77
commodity,’ said he; and she, ‘Fie! is there no shame in thee?’ And thumped him and beat him. Then said he, ‘Thy coney.’ Whereupon the eldest fell on him and beat him, saying, ‘Thou shalt not say that.’ And whatever he said, they beat him more and more, till his neck ached again; and they made a laughing-stock of him amongst them, till he said at last, ‘Well, what is its name amongst you women?’ ‘The sweet basil of the dykes,’ answered they. ‘Praised be God for safety!’ cried he. ‘Good, O sweet basil of the dikes!’ Then they passed round the cup and presently the cateress rose and throwing herself into the porter’s lap, pointed to her kaze and said to him, ‘O light of mine eyes, what is the name of this?’ ‘Thy commodity,’ answered he. ‘Art thou not ashamed?’ said she, and dealt him a buffet that made the place ring again, repeating, ‘Fie! Fie! art thou not ashamed?’ Quoth he, ‘The sweet basil of the dykes.’ ‘No! No!’ answered she, and beat him and cuffed him on the nape. Then said he, ‘Thy kaze, thy tout, thy catso, thy coney.’ But they replied, ‘No! No!’ And he said again, ‘The sweet basil of the dykes.’ Whereupon they laughed till they fell backward and cuffed him on the neck, saying, ‘No; that is not its name.’ At last he said, ‘O my sisters, what is its name?’ And they answered, ‘What sayest thou to the peeled barleycorn?’ Then the cateress put on her clothes and they sat down again to carouse, whilst the porter lamented over his neck and shoulders. The cup passed round among them awhile, and presently the eldest and handsomest of the ladies rose and put off her clothes; whereupon the porter took his neck in his hand and said, ‘My neck and shoulders are in the way of God!’ Then she threw herself into the basin and plunged and sported and washed; whilst the porter looked at her, naked, as she were a piece of the moon or the full moon when she waxes or the dawn at its brightest, and noted her shape and breasts
