Now the four women who thus accosted Tuhfeh were the princess Kemeriyeh, daughter of King Es Shisban, and her sisters; and Kemeriyeh loved Tuhfeh with an exceeding love.  So, when she came up to her, she fell to kissing and embracing her, and Iblis said, ‘Fair befall you!  Take me between you.’  At this Tuhfeh laughed and Kemeriyeh said, ’O my sister, I love thee and doubtless hearts have their evidences,[FN#197] for, since I saw thee, I have loved thee.’  ‘By Allah,’ replied Tuhfeh, ’hearts have deeps,[FN#198] and thou, by Allah, art dear to me and I am thy handmaid.’  Kemeriyeh thanked her for this and said to her, ’These are the wives of the kings of the Jinn:  salute them.  This is Queen Jemreh,[FN#199] that is Queen Wekhimeh and this other is Queen Sherareh, and they come not but for thee.’  So Tuhfeh rose to her feet and kissed their hands, and the three queens kissed her and welcomed her and entreated her with the utmost honour.

Then they brought trays and tables and amongst the rest a platter of red gold, inlaid with pearls and jewels; its margents were of gold and emerald, and thereon were graven the following verses: 

For the uses of food I was fashioned and made; The hands of the
     noble me wrought and inlaid. 
My maker reserved me for generous men And the niggard and
     sland’rer to use me forebade. 
So eat what I offer in surety and be The Lord of all things with
     thanks- giving repaid!

So they ate and Tuhfeh looked at the two kings, who had not changed their favour and said to Kemeriyeh, ’O my lady, what is yonder wild beast and that other like unto him?  By Allah, mine eye brooketh not the sight of them.’  Kemeriyeh laughed and answered, ’O my sister, that is my father Es Shisban and the other is Meimoun the Sworder; and of the pride of their souls and their arrogance, they consented not to change their [natural] fashion.  Indeed, all whom thou seest here are, by nature, like unto them in fashion; but, on thine account, they have changed their favour, for fear lest thou be disquieted and for the comforting of thy mind, so thou mightest make friends with them and be at thine ease.’  ‘O my lady,’ quoth Tuhfeh, ’indeed I cannot look at them.  How frightful is yonder Meimoun, with his [one] eye!  Mine eye cannot brook the sight of him, and indeed I am fearful of him.’  Kemeriyeh laughed at her speech, and Tuhfeh said, ’By Allah, O my lady, I cannot fill my eye with them!’[FN#200] Then said her father Es Shisban to her, ’What is this laughing?’ So she bespoke him in a tongue none understood but they [two] and acquainted him with that which Tuhfeh had said; whereat he laughed a prodigious laugh, as it were the pealing thunder.