There was once in Baghdad a man of rank and rich in money and houses and lands，who was one of the chiefs of the merchants，and God had largely endowed him with worldly goodsbut had not vouchsafed him what he longed for of offspring；and there passed over him a long space of timewithout his being blessed with childrenmale or female. His years waxed greathis bones became wasted and his back bentand weakness and trouble increased on him，and he feared the loss of his wealth and possessionsseeing he had no childwhom he might make his heir and by whom he should be remembered. So he betook himself with supplication to God the Most Highfasting by day and rising by night [to pray]. Moreoverhe made vows to God the Livingthe Eternaland visited the pious and was instant in supplication to the Most Mightill He gave ear to him and accepted his prayer and took pity on his striving and complaining；so thatbefore many days were pasthe lay with one of his women and she became with child by him the same night. She accomplished the months of her pregnancy and casting her burdenbore a male child as he were a piece of the moon；whereupon the merchant，in his gratitude to God（to whom belong might and majesty，）
fulfilled his vows and gave alms and clothed the widow and the orphan.
On the seventh night after the boy's birthhe named him Aboulhusnand the wet-nurses suckled him and the dry-nurses dandled him and the slaves and servants carried himtill he grew up and throve and learnt the sublime Koran and the ordinances of Islam and the things of the True Faith. Moreover，he learned writing and poetry and mathematics and archery and became the pearl of his age and the goodliest of the folk of his time and his dayfair of face and fluent of tongue，bearing himself with a proud and graceful port and glorying in his symmetry and amorous grace. His cheeks were red and his forehead white and brilliant and the tender down of the whiskers darkened upon his faceeven as saith onedescribing him：
The Spring of the down on his cheeks to the eye shows clear；And how shall the rose endureafter Spring is here？
Dost thou not see that the growth on his cheekforsoothA violet isthat forth of its leaves doth peer？
He abode awhile with his fatherin the best of caseand the latter rejoiced and delighted in himtill he came to man's estatewhen the merchant one day made him sit down before him and said to him'O my sonthe appointed term draws near；my last hour is at hand and it remains but to meet God（to whom belong might and majesty）. I leave thee what shall suffice theeeven to thy son's sonof money and farms and houses and gardens；whereforeO my sonfear thou God the Most High in[dealing with] that which I leave thee and follow none but those who will help thee [in this].'Not long afterhe sickened and died；so his son ordered his funeralafter the goodliest fashionand burying himreturned to his house and sat mourning for him [many] days and nightstill certain of his friends came in to him and said to him'Whoso leaveth the like of thee after him is not dead；indeedwhat is past is past and mourning beseemeth none but girls and cloistered women.'And they ceased not from himtill they wrought on him to enter the bath and break off his mourning. Then he forgot his father's injunctionsand his head was turned by his riches；he thought fortune would still abide with himas it wasand that wealth would never come to an end. So he ate and drank and made merry and took his pleasure and gave gifts of money and raiment and was profuse with gold and gave himself up to eating fowls and breaking the seals of wine-flasks and listening to songs and to the laugh of the wineas it gurgled from the flagon；nor did he give over this way of lifetill his wealth was wasted and the case became straitened [upon him]
and he bit his hands [for repentance] and gone was all he had.
In good soothhe had nothing leftafter that which he had squanderedbut a slave-girl that his father had bequeathed to him with the rest of his estate： her name was Taweddud and she had no equal in beauty and grace and brightness and symmetry and all perfection. She was past mistress in all manner of arts and accomplishments and endowed with [many] excellences，surpassing all the folk of her age and time. She was grown more notorious than a way-markfor the versatility of her geniusand outdid the fair both in theory and practice and elegant and flexile gracemore by token that she was five feet high and in conjunction with fair fortunewith strait arched browsas they were the crescent moon of Shaabanand eyes like those of gazellesnose like the point of the sabre and cheeks like blood-red anemonesmouth like Solomon's seal and teeth like necklaces of pearlsnavel holding an ounce of benzoin ointment and waist more slender than his body whom love hath wasted and whom concealment [of his passion] hath made sickand buttocks heavier than two hills of sand；briefin all she answered to the saying of him who says：
Her fair shape ravishethif face to face she did appearAnd if she turnfor severance from her she slayeth sheer.
Sun-likefull-moon-likesapling-likeunto her character Estrangement nowise appertains nor cruelty austere.
Under the bosom of her shift the garths of Eden areand the full-moon revolveth still upon her neck-rings'sphere.
She seemed [at once] a rising full moon and a browsing gazelle，a girl of nine and fiveputting to shame the moon and the suneven as saith of her the eloquent and ingenious poet：
The likeness of the full-moonfaring o'er The heavensfive and five and after four；'Tis not my faultif she have made of me Its likenesswhen it first in heaven doth soar.
White of skinodoriferous of breathit seemed as if she were[at once] fashioned of fire and moulded of crystal；rose-red was the cheek of her and perfect her shape and figure；even as saith of her onedescribing her：
Scented with sandal and muskright proudly doth she goWith gold and silver and rose and saffron-colour aglow.
