tention, and it is thy duty to bow before a proposal of fruition, so henceforward cease from denial and coyness, for the commandment of Allah is a decree foreordained: indeed, I have more reason than thou to fear falling and by sin to be misled; and well-inspired was he who said:—
My prickle is big and the little one said,
'Thrust boldly in vitals 'with lion-like stroke'
Then I, 'Tis a sin!'; and he, 'No sin to me!'
So I had him at once with a counterfeit poke."[1]
When Kamar al-Zaman heard these words, the light became darkness in his sight and he said:
"O King, thou hast in thy household fair women and female slaves, who have not their like in this age: shall not these suffice thee without me? Do thy will with them and let me go!"
She replied:
"Thou sayest sooth, but it is not with them that one who loveth thee can heal himself of torment and can abate his fever; for, when tastes and inclinations are corrupted by vice, they hear and obey other than good advice. So leave arguing and listen to what the poet saith:—
Seest not the bazaar with its fruit in rows? These men are for figs and for sycamore those![2]
"And what another saith:—
O beauty's Union! love for thee's my creed; free choice of Faith and eke my best desire:
- ↑ "i.e., Not the real thing (with a woman)," says Sir R. Burton, in a note. "It may also mean 'by his incitement of me.' All this scene is written in the worst form of Persian-Egyptian blackguardism, and forms a curious anthropological study."
- ↑ i.e., Some men prefer sodomy (figs=anus); others natural intercourse (syamore=cunnus).
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