blossoms and all manner sweet-scented blooms and herbs. Every
tree was girt about with fruits and there coursed down water from
four daises, which faced one another and occupied the four
corners of the garden. He looked at the first Liw n and found
written around it with vermilion these two couplets,

"Ho thou the House! Grief never home in thee; * Nor Time work
treason on thine owner's head:
All good betide the House which every guest * Harbours, when sore
distrest for way and stead!"

Then he looked at the second dais and found written thereon in
red gold these couplets,

"Robe thee, O House, in richest raiment Time, * Long as the
birdies on the branchlets chime!
And sweetest perfumes breathe within thy walls * And lover meet
beloved in bliss sublime.
And dwell thy dwellers all in joy and pride * Long as the
wandering stars Heaven-hill shall climb."

Then he looked at the third, whereon he found written in
ultramarine these two couplets,

"Ever thy pomp and pride, O House! display * While starkeneth
Night and shineth sheeny Day!
Boon Fortune bless all entering thy walls, * And whomso dwell in
thee, for ever and aye!"

Then he looked at the fourth and saw painted in yellow characters