thee?'; whereupon she fell to blessing and thanking him. Then he
called a servant and said to him, 'Take this young man and do off
his clothes and robe him in costly raiment and incense[FN#49] him
and bring him back to us.' So the servant did with me as his
master bade him and brought me back to him, and served me with
wine, even as the rest of the company. Then the damsel began
singing after the goodliest fashion and chanted these couplets,

'They blamed me for causing my tears to well * When came my
beloved to bid farewell:
They ne'er tasted the bitters of parting nor felt * Fire beneath
my ribs that flames fierce and fell!
None but baffled lover knows aught of Love, * Whose heart is lost
where he wont to dwell.'

The folk rejoiced in her song with exceeding joy and my gladness
redoubled, so that I took the lute from the damsel and preluding
after the most melodious fashion, sang these couplets,

'Ask (if needs thou ask) the Compassionate, * And the generous
donor of high estate.
For asking the noble honours man * And asking the churl entails
bane and bate:
When abasement is not to be 'scaped by wight * Meet it asking
boons of the good and great.
Of Grandee to sue ne'er shall vilify man, * But 'tis vile on the
vile of mankind to 'wait.'

The company rejoiced in me with joy exceeding and the ceased not
from pleasure and delight, whilst anon I sang and anon the