Then said Queen Es Shuhba, 'By Allah, O Sheikh, my sister Tuhfeh is indeed unique among the folk of her time, and I hear that she singeth upon all sweet- scented flowers.' 'Yes, O my lady,' answered Iblis, 'and I am in the utterest of wonderment thereat. But there remaineth somewhat of sweet-scented flowers, that she hath not besung, such as the myrtle and the tuberose and the jessamine and the moss-rose and the like.' Then he signed to her to sing upon the rest of the flowers, that Queen Es Shuhba might hear, and she said, 'Hearkening and obedience.' So she took the lute and played thereon in many modes, then returned to the first mode and sang the following verses:
One of the host am I of lovers sad and sere For waiting long
drawn out and expectation drear.
My patience underneath the loss of friends and folk With pallor's
sorry garb hath clad me, comrades dear.
Abasement, misery and heart-break after those I suffer who
endured before me many a year.
All through the day its light and when the night grows dark, My
grief forsakes me not, no, nor my heavy cheer.
My tears flow still, nor aye of bitterness I'm quit, Bewildered
as I am betwixten hope and fear.
Therewithal Queen Es Shuhba was moved to exceeding delight and said, 'Well done, O queen of delight! None can avail to describe thee. Sing to us on the apple,' Quoth Tuhfeh, 'Hearkening and obedience.' Then she improvised and sang the following verses:
Endowed with amorous grace past any else am I; Graceful of shape
and lithe and pleasing to the eye.
The hands of noble folk do tend me publicly; With waters clear
and sweet my thirsting tongue they ply.
My clothes of sendal are, my veil of the sun's light, The very
handiwork of God the Lord Most High.
Whenas my sisters dear forsake me, grieved that they Must leave
their native place and far away must hie,
The nobles' hands, for that my place I must forsake, Do solace me
with beds, whereon at ease I lie.
Lo! in the garden-ways, the place of ease and cheer, Still, like
the moon at full, my light thou mayst espy.
Queen Es Shubha rejoiced in this with an exceeding delight and said, 'Well done! By Allah, there is none surpasseth thee.' Tuhfeh kissed the earth, then returned to her place and improvised on the tuberose, saying:
My flower a marvel on your heads doth show, Yet homeless[FN#237]
am I in your land, I trow.
Make drink your usance in my company And flout the time that
languishing doth go.
Camphor itself to me doth testify And in my presence owns me
white as snow.
So make me in your morning a delight And set me in your houses,
high and low;
So shall we quaff the cups in ease and cheer, In endless joyance,
quit of care and woe.
At this Queen Es Shuhba was stirred to exceeding delight and said, 'Well done, O queen of delight! By Allah, I know not how I shall do to render thee thy due! May God the Most High grant us to enjoy thy long continuance [on life]!' Then she strained her to her breast and kissed her on the cheek; whereupon quoth Iblis (on whom be malison!), 'Indeed, this is an exceeding honour!' Quoth the queen, 'Know that this lady Tuhfeh is my sister and that her commandment is my commandment and her forbiddance my forbiddance. So hearken all to her word and obey her commandment.' Therewithal the kings rose all and kissed the earth before Tuhfeh, who rejoiced in this. Moreover, Queen Es Shuhba put off on her a suit adorned with pearls and jewels and jacinths, worth an hundred thousand dinars, and wrote her on a sheet of paper a patent in her own hand, appointing her her deputy. So Tuhfeh rose and kissed the earth before the queen, who said to her, 'Sing to us, of thy favour, concerning the rest of the sweet-scented flowers and herbs, so I may hear thy singing and divert myself with witnessing thy skill.' 'Hearkening and obedience, O lady mine,' answered Tuhfeh and taking the lute, improvised the following verses:
Midst colours, my colour excelleth in light And I would every eye
of my charms might have sight.
My place is the place of the fillet and pearls And the fair are
most featly with jasmine bedight,
How bright and how goodly my lustre appears! Yea, my wreaths are
like girdles of silver so white.
Then she changed the measure and improvised the following:
I'm the crown of every sweet and fragrant weed; When the loved
one calls, I keep the tryst agreed.
My favours I deny not all the year; Though cessation be desired,
I nothing heed.
I'm the keeper of the promise and the troth, And my gathering is
eath, without impede.