Unknown

“ A certain singing-woman was fair of favour and high in repute, and it befell one day that she went out a-pleasuring. As she sat, [1] behold, a man lopped of the hand stopped to beg of her, and he entered in at the door. ”

“ Hardly had we settled ourselves in the place when we heard a noise of kicking [at the door] and people running right and left and questioning the cook and saying, “Hath any one passed by thee?” “Nay,” answered he ”

“ Then the cook removed the grass and said to us, “Arise, for ye are delivered from death.” So we arose, and we were uncovered, without mantle or veil; but the cook carried us up into his house and we sent to our lodgings and fetched us veils; and we repented unto God the Most High and renounced singing, [6] for indeed this was a great deliverance after stress.’
↑ Apparently in a pavillion in some garden or orchard, the usual pleasure of the Arabs. ↑ i.e. engaged her to attend an entertainment and paid her her hire in advance. ↑ Lit. a [she-] partner, i.e. ”