upon a Friday, when you were sitting in conversation with a friend, arrayed in your best attire.  She beheld you, her heart was stricken with love, but no one perceived her emotion.  However, she had no sooner reached her palace than she became low and melancholy, and her appetite failed her.  At length she took to her bed, her colour left her, sleep forsook her, and she became very weak.  Upon this her mother went to call in a physician, that he might consider what might be the cause of her daughter’s indisposition; but on the way she met a skilful old lady, with whom she returned home.

“The old lady on feeling the pulse of her patient, and after asking several questions, could perceive in her no bodily ailment or pain; upon which she judged she was in love, but did not venture to speak to her before her mother of her suspicions.  She took leave, and said, ‘By God’s blessing thou wilt soon recover; I will return tomorrow, and bring with me an infallible medicine.’  She then took her mother aside, and said, ‘My good lady, be not angry at what I shall remark, but thy daughter has no bodily disorder; she is in love, and there can be no cure for her but by a union with her beloved.’  The mother, on the departure of the old lady, repaired to her daughter, and with much difficulty, after twenty days of denial (for my mistress’s modesty was hurt), obtained from her a description of your person, and the street in which you lived; upon which she behaved to you in the manner you are well acquainted with, brought you here, and you know what followed.  Such is her history,” concluded the black slave, “which you must not reveal.”  “I will not,” replied I; and after this I continued to live very happily with my wife, going daily to see my mother, to attend in my warehouse, and return in the evening, conducted as usual by the old lady my mother-in-law.

One day, after the expiration of some months, as I was sitting in my warehouse, a damsel came into the street with the image of a cock, composed of jewelry.  It was set with pearls, diamonds, and other precious stones, and she offered it to the merchants for sale; when they began bidding for it at five hundred deenars, and went to nine hundred and fifty; all which I observed in silence and did not interfere by speaking or bidding.  At length the damsel came up to me, and said, “My lord, all the merchants have increased in bidding for my precious toy, but you have neither bidden, nor taken any notice of me.”  “I have no occasion for it,” replied I.  “Nay,” exclaimed she, “but you must bid something more.”  “Since I must,” I answered, “I will give fifty deenars more, which will be just a thousand.”  She accepted the price, and I went into my warehouse to fetch the money to pay her, saying to myself, “I will present this curiosity to my wife, as it may please her.”  When I was going to pay the money, the damsel would not take it, but said, “My lord, I have a request to make, which is, that I may snatch one kiss from your cheek as the price of my jewelry, for I want nothing else.”  Upon this, I thought to myself, a single kiss of my cheek is an easy price for the value of a thousand deenars, and consented; when she came up to me and gave me a kiss, but at the same time a most severe bite; left the piece of jewelry, and went away with the greatest haste.