The young merchants invited him saying, "O my lord Nur al-Din, we wish thee to go this day a-pleasuring with us in such a garden." And he answered, "Wait till I consult my parent, for I cannot go without his consent." As they were talking, behold, up came Taj al-Din, and his son looked at him and said, "O father mine, the sons of the merchants have invited me to wend a-pleasuring with them in such a garden. Dost thou grant me leave to go?" His father replied, "Yes, O my son, fare with them;" and gave him somewhat of money. So the young men mounted their mules and asses and Nur al-Din mounted a she-mule and rode with them to a garden, wherein was all that soul desireth and that eye charmeth. It was high of walls which from broad base were seen to rise; and it had a gateway vault-wise with a portico like a saloon and a door azure as the skies, as it were one of the gates of Paradise: the name of the door-keeper was Rizwán,[FN#379] and over the gate were trained an hundred trellises which grapes overran; and these were of various dyes, the red like coralline, the black like the snouts of Súdán[FN#380]-men and the white like egg of the pigeon-hen. And in it peach and pomegranate were shown and pear, apricot and pomegranate were grown and fruits with and without stone hanging in clusters or alone,—And Shahrazad perceived the dawn of day and ceased to say her permitted say. When it was the Eight Hundred and Sixty-fourth Night, She continued, It hath reached me, O auspicious King, that when the sons of the merchants entered the vergier, they found therein all that soul desireth or eye charmeth, grapes of many hues grown, hanging in bunches or alone, even as saith of them the poet, "Grapes tasting with the taste of wine * Whose coats like blackest Raven's shine: Their sheen, amid the leafage shows, * Like women's fingers henna'd fine." And as saith another on the same theme, "Grape-bunches likest as they sway * A-stalk, my body frail and snell: Honey and water thus in jar, * When sourness past, make Hydromel." Then they entered the arbour of the garden and saw there Rizwan the gate-keeper sitting, as he were Rizwan the Paradise-guardian, and on the door were written these lines, "Garth Heaven-watered wherein clusters waved * On boughs which full of sap to bend were fain: And, when the branches danced on Zephyr's palm, * The Pleiads shower'd as gifts[FN#381] fresh pearls for rain." And within the arbour were written these two couplets, "Come with us, friend, and enter thou * This garth that cleanses rust of grief: Over their skirts the Zephyrs trip[FN#382] * And flowers in sleeve to laugh are lief."[FN#383]