the damsel and all belonging to her of raiment and jewellery shall be thine.' I rejoined, 'It is well, I will do this.' So I tarried with him a whole month, whilst none knew where I was and the Caliph sought me everywhere, but could come by no news of me; and at the end of this time, the merchant delivered to me the damsel, together with all that pertained to her of things of price and an eunuch to attend upon her. So I brought all that to my lodging, feeling as I were lord of the whole world, for exceeding delight in her; then I rode forthright to Al-Maamun. And when I stood in the presence, he said, 'Woe to thee, O Ishak, where hast thou been?' So I acquainted him with the story and he said, 'Bring me that man at once.' Thereupon I told him where he lived and he sent and fetched him and questioned him of the case; when he repeated the story and the Caliph said to him, 'Thou art a man of right generous mind, and it is only fitting that thou be aided in thy generosity.' Then he ordered him an hundred thousand dirhams and said to me, 'O Ishak, bring the damsel before me.' So I brought her to him, and she sang and delighted him; and being greatly gladdened by her he said to me, 'I appoint her turn of service every Thursday, when she must come and sing to me from behind the curtain.' And he ordered her fifty thousand dirhams, so by Allah, I profited both myself and others by my ride." And amongst the tales they tell is one of
THE THREE UNFORTUNATE LOVERS.
Quoth Al-'Utbí [FN#190], "I was sitting one day with a company of educated men, telling stories of the folk, when the talk turned upon legends of lovers and each of us said his say thereanent. Now there was in our company an old man, who remained silent, till all had spoken and had no more to say, when quoth he, 'Shall I tell you a thing, the like of which you never heard; no, never?' 'Yes,' quoth we; and he said, 'Know, then, that I had a daughter, who loved a youth, but we knew it not; while the youth loved a singing girl, who in her turn loved my daughter. One day, I was present at an assembly, wherein were also the youth'"--And
