At this Queen Al-Shahba rejoiced with exceeding joy and cried, “Brava, O queen of delight! By Allah, I know not how I shall do to give thee thy due! May the Most High grant us the grace of thy long continuance!” Then she strained her to her breast and bussed her on the cheek; whereupon quoth Iblis (on whom be a curse!), “This is a mighty great honour!” Quoth the queen, “Know that this lady Tohfah is my sister and that her biddance is my biddance and her forbiddance my forbiddance. So all of you hearken to her word and render her worshipful obedience.” Therewith the kings rose in a body and kissed ground before Tohfah, who rejoiced in this. Moreover, Queen Al-Shahba doffed dress and habited her in a suit adorned with pearls, jewels and jacinths, worth an hundred thousand ducats, and wrote for her on a slip of paper[231] a patent appointing her to be her deputy. So the Songstress rose and kissed ground before the Queen, who said to her, “Of thy favour, sing to us somewhat concerning the rest of the sweet-scented flowers and herbs, so I may hear thy chant and solace myself with witnessing thy skill.” She replied, “To hear is to obey, O lady mine,” and, taking the lute, improvised these couplets:— My hue excelleth all hues in light, ✿ And I would all eyes should enjoy my sight: My site is the site of fillets and pearls ✿ Where the fairest brows are with jasmine dight: My light’s uprist (and what light it shows!) ✿ Is a silvern zone on the waist of Night. Then she changed the measure and improvised these couplets:— I’m the gem of herbs, and in seasons twain ✿ My tryst I keep with my lovers-train: I stint not union for length of time ✿ Nor visits, though some be of severance fain; The true one am I and my troth I keep, ✿ And, easy of plucking, no hand disdain. Then, changing measure and the mode, she played so that she bewildered the wits of those who were present, and Queen Al-Shahba, moved to mirth and merriment, cried, “Brava, O queen of delight!” Presently she returned to the first mode and improvised these couplets on Nenuphar:— I fear me lest freke espy me, ✿ In air when I fain deny me; So I root me beneath the wave, ✿ And my stalks to bow down apply me. Hereat Queen Al-Shahba rejoiced with exceeding joy, and cried, “Brava, O Tohfah! Let me hear more of thy chant.” Accordingly, she smote the lute and changing the mode, recited on the Moss-rose these couplets: Look on Nasrín[232] those branchy shoots surround; ✿ With greenest leafery ’tis deckt and crowned: Its graceful bending stem draws every gaze ✿ While beauteous bearing makes their love abound. Then she changed measure and mode and sang these couplets on the Water-lily:— O thou who askest Súsan[233] of her scent, ✿ Hear thou my words and beauty of my lay. “Emir am I whom all mankind desire” ✿ (Quoth she) “or present or when ta’en away.”