The Seven Hundred and Second Night,

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, when Yusuf beheld Ibrahim the Cup-companion, and those in his company, he returned to the city and took them with him; yet he knew not Ibrahim nor did Ibrahim know him.  But on entering the capital he was met by his guards and his soldiers who blessed him and prayed for him length of days and permanence of rule wherefor the courtier knew him to be a just King.  Yusuf led them to and lodged them in the House of Hospitality; after which returning to his own Palace he sent for Ibrahim and assembled for him a session and received him with the highmost honour that could be, and rose to him and greeted him and embraced him and accompanied him to the sitting-saloon where the twain took their places.  Then Yusuf bade summon the ten handmaidens with as many instruments of music; and, sitting down begirt by them, he ordered wine be brought.  So they set before him flagons and beakers of crystal and jewelled cups; and presently pointing to the first of the slave-girls whose name is not recorded, bade her recite somewhat of her pleasantest poetry.  So she hent the lute in hand and set it upon her lap and swept it with a light touch and caressed it with her finger-tips and smote it after eleven modes; then she returned to the first[FN#278] and recited these couplets,

“My heart for parting ever burns with lowe; * My lids fiery with
     tear-floods ever flow: 
Ho thou in lover’s loving ferly fair, * Cut is the road for those
     Love gars to glow. 
How many a youth has felt his vitals torn * By slender forms and
     glances forceful prow? 
Alas for lover slain by might of Love; * Nor friend avails nor
     brother true, I trow!”

When the first handmaiden had finished, Yusuf rejoiced (as did Ibrahim the Cup-companion) with excessive joy and the King bade robe her in a sumptuous robe.  Hereupon she drained her cup and passed it to her compeer whose name was Takna, and this second handmaiden taking beaker in hand placed it afore her and hending the lute smote on it with many a mode; then, returning to the first[FN#279] while the wits of all were bewildered, she improvised the following verses,

“Look on the lute that ’minds of Mangonel; * Whose strings are
     ropes that make each shot to tell: 
And note the pipes that sound with shriek and cry, * The pipes
     that cast a fearful joyful spell;
Espy the flagons ranged in serried rank * And crops becrowned
     with wine that longs to well.”

But when Takna had finished her poetry Yusuf and Ibrahim were gladdened and the King bade largesse her with a sumptuous robe and a thousand dinars and she tossed off her cup and passed it to her successor the third handmaiden Mubdi’[FN#280] hight.  She accepted it and setting it before her took the lute and smote it after manifold fashions and presently she spake these couplets,