board, set it before her, and behold, it was of ivory-marquetried
ebony with squares marked in glittering gold, and its pieces of
pearl and ruby.--And Shahrazad perceived the dawn of day and
ceased to say her permitted say.

When it was the Eight Hundred and Forty-seventh Night,

She said, It hath reached me, O auspicious King, that when Zayn
al-Mawasif bade the chessboard be brought, they set it between
her hands; and Masrur was amazed at this, when she turned to him
and said, "Wilt have red or white?" He replied, "O Princess of
the fair and adornment of morning air, do thou take the red for
they formous are and fitter for the like of thee to bear and
leave the white to my care." Answered she, "So be it;" and,
taking the red pieces, ranged them opposite the white, then put
out her hand to a piece purposing the first pass into the
battle-plain. Masrur considered her fingers, which were white as
paste, and was confounded at their beauty and shapely shape;
whereupon she turned to him and said, "O Masrur, be not bedazed,
but take patience and calm thyself." He rejoined, "O thou whose
beauty shameth the moon, how shall a lover look on thee and have
patience-boon?" And while this was doing she cried,
"Checkmate[FN#322]!" and beat him; wherefore she knew that he was
Jinn-mad for love of her and said to him, "O Masrur, I will not
play with thee save for a set stake." He replied, "I hear and
obey," and she rejoined, "Swear to me and I will swear to thee
that neither of us will cheat[FN#323] the adversary." So both
sware this and she said, "O Masrur, an I beat thee, I will have
ten dinars of thee, but an thou beat me, I will give thee a mere
nothing." He expected to win, so he said, "O my lady, be not