five of them on her son’s right hand and other five on his left and the folk gathered about them. Then she bade the five who had remained with her speak forth somewhat of poesy, so they might entertain therewith the séance and that Al-Abbas might rejoice thereat. Now she had clad them in the costliest of clothes and adorned them with trinkets and ornaments and moulded work of gold and silver and collars of gold, wrought with pearls and gems. So they paced forward, with harps and lutes and zithers and recorders and other instruments of music before them, and one of them, a damsel who came from the land of China and whose name was Bá’úthah, advanced and screwed up the strings of her lute. Then she cried out from the top of her head and recited these couplets:— Indeed your land returned, when you returned, ✿ To whilom light which overgrew its gloom: Green grew the land that was afore dust-brown, ✿ And fruits that failed again showed riping bloom: And clouds rained treasures after rain had lacked, ✿ And plenty poured from earth’s re-opening womb. Then ceased the woes, my lords, that garred us weep, ✿ With tears like dragons’ blood, our severance-doom, Whose length, by Allah, made me yearn and pine, ✿ Would Heaven, O lady mine, I were thy groom! When she had ended her song, all who were present were delighted and Al-Abbas rejoiced in this. Then he bade the second damsel sing somewhat on the same theme. So she came forward and tightening the strings of her harp, which was of balass ruby,[432] raised her voice in a plaintive air and improvised these couplets:— Brought the Courier glad news of our absentees,[433] ✿ To please us through those who had wrought us unease: Cried I, “My life ransom thee, messenger man, ✿ Thou hast kept thy faith and thy boons are these.” An the nightlets of union in you we joyed ✿ When fared you naught would our grief appease; You sware that folk would to folk be true, ✿ And you kept your oaths as good faith decrees. To you made I oath true lover am I ✿ Heaven guard me when sworn from all perjuries: I fared to meet you and loud I cried, ✿ “Aha, fair welcome when come you please!” And I joyed to meet you and when you came, ✿ Deckt all the dwelling with tapestries, And death in your absence to us was dight, ✿ But your presence bringeth us life and light. When she had made an end of her verse, Al-Abbas bade the third damsel (who came from Samarkand of Ajam-land and whose name was Rummánah) sing, and she answered, “To hear is to obey.” Then she took the zither and crying out from the midst of her head, recited and sang these couplets:[434]— My watering mouth declares thy myrtle-cheek my food to be ✿ And cull my lips thy side-face rose, who lily art to me!