Fair Persian, said Noureddin, immediately addressing himself to her, I ask that favour of you, and I hope you will not refuse me. She took up the lute without more entreaties, and putting it presently in tune, played and sang with such an air as charmed the very soul of the caliph with its harmony. Afterwards she played upon the lute without singing, but with so much skill and softness that it transported him into an ecstasy of joy. When the Fair Persian had given over playing, the caliph cried out, What a voice! What a hand! What skill is here! Was there ever finer singing, or better playing upon the lute? Never was there any heard or seen like it. Noureddin, who was a person of breeding, and always returned the compliment that was made him; Fisherman, said he, I find thou hast some taste for music, since thou art delighted with her performance; and if thou likest her she is thine; I make thee a present of her. At the same time he rose up, and taking his robe, which he had laid by, was for going away and leaving the pretended fisherman in possession of the Fair Persian. The Fair Persian was extremely surprised at Noureddin’s liberality; she took hold of him, and looking very wishfully at him, Whither, sir, are you going? said she; sit down in your place, I entreat you, and hearken to the song I am going to sing and play. He did as she desired him, and then the Fair Persian touching her lute, and looking upon him with tears, sang some verses that she had made _extempore_ to reproach him with his indifference, and the easiness as well as cruelty of resigning her to Kerim. She only hinted, without explaining herself any farther to the fisherman, for she was ignorant of his being the caliph, as well as Noureddin. When she had done playing, she put the lute down by her, and clapped a handkerchief to her face to hide the tears she could not help shedding. Noureddin made no answer to all these reproaches, but by his silence seemed to declare he did not repent of what he had done. The caliph surprised at what he had newly heard, Sir, said he, as far as I see, this beautiful lady, that so generously you have made me a present of just now, is your slave, and you are her master. It is very true, Kerim, replied Noureddin, and thou wouldst be more surprised than thou art now, should I tell thee all the misfortunes that have happened to me on her account. Ah! I beseech you, sir, replied the caliph, still behaving himself like a fisherman, oblige me so far as to let me hear part of your story. Noureddin, who had already obliged him in several things of a higher nature than this, was so complaisant as to relate the whole story to him. He began with his father’s buying the Fair Persian for the king of Balsora, and omitted nothing of what he had done, or what had happened to him, from that time to their arrival at Bagdad, and since, to that very moment he was talking to him.