The drums of glad tidings beat and they entered in the utmost of worship and magnificence.  Moreover, the tribes heard of them and the people of the towns and brought them the richest of presents and the costliest of rarities and the prince’s mother rejoiced with an exceeding joy.  Then they slaughtered beasts and made mighty bride-feasts to the people and kindled fires, that it might be visible afar to townsman [and Bedouin] that this was the house of the guest-meal and the wedding, festival, to the intent that, if any passed them by, [without partaking of their hospitality], it should be of his own fault[FN#126] So the folk came to them from all parts and quarters and on this wise they abode days and months.

Then the prince’s mother bade fetch the five slave-girls to that assembly; whereupon they came and the ten damsels foregathered.  The queen seated five of them on her son’s right hand and other five on his left and the folk assembled about them.  Then she bade the five who had remained with her speak forth somewhat of verse, so they might entertain therewith the assembly and that El Abbas might rejoice therein.  Now she had clad them in the richest of raiment and adorned them with trinkets and ornaments and wroughten work of gold and silver and collars of gold, set with pearls and jewels.  So they came forward, with harps and lutes and psalteries and recorders and other instruments of music before them, and one of them, a damsel who came from the land of China and whose name was Baoutheh, advanced and tightened the strings of her lute.  Then she cried out from the top of her head[FN#127] and improvising, sang the following verses: 

Unto its pristine lustre your land returned and more, Whenas ye
     came, dispelling the gloom that whiles it wore. 
Our stead, that late was desert, grew green and eke our trees,
     That barren were, grew loaded with ripened fruits galore. 
Yea, to the earth that languished for lack of rain, the clouds
     Were bounteous; so it flourished and plenteous harvests
     bore;
And troubles, too, forsook us, who tears like dragons’ blood, O
     lordings, for your absence had wept at every pore. 
Indeed, your long estrangement hath caused my bowels yearn.  Would
     God I were a servant in waiting at your door!

When she had made an end of her song, all who were present were moved to delight and El Abbas rejoiced in this.  Then he bade the second damsel sing somewhat on the like subject.  So she came forward and tuning the strings of her harp, which was of balass ruby,[FN#128] warbled a plaintive air and improvising, sang the following verses;

The absent ones’ harbinger came us unto With tidings of those
     who[FN#129] had caused us to rue. 
“My soul be thy ransom,"quoth I,"for thy grace!  Indeed, to the
     oath that thou swor’st thou wast true.” 
On the dear nights of union, in you was our joy, But afflicted