Verse.

The road to repose is that of activity and quickness.

The wife during her husband’s descent from the tree having arranged her plan, said, “Surely, man, frenzy must have deprived thy brain of the fumes of sense, that having foolishly set up such a cry, and not reflecting upon thine own disgrace (for here, excepting thyself, what male is present?), thou wouldst fix upon me the charge of infidelity?” The husband, when he saw no person near, was astonished, and said to himself, “Certainly, this vision must have been miraculous.”

The completely artful wife, from the hesitation of her husband, guessed the cause, and impudently began to abuse him.  Then instantly tying her vest round her waist she ascended the tree.  When she had reached the topmost branch, she suddenly cried out, “O thou shameless man, what abominable action is this!  If thy evil star hath led thee from the path of virtue, surely thou mightest have in secret ventured upon it.  Doubtless to pull down the curtain of modesty from thy eyes, and with such impudence to commit such a wicked deed, is the very extreme of debauchery.”

The husband replied, “Woman, do not ridiculously cry out, but be silent; for such is the property of this tree, that whoever ascends it, sees man or woman below in such situations.”  The cunning wife now came down, and said to her husband, “What a charming garden and amusing spot is this! where one can gather fruit, and at the same time behold the wonders of the world.”  The husband replied, “Destruction seize the wonders which falsely accuse man of abomination!” In short the devilish wife, notwithstanding the impudence of such an action, escaped safely to her house, and the next day, according to custom, attending at the well, introduced the bramin to the ladies, and informed them of her worthy contrivance.[FN#176]

The loves of al-hayfa and Yusuf.[FN#177]

I had a familiar in the Northern region who was called ’Adb al-Jawad and he was one of the greatest of merchants there and made of money; also he loved voyage and travel, and at whatever time I visited him and we forgathered, I and he, we exchanged citations of poetry.  Now one day my heart yearned to visit him, so I repaired to his place and found him there; and as we came together we both sat down in friendly converse, I and he; and he said to me “O my brother, do thou hear what happened and was accomplished for me in these times.  I travelled to the land of Al-Yaman and therein met a familiar who, when we sat down to talk, I and he, said, ’O my brother, verily there befel me and betided me in the land of Al-Hind a case that was strange and an adventure that was admirable and it ran as follows.  There was erewhile a King of the kings of India and one of her greatest, who was abundant in money and troops and guards and he was called Al-Mihrjan.[FN#178] This same was a lord of high degree and a majestic and