In the brunettes a meaning iscouldst read its writ aright，Thine eyes would never again look on othersred or white.
Free-flowing speech and amorous looks would teach Harout
himself The arts of sorcery and spells of magic and of might.
And saith another：
Give me brunettes；the Syrian spearsso limber and so straightTell of the slender dusky maidsso lithe and proud of gait.
Languid of eyelidswith a down like silk upon her cheek，Within her wasting lover's heart she queens it still in state.
And yet another：
Yeaby my lifesuch virtues in goodly brownness lieOne spot thereof makes whiteness the shining moons outvie；But if the like of whiteness is borrowedthenfor sureIts beauty were transmuted unto reproach thereby.
Not with her wine I'm drunkenbut with her tresses bright That make all creatures drunken that dwell beneath the sky.
Each of her charms doth envy the others；yeaand each To be the down so silky upon her cheek doth sigh.
And again：
Why should I not incline me unto the silken down On the cheeks of a dusky maidenlike the cane straight and brown，Seeing the spot of beauty in waterlilies'cups Is of the poets fabled to be all beauty's crown？
Yeaand I see all lovers the swarthy-coloured moleUnder the ebon pupildo honour and renown.
Whythendo censors blame me for loving one who's all A mole？
May Allah rid me of every railing clown！
My form is beautiful and my shape slender；kings desire my colour and all love itrich and poor. I am pleasantnimblehandsome，elegantsoft of body and great of price. I am perfect in beauty and breeding and eloquence；my aspect is comely and my tongue fluentmy habit light and my sport graceful. As for thee，[O yellow girl，] thou art like unto a mallow of Bab el Louc，yellow and made all of sulphur. Perdition to theeO pennyworth of sorrelO rust of copperO owl's face and food of the damned！
Thy bedfellowfor oppression of spiritis buried in the tombs，and there is no good thing in theeeven as saith the poet of the like of thee：
Paleness is sore on herfor all no illness doth her fret；My breast is straitened by its sight；ayand my head aches yet.
If thou repent thee notmy soulto punish theeI vowI'll humble thee with a kiss of her facemy teeth on edge shall set.'
'Enough，'said her master；'sit down.'Then he made peace between them and clad them all in sumptuous dresses of honour and handselled them with precious jewels of land and sea. And neverO Commander of the Faithfulin any place or time have I seen fairer than these six fair damsels.'
When the Khalif El Mamoun heard this story from Mohammed of Bassora，he said to him'O Mohammedknowest thou the abiding-place of these damsels and their masterand canst thou make shift to buy them of him for us？'O Commander of the Faithful，'answered he，'I have heard that their master is wrapped up in them and cannot endure to be parted from them.'Take threescore thousand dinars，--that isten thousand for each girl，--'rejoined the Khalif，'and go to his house and buy them of him.'So Mohammed took the money and betaking himself to the man of Yemenacquainted him with the Khalif's wish. He consented to sell them at that price，to pleasure himand despatched them to El Mamounwho assigned them an elegant lodging and used to sit with them therein，marvelling at their beauty and graceno less than at their varied colours and the excellence of their speech.
After awhilewhen their former owner could no longer endure separation from themhe sent a letter to the Khalifcomplaining of his ardent love for them and containingamongst the restthe following verses：
Six damsels fair and bright have captivated me；My blessing and my peace the six fair maidens greet！
My lifeindeedare theymy hearing and my sightYeaand my very drinkmy pleasance and my meat.
No other love can bring me solace for their charmsAnd slumberafter themno more to me is sweet.
Alasmy long regretmy weeping for their loss！ Would I have ne'er been bornto know this sore defeat！
For eyesbedecked and fair with brows like bended bowsHave smitten me to death with arrows keen and fleet.
When the letter came to El Mamoun's handshe clad the six damsels in rich apparel and giving them threescore thousand dinarssent them back to their masterwho rejoiced in them with an exceeding joy，--more by token of the money they brought him，--and abode with them in all delight and pleasance of life，till there came to them the Destroyer of Delights and the Sunderer of Companies.
