enjoyable."[FN#91]--"One in winning ways excelling and in
comeliness exceeding and in speech killing: one whose brow
glanceth marvellous bright to whoso filleth his eyes with her
sight and to whom she bequeatheth sorrow and blight; one whose
breasts are small whilst her hips are large and her cheeks are
rosy red and her eyes are deeply black and he lips are
full-formed; one who if she look upon the heavens even the rocks
will be robed in green, and if she look upon the earth her
lips[FN#92] unpierced pearls shall rain; one the dews of whose
mouth are the sweetest of waters; one who in beauty hath no peer
nor is there any loveliness can with hers compare: the coolth of
the eyes to great and small; in fine, one whose praises certain
of the poets have sung in these harmonious couplets,[FN#93]

'A fair one to idolaters if she herself should show, * They'd
leave their idols and her face for only Lord would know.
If in the Eastward she appeared unto a monk, for once * He'd
cease from turning to the West and to the East bend low;
And into the briny sea one day she chanced to spit, * Assuredly
the salt sea's floods straight fresh and sweet would grow.'"

Hereupon quoth Al-Hajjaj, "Thou hast said well and hast spoken
fair, O young man; and now what canst thou declare concerning a
maiden of ten years old?" Quoth the youth, "She is a joy to
behold." "And a damsel of twenty years old?"--"a coolth to eyes
manifold." "And a woman thirty of age?"--"One who the hearts of
enjoyers can engage." "And in her fortieth year?"--"Fat, fresh
and fair doth she appear." "And of the half century?"--"The
mother of men and maids in plenty." "And a crone of three
score?"--"Men ask of her never more." "And when three score and