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bibbing and rejoicing and making merry and tambourining and piping till the night waned and the dawn drew near; and indeed exceeding delight entered into them. The most of them in mirth was the Sheikh Iblis, and for the excess of that which betided him of delight, he put off all that was upon him of coloured clothes and cast them over Tuhfeh, and among the rest a robe broidered with jewels and jacinths, worth ten thousand dinars. Then he kissed the earth and danced and put his finger to his arse and taking his beard in his hand, said to her, ‘Sing about this beard and endeavour after mirth and pleasance, and no blame shall betide thee for this.’ So she improvised and sang the following verses:
Beard of the old he-goat, the one-eyed, what shall be My saying of a knave, his fashion and degree?
I rede thee vaunt thee not of praise from us, for lo! Even as a docktailed cur thou art esteemed of me.
By Allah, without fail, to-morrow thou shalt see Me with ox-leather dress and drub the nape of thee!
All those who were present laughed at her mockery of Iblis and marvelled at the goodliness of her observation[1] and her readiness in improvising verses; whilst the Sheikh himself rejoiced and said to her, ‘O Tuhfet es Sudour, the night is gone; so arise and rest thyself ere the day; and to-morrow all shall be well.’ Then all the kings of the Jinn departed, together with those who were
- ↑ Lit. skill in physiognomy (firaseh).
