Once when Eddetma with an houri band Of high-born damsels, under eunuch guard, In the walled palace pleasaunce took her ease, Under a myrrh-bush by a fountain side,-- Where marble Peris poured a diamond rain In scooped cornelian,--one, a dim, hoar head,-- A patriarch 'mid gardener underlings,-- Bent spreading gems and priceless ornaments Of jewelled amulets of hollow gold Sweet with imprisoned ambergris and musk; Symbolic stones in sorcerous carcanets; Gem talismans in cabalistic gold. Whereon the princess marvelled and bade ask-- What did the ancient with his riches there? Who, questioned, mumbled in his bushy beard, "To buy a wife withal;" whereat they laughed As oafs when wisdom stumbles. Quoth a maid, With orient midnight in her starry eyes, And tropic music on her languid tongue, "And what if _I_ should wed with thee, O beard Grayer than my great-grandfather, what then?"-- "One kiss, no more; and, child, thou were divorced," He; and the humor took them till, like birds That sing among the spice-trees and the palms, The garden pealed with maiden merriment. Then quoth the princess, "Thou wilt wed with him, Ansada?" mirth in her gazelle-like eyes, And gravity sage-solemn in her speech; And took Ansada's hand and laid it in The old man's staggering hand, and he unbent His crookéd back and on his staff arose Wrinkled and weighed with many heavy years, And kissed her, leaning on his shaking staff, And heaped her bosom with an Amir's wealth, And left them laughing at his foolish beard. Now on the next day, as she took her ease With her glad troop of girlhood,--maidens who So many royal tulips seemed,--behold, Bowed with white years, upon a flowery sward The ancient with new jewelry and gems Wherefrom the sun coaxed wizard fires and lit Glimmers in glowing green and pendent pearl, Ultramarine and beaded, vivid rose. And so they stood and wondered; and one asked, As yesternoon, wherefore the father there Displayed his Sheikh locks and the genie gems.-- "Another marriage and another kiss?-- What! doth the tomb-ripe court his youth again? O aged one, libertine in hope not deed! O prodigal of wives as well as wealth! Here stands thy damsel," trilled the Peri-tall Diarra with the midnight in her hair, Two lemon-blossoms blowing in her cheeks; And took the dotard's jewels with the kiss In merry mockery. Ere the morrow's dawn Bethought Eddetma: "Shall my handmaidens, Humoring a gray-beard's whim, for wrinkled smiles And withered kisses still divide his wealth? While I stand idle, lose the caravan Whose least is notable?--I too will wed, Betide me what betides."