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Therewithal Queen Es Shuhba was moved to delight and said, ‘Well done, O Tuhfeh! Let me have more of thy singing.’ So she smote the lute and changing the mode, improvised the following verses on the moss-rose:
Look at the moss-rose, on its branches seen, Midmost its leafage, covered all with green.
’Tis gazed at for its slender swaying shape And cherished for its symmetry and sheen.
Lovely with longing for its love’s embrace, The fear of his estrangement makes it lean.
Then she changed the measure and the mode and sang the following verses:
O thou that questionest the lily of its scent, Give ear unto my words and verses thereanent.
Th’ Amir (quoth it) am I whose charms are still desired; Absent or present, all in loving me consent.
When she had made an end of her song, Queen Es Shuhba arose and said, ‘Never heard I from any the like of this.’ And she drew Tuhfeh to her and fell to kissing her. Then she took leave of her and flew away; and all the birds took flight with her, so that they walled the world; whilst the rest of the kings tarried behind.
When it was the fourth night, there came the boy whom they were minded to circumcise, adorned with jewels such as never saw eye nor heard ear of, and amongst the rest a crown of gold, set with pearls and jewels, the worth
