hath charged us to be hospitable to strangers. Wilt thou not riseO my sonand pass into the garden and take thy pleasure therein and gladden thy heart？'O my lord，'said Noureddin'to whom does the garden belong？'And he replied'O my sonI inherited it from my family.'Now his object in saying this was to put them at their ease and induce them to enter the garden. So Noureddin thanked him and rosehe and the damseland followed him into the garden. They entered through a gatewayvaulted like a gallery and overhung with vines bearing grapes of various coloursthe red like rubies and the black like ebonyand passing under a bower of trellised boughsfound themselves in a gardenand what a garden！There were fruit-trees growing singly and in clusters and birds warbling melodiously on the branches，whilst the thousand-voiced nightingale repeated the various strains： the turtle-dove filled the place with her cooingand there sang the blackbirdwith its warble like a human voiceand the ring-dovewith her notes like a drinker exhilarated with wine. The trees were laden with all manner of ripe fruitstwo of each： the apricot in its various kindscamphor and almond and that of Khorassanthe plumwhose colour is as that of fair womenthe cherrythat does away discoloration of the teethand the fig of three coloursred and white and green. There bloomed the flower of the bitter orangeas it were pearls and coral，the rose whose redness puts to shame the cheeks of the fair，the violetlike sulphur on fire by nightthe myrtlethe gillyflowerthe lavenderthe peony and the blood-red anemone.
The leaves were jewelled with the tears of the clouds；the camomile smiled with her white petals like a lady's teethand the narcissus looked at the rose with her negro's eyes： the citrons shone like cups and the limes like balls of goldand the earth was carpeted with flowers of all colours；for the Spring was come and the place beamed with its brightness；whilst the birds sang and the stream rippled and the breeze blew softlyfor the attemperance of the air. Ibrahim carried them up into the pavilionand they gazed on its beauty and on the lamps aforesaid in the windows；and Noureddin called to mind his banquetings of time past and said'By Allahthis is a charming place！'Then they sat down and the gardener set food before them；and they ate their fill and washed their hands；after which Noureddin went up to one of the windows and calling the damselfell to gazing on the trees laden with all manner of fruits. Then he turned to the gardener and said to him'O Gaffer Ibrahimhast thou no drink herefor folk use to drink after eating？'The old man brought him some fresh sweet cold waterbut he said'This is not the kind of drink I want.'Belike，'said Ibrahim'thou wishest for wine？'I do，'replied Noureddin. 'God preserve me from it！'said the old man. 'It is thirteen years since I did this thingfor the Prophet （whom God bless and preserve！） cursed its drinker，its presserits seller and its carrier.'Hear two words from me，'said Noureddin. 'Say on，'replied Ibrahim. 'If，'said Noureddin'that unlucky ass there be cursedwill any part of the curse fall on thee？'Not so，'replied the old man. 'Then，'said Noureddin'take this dinar and these two dirhems and mount the ass and stop at a distance （from the wineshop）；then call the first man thou seest buyingand say to him'Take these two dirhems and buy me this dinar's worth of wine and set it on the ass.'Thus thou wilt be neither the purchaser nor the carrier of the wine and no part of the curse will fall on thee.'At this the gardener laughed and said'O my sonnever have I seen one readier-witted than thou nor heard aught sweeter than thy speech.'So he did as Noureddin had saidand the latter thanked himsaying'We are dependent on theeand it is only fitting that thou comply with our wishes；so bring us what we require.'
'O my son，'replied he'there is my buttery before thee.'（Now this was the store-room provided for the Commander of the Faithful.） Enter and take what thou wilt；there is more there than thou needest.'So Noureddin entered the pantry and found therein vessels of gold and silver and crystalincrusted with all kinds of jewelsand was amazed and delighted at what he saw.
Then he took what he wanted and set it on and poured the wine into flagons and decanterswhilst Ibrahim brought them fruits and flowers and withdrew and sat down at a distance. So they drank and made merrytill the wine got the mastery of themso that their cheeks flushed and their eyes sparkled and their hair became dishevelled. Then said Ibrahim to himself'What ails me to sit apart？ Why should I not sit with them？ When shall I find myself in company with the like of these twowho are like two moons？'So he came and sat down at the corner of the daisand Noureddin said to him'O my lordmy life on theecome and sit with us！'So he came and sat by themand Noureddin filled a cup and said to him'Drinkthat thou mayst know the flavour of it.'
'God forbid！'replied he. 'I have not done such a thing these thirteen years.'Noureddin did not press himbut drank off the cupand throwing himself on the groundfeigned to be overcome with drunkenness. Then said the damsel'O Gaffer Ibrahimsee how he serves me！'O my lady，'replied he'what ails him？'
'This is how he always treats me，'said she；'he drinks awhile，then falls asleep and leaves me alonewith none to bear me company over my cup nor to whom I may sing whilst he drinks.'By Allah，'said he （and indeed her words touched his heart and made his soul incline to her）'this is not well！'Then she looked at him and filling a cup said to him'I conjure theeon my life，not to refuse mebut take this cup and drink it off and solace my heart.'So he took it and drank it off and she filled a second cup and set it on the chandeliersaying'O my lordthere is still this one left for thee.'By AllahI cannot take it，'answered he；'that which I have drunk suffices me.'By Allah，' said she'thou must indeed drink it.'
