（Quoth Dibil el Khuza茂 ）I was sitting one day at the gate of El Kerkhwhen a lady came up to menever saw I a handsomer or better shaped than shewalking with a swaying gait and ravishingwith her flexile graceall who beheld her.
When my eyes fell on herI was captivated by her and my entrails trembled and meseemed my heart fled forth of my breast；so I accosted her with the following verse：
Unsealed are the springs of tears for mine eyesheigho！ And sealed are the springs of sleep to my lidsfor woe.
She turned her head and looking at memade answer forthright with the following：
And surelyan ailing eye to havefor him Whom her looks inviteis a little thingI trow.
I was astounded at the readiness of her reply and the sweetness of her speech and rejoined with this verse：
And doth then the heart of my fair indeed incline To favour him whose tears as a river flow？
She answered mewithout hesitationthus：
If thou desire us of lovebetwixt us love Is a loan to be returnedI'd have thee know.
Never entered my ears sweeter than her speech nor ever saw I brighter than her face： so I changed the rhyme and measureto try herin my wonder at her speechand repeated the following verse：
Will destiny e'er gladden us with union and delight And one desireful one at last with other one unite？
She smiled at this（never saw I fairer than her mouth nor sweeter than her lips，）and answered mewithout hesitationas follows：
I pritheewhat hath destiny to do betwixt us twain？ Thou'rt destiny： rejoice usthenwith union and delight.
At thisI sprang up and kissing her handssaid'I had not thought that Fortune would vouchsafe me such an opportunity. Do thou follow menot of command or against thy willbut of thy grace and favour to me.'Then I went on and she after me.
Now I had notat that timea lodging I deemed fit for the like of her；Muslim ben El Welid was my fast friend，and he had a handsome house. So I made for his abode and knocked at the doorwhereupon he came outand I saluted him，saying'It is for a time like this that friends are treasured up.'With all my heart，'answered he；'enter.'So we entered，I and the ladybut found money scarce with him. Howeverhe gave me a handkerchiefsaying'Carry it to the market and sell it and buy meat and what else thou needest.'So I took the handkerchief and hastening to the marketsold it and bought meat and what else we required；butwhen I returnedI found that Muslim had retiredwith the ladyto an underground chamber. When he heard mehe came out and said to me，'God requite thee the kindness thou hast done meO Abou Aliand reckon it of thy good deeds on the Day of Resurrection！'So sayinghe took from me the meat and wine and shut the door in my face His words enraged me and I knew not what to do；but he stood behind the doorshaking for mirth；and when he saw me thushe said to me'I conjure thee on my lifeO Abou Alitell me who it was composed this verse？