Now there was in his neighbourhood a poor man, who had a slave-girl of surpassing beauty and loveliness, and the youth became enamoured of her and suffered grief and concern for the love of her and her loveliness, so that he was like to perish for passion; and she also loved him with a love yet greater than his love for her.  So she called an old woman who used to visit her and acquainted her with her case, saying, ’An I foregather not with him, I shall die.’  The old woman promised her that she would do her endeavour to bring her to her desire; so she veiled herself and repairing to the young man, saluted him and acquainted him with the girl’s case, saying, ’Her master is a covetous man; so do thou invite him [to thy lodging] and tempt him with money, and he will sell thee the damsel.’

Accordingly, he made a banquet, and stationing himself in the man’s way, invited him and carried him to his house, where they sat down and ate and drank and abode in discourse.  Presently, the young man said to the other, ’I hear that thou hast with thee a slave-girl, whom thou desirest to sell.’  And he answered, saying, ‘By Allah, O my lord, I have no mind to sell her!’ Quoth the youth, ’I hear that she cost thee a thousand dinars, and I will give thee six hundred, to boot.’  And the other said, ’I sell her to thee [at that price].’  So they fetched notaries, who drew up the contract of sale, and the young man counted out to the girl’s master half the purchase money, saying, ’Let her be with thee till I complete to thee the rest of the price and take my slave-girl.’  The other consented to this and took of him a bond for the rest of the money, and the girl abode with her master, on deposit.

As for the youth, he gave his governor a thousand dirhems and despatched him to his father, to fetch money from him, so he might pay the rest of the girl’s price, saying to him, ’Be not [long] absent.’  But the governor said in himself, ’How shall I go to his father and say to him, “Thy son hath wasted thy money and wantoned it away"?[FN#180] With what eye shall I look on him, and indeed, I am he in whom he confided and to whom he hath entrusted his son?  Indeed, this were ill seen.  Nay, I will fare on to the pilgrimage[FN#181] [with the caravan of pilgrims], in despite of this fool of a youth; and when he is weary [of waiting], he will demand back the money [he hath already paid] and return to his father, and I shall be quit of travail and reproach.’  So he went on with the caravan to the pilgrimage[FN#182] and took up his abode there.

Meanwhile, the youth abode expecting his governor’s return, but he returned not; wherefore concern and chagrin waxed upon him, because of his mistress, and his longing for her redoubled and he was like to slay himself.  She became aware of this and sent him a messenger, bidding him to her.  So he went to her and she questioned him of the case; whereupon he told her what was to do of the matter of his governor, and she said to him, ’With me is longing the like of that which is with thee, and I misdoubt me thy messenger hath perished or thy father hath slain him; but I will give thee all my trinkets and my clothes, and do thou sell them and pay the rest of my price, and we will go, I and thou, to thy father.’