And as much as the people loved and fondly loved Al-Fazl bin Khákán, so they hated and thoroughly hated the mean and miserly Mu'ín bin Sáwí. It befel one day by the decree of the Decreer, that King Mohammed bin Sulayman al-Zayni, being seated on his throne with his officers of state about him, summoned his Wazir Al-Fazl and said to him, "I wish to have a slave-girl of passing beauty, perfect in loveliness, exquisite in symmetry and endowed with all praiseworthy gifts." Said the courtiers, "Such a girl is not to be bought for less than ten thousand gold pieces:" whereupon the Sultan called out to his treasurer and said, "Carry ten thousand dinars to the house of Al-Fazl bin Khákán." The treasurer did the King's bidding; and the Minister went away, after receiving the royal charge to repair to the slave-bazar every day, and entrust to brokers the matter aforesaid. Moreover the King issued orders that girls worth above a thousand gold pieces should not be bought or sold without being first displayed to the Wazir. Accordingly no broker purchased a slave-girl ere she had been paraded before the minister; but none pleased him, till one day a dealer came to the house and found him taking horse and intending for the palace. So he caught hold of his stirrup saying, "O thou, who givest to royal state sweet savour, * Thou'rt a Wazir shalt never fail of favour! Dead Bounty thou hast raised to life for men; * Ne'er fail of Allah's grace such high endeavour!" Then quoth he, "O my lord, that surpassing object for whom the gracious mandate was issued is at last found; [FN#5]" and quoth the Wazir, "Here with her to me!" So he went away and returned after a little, bringing a damsel in richest raiment robed, a maid spear-straight of stature and five feet tall; budding of bosom with eyes large and black as by Kohl traced, and dewy lips sweeter than syrup or the sherbet one sips, a virginette smooth cheeked and shapely faced, whose slender waist with massive hips was engraced; a form more pleasing than branchlet waving upon the top-most trees, and a voice softer and gentler than the morning breeze, even as saith one of those who have described her, "Strange is the charm which dights her brows like Luna's disk that shine; * O sweeter taste than sweetest Robb[FN#6] or raisins of the vine. A throne th'Empyrean keeps for her in high and glorious state, * For wit and wisdom, wandlike form and graceful bending line: She in the Heaven of her face[FN#7] the seven-fold stars displays, * That guard her cheeks as satellites against the spy's design: If man should cast a furtive glance or steal far look at her, * His heart is burnt by devil-bolts shot by those piercing eyne."