"Know then, O King," replied Dendan, "that
King Omar ben Ennuman, when he returned to Baghdad from his
hunting excursion, enquired for thee and thy sister, but could
not find you and knew that you had gone on the pilgrimage,
whereat he was greatly concerned and angered, and his breast was
contracted. He abode thus a whole year, seeking news of you from
all who came and went, but none could give him any tidings of
you. At the end of this time, as we were one day in attendance
upon him, there came to us an old woman, as she were a devotee,
accompanied by five damsels, high-bosomed maids, like moons,
endowed with such beauty and grace as the tongue fails to
describe; and to crown their perfections, they knew the Koran by
heart and were versed in various kinds of learning and in the
histories of bygone peoples. The old woman sought an audience of
the King, and he bade admit her; whereupon she entered and kissed
the ground before him. Now I was then sitting by his side, and
he, seeing in her the signs of devoutness and asceticism, made
her draw near and sit down by him. So she sat down and said to
him, 'Know, O King, that with me are five damsels, whose like no
king possesses, for they are endowed with beauty and grace and
wit. They know the Koran and the traditions and are skilled in
all manner of learning and in the history of bygone peoples. They
are here before thee, at thy disposal; for it is by proof that
folk are prized or disdained.
Pages:
140
141
142
143
144
145
146
147
148
149
150
151
152
153
154
155
156
157
158
159
160
161
162
163
164