"It is I who met you while out hunting at such and such a place."
Zohra: "But what brought you hither?"
"The will of God the Highest!"
At this answer Zohra was silent, and set herself to think of a means by which she could rid herself of these intruders.
Now among the virgins that were present there were several whose vulvas were like iron barred[1] and whom no one had been able to deflower; there was also present a woman called Mouna (she who appeases passion), who was insatiable as regards coition. Zohra thought to herself, "It is only by a stratagem I can rid of these men. By means of these women I will set them tasks which they will be unable to accomplish as conditions for my consent." Then turning to Abou el Heidja, she said to him, "You will not get possession of me unless you fulfil the conditions which I shall impose upon you." The four cavaliers at once consented to this without knowing them, and she continued, "But, if you do not fulfil them, will you pledge your word that you will be my prisoners, and place yourselves entirely at my disposition?" "We pledge our words!" they answered.
She made them take their oath that they would be faithful to their word, and then, placing her hand in that of Abou el Heidja, she said to him, "As regards you I impose upon you the task to deflower eighty virgins without ejaculating. Such is my will! He said, "I accept."
She let him then enter a chamber where there were several kinds of beds, and sent to him the eighty virgins
- ↑ Literally, "ironbound," mouseahate.
