Dunyazad said to her, “Allah upon thee, O my sister, an thou be other than sleepy, finish for us thy tale that we may cut short the watching of this our latter night!” She replied, “With love and good will!” It hath reached me, O auspicious King, the director, the right-guiding, lord of the rede which is benefiting and of deeds fair-seeming and worthy celebrating, that Yusuf passed the night weeping and improvising verse, but he let not fall a word of explanation fearing lest he divulge his secret; and his spouses supposed that he was wroth with his sire and knew not what there was in his vitals of exceeding desire to Al-Hayfa.  But when brake the day he was roused and gazing upon the rise of awaking Dawn he pondered the happy mornings which had passed; so he wept and complained and moaned like the culver and he fell to reciting these couplets,

“No joy but you in house and home I know * Save bitter heart and
     tears that ever flow;
Nor with mine eyes I view aught save yourselves * Whenas in lowe
     of love-desire I glow: 
My heart enjoys but gust and greed for you, * Mine eyelids own no
     joy save wake and woe: 
O blaming me for them, avaunt, by God * Nor leave me fancy-free,
     worst gift of foe!”

And when Yusuf had finished his poetry he fell into a fainting fit and he quivered as quivereth the fowl with cut throat,[FN#230] and he came not to himself save when the sun had arisen arraying the lowlands with its rays.  Then he waxed wood and sat with eyes at the ground, a-gazing and not accosting nor answering aught, and lastly he took to his pillow.  These tidings presently reached the King his father, who accompanied by the Lords of his land came to him and after greeting him said, “O my son, whom I would ransom with my life, what contagion hath come upon thee of disease, and whereof dost thou complain?” Quoth he, “O my father, the air hath struck me and hath cut my joints,"[FN#231] and quoth his father, “O my son, Almighty Allah vouchsafe ease thee of this thy disease.”  Then the King mounted and went forth from him, and sent a leach which was a Jew[FN#232] of wits penetrating and sagacious.  The man went in to him, and sitting beside him felt his joints and asked him of his case; but he held his peace nor would return aught of reply.  So the Israelite knew that he was a lover and in the depths of love bedrowned; accordingly he left him and told the King that the Prince had no complaint save that he was a hot amourist and distraught of vitals.  Hereupon his mother came to Yusuf and said, “O my son, fear Almighty Allah for thy soul, and have some regard for thy wives and concubines and yield not to thy passions which will mislead thee from the path of Allah.”  But he deigned not answer her.  In this condition he remained until three days sped, taking no taste of meat or drink, nor finding pleasure in any stead, nor aught of rest a-bed.  Presently he bade summon a Mameluke of the Mamelukes Hilal hight, and asked him, “O