第28章 THE PORTER AND THE THREE LADIES OF BAGHDAD.(3)

And she said to him'Drinkand health and prosperity attend thee！'So he took the cup and kissed her hand and sang the following verses：

I brought my love old wine and purethe likeness of her cheeks，Whose glowing brightness called to mind a brazier's heart of red.

She touched the wine-cup with her lipsand laughing roguishly，'How canst thou proffer me to drink of my own cheeks？'she said.

'Drink！'answered I'it is my tears；its hue is of my blood；And it was heated at a fire that by my sighs was fed.'

And she answered him with the following verse：

IfO my friendthou hast indeed wept tears of blood for meI pritheegive them me to drinkupon thine eyes and head！

Then she took the cup and drank it off to her sisters'health；and they continued to drink and make merrydancing and laughing and singing and reciting verses and ballads. The porter fell to toying and kissing and biting and handling and groping and dallying and taking liberties with them： whilst one put a morsel into his mouth and another thumped himand this one gave him a cuff and that pelted him with flowers；and he led the most delightful life with themas if he sat in paradise among the houris. They ceased not to drink and carouse thustill the wine sported in their heads and got the better of their senseswhen the portressaroseand putting off her clotheslet down her hair over her naked bodyfor a veil. Then she threw herself into the basin and sported in the water and swam about and dived like a duck and took water in her mouth and spurted it at the porter and washed her limbs and the inside of her thighs. Then she came up out of the water and throwing herself into the porter's lap，pointed to her commodity and said to him'O my lord O my friend，what is the name of this？'Thy kaze，'answered he；but she said，'Fie！art thou not ashamed！'And cuffed him on the nape of the neck. Quoth he'Thy catso.'And she dealt him a second cuff，saying'Fie！what an ugly word！Art thou not ashamed？'Thy commodity，'said he；and she'Fie！is there no shame in thee？'

And thumped him and beat him. Then said he'Thy coney.'

Whereupon the eldest fell on him and beat himsaying'Thou shalt not say that.'And whatever he saidthey beat him more and moretill his neck ached again；and they made a laughing-stock of him amongst themtill he said at last'Wellwhat is its name amongst you women？'The sweet basil of the dykes，'answered they. 'Praised be God for safety！'cried he. 'GoodO sweet basil of the dikes！'Then they passed round the cup and presently the cateress rose and throwing herself into the porter's lappointed to her kaze and said to him'O light of mine eyeswhat is the name of this？'Thy commodity，'answered he. 'Art thou not ashamed？'said sheand dealt him a buffet that made the place ring againrepeating'Fie！Fie！art thou not ashamed？'Quoth he'The sweet basil of the dykes.'No！No！'answered sheand beat him and cuffed him on the nape. Then said he'Thy kazethy toutthy catsothy coney.'But they replied'No！No！'And he said again'The sweet basil of the dykes.'Whereupon they laughed till they fell backward and cuffed him on the neck，saying'No；that is not its name.'At last he said'O my sisterswhat is its name？'And they answered'What sayest thou to the peeled barleycorn？'Then the cateress put on her clothes and they sat down again to carousewhilst the porter lamented over his neck and shoulders. The cup passed round among them awhileand presently the eldest and handsomest of the ladies rose and put off her clothes；whereupon the porter took his neck in his hand and said'My neck and shoulders are in the way of God！'Then she threw herself into the basin and plunged and sported and washed；whilst the porter looked at hernakedas she were a piece of the moon or the full moon when she waxes or the dawn at its brightestand noted her shape and breasts and her heavy quivering buttocksfor she was naked as God created her. And he said'Alack！'Alack！'and repeated the following verses：

If to the newly-budded branch thy figure I compareI lay upon my heart a load of wrong too great to bear；

For that the branch most lovely iswhen clad upon with green，But thouwhen free of every veilart then by far most fair.

When she heard thisshe came up out of the water and sitting down on his kneespointed to her kaze and said'O my little lordwhat is the name of this？'The sweet basil of the dykes，'answered he；but she said'No！No！'Quoth he'The peeled barleycorn.'And she said'Pshaw！'Then said he'Thy kaze.'

Fie！Fie！'cried she. 'Art thou not ashamed？'And cuffed him on the nape of the neck. And whatever name he saidthey beat him，saying'No！No！'till at last he said'O my sisterswhat is its name？'The khan of Abou Mensour，'answered they. And he said'Praised be God for safety！Bravo！Bravo！O khan of Abou Mensour！'Then the damsel rose and put on her clothes and they returned to their carousing and the cup passed round awhile.

Presentlythe porter rose and putting off his clothesplunged into the pool and swam about and washed under his chin and armpitseven as they had done. Then he came out and threw himself into the eldest lady's lap and putting his arms into the portress's lap and his feet into that of the cateress pointed to his codpiece and said'O my mistresseswhat is the name of this？'They laughed till they fell backward and one of them answered'Thy yard.'Art thou not ashamed？'said he. 'A forfeit！'and took of each a kiss. Quoth another'Thy pintle.'

But he replied'No，'and gave each of them a bite in play. Then said they'Thy pizzle.'No，'answered heand gave each of them a hug；and they kept saying'Thy yardthy pintlethy pizzle，thy codpiece！'whilst he kissed and hugged and fondled them to his heart's contentand they laughed till they were well nigh dead. At last they said'O our brotherand what is its name？'