Of those that him did visit she was, as sick he lay.
She let him taste her honey and wine[2] before his death: This was his last of victual until the Judgment Day.
Ishac stared at her and seizing her hand, said to her, ‘Know that I am bound by an oath that, when the singing of a damsel pleaseth me, she shall not make an end of her song but before the Commander of the Faithful. But now tell me, how came it that thou abodest with the slave-dealer five months and wast not sold to any, and thou of this skill, more by token that the price set on thee was no great matter?’
She laughed and answered, ‘O my lord, my story is
