Vietnam or Thailand ? Vote for the TOP Country of the Week !
Updated: June 20, 2025
She said, It hath reached me, O auspicious King, that when Abu Nowas beguiled the youths with his wishes, saying, "We hear and obey;" and accompanied him to his lodging, where they found all ready that he had set forth in his couplets. They sat down and ate and drank and made merry awhile, after which they appealed to Abu Nowas to decide which of them was handsometh of face and shapliest of form.
Hereat the Caliph was wroth and presently turned away and left them, full of rage, and passed the night sore an-angered against Abu Nowas, who amid the party he had invited spent the merriest of nights and the jolliest and joyousest.
The Sultan was sitting in the hall of justice when Abu Nowas entered, his eyes streaming with tears, for he had rubbed some pepper into them. They smarted dreadfully, and he could hardly see to walk straight, and everyone wondered what was the matter with him. 'Abu Nowas! What has happened? cried the Sultan. 'Oh, noble Sultan, my wife is dead, wept he.
"Hearkening and obedience," replied Masrur and, doing with Abu Nowas as the Caliph had bidden him, led him round all the chambers whose number equalled the days of the year; but Abu Nowas was a funny fellow, so he made all the girls laugh with his buffooneries and each gave him something whereby he returned not save with a pocketful of money.
Had lovers Kazi unto whom I might complain * Of thee, he'd peradventure grant the due I sue: If thou forbid me pass your door, yet I afar * Will stand, and viewing you waft my salams to you!" The Caliph bade her ply Abu Nowas with wine, till he lost his right senses, thereupon he gave him a full cup, and he drank a draught of it and held the cup in his hand till he slept.
So he pointed to one of them and, having kissed him twice over, recited the following verses, Then he pointed to another and, kissing his lips, repeated these couplets, Then he pointed to the third and, after kissing him half a score times repeated these couplets, Now each of the youths had drunk two cups, and when it came to the turn of Abu Nowas, he took the goblet and repeated these couplets,
'Has anything happened? asked he. 'My poor wife is dead, replied Abu Nowas. 'Look! she is laid out here. And the porter approached the bed, which was in a corner of the room, and saw the stiff form lying underneath. 'We must all die, said he, and went back to the Sultan. 'Well, have you found out which of them is dead? asked the Sultan.
When they saw him, they all rose and kissed ground before him; and Abu Nowas threw off the fumes of the wine for awe of the Caliph, who said to him, "Holla, Abu Nowas!" He replied, "Adsum, at thy service, O Commander of the Faithful, whom Allah preserve!" The Caliph asked, "What state is this?" and the poet answered, "O Prince of True Believers, my state indubitably dispenseth with questions."
Presently, in walked Abu Nowas and was about to take his usual seat, when the Caliph cried to Masrur, the sworder, and bade him strip the poet of his clothes and bind an ass's packsaddle on his back and a halter about his head and a crupper under his rump and lead him round to all the lodgings of the slave-girls, And Shahrazad perceived the dawn of day and ceased saying her permitted say.
When the beardless one heard these words, he doffed the white tunic and appeared in the red; and when Abu Nowas saw him he redoubled in expressions of admiration and repeated these couplets,
Word Of The Day
Others Looking