“O thou wine-comrade languor cease to show; * Hand me the morning
     draught and ne’er foreslow;
And prize fair poesy and sweet musick hear * And shun the ‘say’
     and naught of ‘said’ beknow: 
The wine of day-dawn drunk with joyous throng * From house of
     Reason garreth Grief to go: 
The man of Kays aye loved his wine right well * And from his lips
     made honey’d verse to flow;
And in like guise[FN#285] came Isa singing sweet * For such was
     custom of the long-ago.

When Radah ended her verse and her improvising of mysterious significance, and secret, King Yusuf and Ibrahim the Cup-companion tore their robes from their bodies until naught remained upon them save only the bag-breeches about their waists.  Then the twain shrieked aloud and at one moment and they fell fainting to the floor, unheeding the world and their own selves from the excess of that was in their heads of wine and hearing of poetry spoken by the slave-girl.  They remained in such condition for a while of time, after which they recovered though still amazed, a-drunken.  Then they donned other dresses and sat down to listen as before, when Radah drained her goblet and filled and passed it to her compeer whose name was Na’im;[FN#286] and she taking her lute, improvised the following verses,

“My poesy-gem showeth clear of shine, * When appears that pearl
     with cheek coralline: 
’Tis marvel the cloud cannot quench the blaze * That fire in the
     heart and this water of eyne! 
Then alas for Love who hath made me woe! * Pine that rends and
     racks limbs and vitals o’ mine: 
O thou Well of Poetry well forth thy gems * O’er our drink when
     our cups overbrim with wine: 
And sing in her presence, for Envy hath fled * And flies jealous
     spite and all joys combine. 
Oh the charms of wine which enthral the mind, * Clear and
     clearing sprites by its sprite refined!”

When the seventh handmaiden had ended her verses, King Yusuf and Ibrahim rejoiced with exceeding joy and each of them bade gift her with a thousand gold pieces and quoth the courtier, “By Allah Almighty, none of the Emirs or of the Wazirs or of the Kings or of the Caliphs hath attained excellence like unto this handmaid.”  Hereupon Na’im passed her goblet to her compeer and she, whose name was Surur,[FN#287] tossed it off and taking in hand her lute, sang these couplets,

“How is’t with heart of me all cares waylay * As drowned in
     surging tears of Deluge-day? 
I weep for Time endured not to us twain * As though Time’s honour
     did not oft betray. 
O my lord Yusuf, O my ending hope, * By Him who made thee lone on
     Beauty’s way,
I dread lest glorious days us twain depart * And youth’s bright
     world be dimmed to old and grey;
O Lord! be Parting’s palm for us undyed[FN#288] * Ere death, nor
     carry this my lord away.”