The head wept exceeding sore and said, ’O my lady, indeed thou hast solaced my heart, and I have nought but my life; so take it.’  Quoth she, ’An I but knew that thou wouldst bring me news of my lord Er Reshid, it were liefer to me than the empery of the world.’  And the head answered her, saying, ’It shall be done as thou desirest.’  Then it disappeared and returning to her at the last of the night, said, ’Know, O my lady, that I have been to thy palace and have questioned one of the haunters thereof of the case of the Commander of the Faithful and that which befell him after thee; and he said, “When the Commander of the Faithful came to Tuhfeh’s lodging and found her not and saw no sign of her, he buffeted his face and head and rent his clothes.  Now there was in thy lodging the eunuch, the chief of thy household, and he cried out at him, saying, ’Bring me Jaafer the Barmecide and his father and brother forthright.’  The eunuch went out, confounded in his wit for fear of the Commander of the Faithful, and whenas he came to Jaafer, he said to him, ’Come to the Commander of the Faithful, thou and thy father and brother.’  So they arose in haste and betaking themselves to the Khalif’s presence, said to him, ‘O Commander of the Faithful, what is to do?’ Quoth he, ’There is that to do which overpasseth description.  Know that I locked the door and taking the key with me, betook myself to the daughter of mine uncle, with whom I lay the night; but, when I arose in the morning and came and opened the door, I found no sign of Tuhfeh.’  ‘O Commander of the Faithful,’ rejoined Jaafer, ’have patience, for that the damsel hath been snatched away, and needs must she return, seeing she took the lute with her, and it is her [own] lute.  The Jinn have assuredly carried her off and we trust in God the Most High that she will return.’  Quoth the Khalif, ’ This[FN#221] is a thing that may nowise be’ And he abode in her lodging, eating not neither drinking, what while the Barmecides besought him to go forth to the folk; and he weepeth and abideth on this wise till she shall return.”  This, then, is that which hath betided him after thee.’

When Tuhfeh heard this, it was grievous to her and she wept sore; whereupon quoth the head to her, ’The relief of God the Most High is near at hand; but now let me hear somewhat of thy speech.’  So she took the lute and sang three songs, weeping the while.  ’By Allah,’ said the head, ’thou hast been bountiful to me, may God be with thee!’ Then it disappeared and the season of sundown came.  So she arose [and betook herself] to her place [in the hall]; whereupon the candles rose up from under the earth and kindled themselves.  Then the kings of the Jinn appeared and saluted her and kissed her hands and she saluted them.  Presently, up came Kemeriyeh and her three sisters and saluted Tuhfeh and sat down; whereupon the tables were brought and they ate.  Then the tables were removed and there came the wine-tray and the drinking-service.  So Tuhfeh took the lute and one of the three queens filled the cup and signed to Tuhfeh [to sing].  Now she had in her hand a violet; so Tuhfeh sang the following verses: