（Quoth Amr ben Mesaadeh ）Abou Isason or Er Reshid and brother to El Mamounwas enamoured of a girl called Curret el Ainbelonging to Ali ben Hishamand she also loved him；but he concealed his passioncomplaining of it to none neither discovering his secret to anyof his pride and magnanimity；and he had used his utmost endeavour to buy her of her lordbut in vain. At lastwhen his patience failed him and his passion was sore on him and he was at his wits'end concerning her affairhe went inone day of stateto El Mamounafter the folk had retiredand said to him'O Commander of the Faithfulif thou wilt this day make trial of thy governorsby visiting them unawaresthou wilt the men of worth from those that lack of it and note each one's[due] placeafter the measure of his faculties.'（But he purposedin saying thisto win to sit with Curret el Ain in her lord's house.）El Mamoun approved his proposal and bade make ready a bargecalled the Flyerin which he embarked，with his brother and a party of his chief officers. The first house he visited was that of Hemid et Tawil of Touswhom he found seated on a mat and before him singers and playerswith lutes and hautboys and other instruments of music in their hands. El Mamoun sat with him awhileand presently he set before him dishes of nothing but flesh-meatwith no birds among them. The Khalif would not taste thereof and Abou Isa said to him'O Commander of the Faithfulwe have taken the owner of this place unawaresand he knew not of thy coming；but now let us go to another placethat is prepared and fitted for thee.'
So the Khalif arose and betook himselfwith his brother and his suiteto the abode of Ali ben Hishamwhoon hearing of their approachcame out and received them after the goodliest fashionand kissed the earth before El Mamoun. Then he brought them into his palace and opened to them a saloonthan which never saw eyes a goodlier. Its floors and walls and columns were of vari-coloured marbleadorned with Greek paintings： it was spread with Indian mattingon which were carpets and divans of Bassora makefitted to the length and breadth of the room. The Khalif sat awhileexamining the house and its roof and wallsthen said'Give us to eat.'So they brought him forthwith nigh upon a hundred dishes of fowlsbesides other birds and brewises and fricassees and marinades. When he had eatenhe said'Give us to drinkO Ali；'and the latter set before him raisin-wineboiled with fruits and spicesin vessels of gold and silver and crystalserved by boys like moonsclad in garments of Alexandrian cloth of gold and bearing on their breasts flagons of crystalfull of rose-water mingled with musk. El Mamoun marvelled exceedingly at all this and said'HarkyeAboulhusn！'Whereupon Ali sprang to the carpet [on which the Khalif was seated] and kissing it，said'At thy serviceO Commander of the Faithful！'and stood before him. Quoth El Mamoun'Let us hear some pleasant songs.'