and the ring-dove moaned like a drinker in grievous plight.The trees grew in perfection all edible growths and fruited all manner fruits which in pairs were bipartite； with the camphor-apricot， the almond-apricot and the apricot'Khorasani'hight；
the plum， like the face of beauty， smooth and bright； the cherry that makes teeth shine clear by her sleight， and the fig of three colours， green， purple and white.There also blossomed the violet as it were sulphur on fire by night； the orange with buds like pink coral and marguerite； the rose whose redness gars the loveliest cheeks blush with despight； and myrtle and gilliflower and lavender with the blood-red anemone from Nu'uman hight.The leaves were all gemmed with tears the clouds had dight； the chamomile smiled showing teeth that bite， and Narcissus with his negro[48] eyes fixed on Rose his sight； the citrons shone with fruits embowled and the lemons like balls of gold； earth was carpeted with flowers tinctured infinite； for Spring was come brightening the place with joy and delight； and the streams ran ringing， to the birds'gay singing， while the rustling breeze upspringing attempered the air to temperance exquisite.Shaykh Ibrahim carried them up into the pavilion， and they gazed on its beauty， and on the lamps aforementioned in the latticed windows；
and Nur al-Din， remembering his entertainments of time past， cried，'By Allah， this is a pleasant place； it hath quenched in me anguish which burned as a fire of Ghaza-wood.[49]'Then they sat down and Shaykh Ibrahim set food before them； and they ate till they were satisfied and washed their hands： after which Nur al-Din went up to one of the latticed windows， and， calling to his handmaid fell to gazing on the trees laden with all manner fruits.Presently he turned to the Gardener and said to him，'O
Shaykh Ibrahim hast thou no drink here， for folk are wont to drink after eating？'The Shaykh brought him sweet water， cool and pleasant， but he said，'This is not the kind of drink I wanted.''Perchance thou wishest for wine？''Indeed I do， O Shaykh！''I seek refuge from it with Allah： it is thirteen years since I did this thing， for the Prophet （Abhak[50]） cursed its drinker， presser， seller and carrier！''Hear two words of me.'
'Say on.''If yon cursed ass[51] which standeth there be cursed， will aught of his curse alight upon thee？''By no means！'
'Then take this dinar and these two dirhams and mount yonder ass and， halting afar from the wine-shop， call the first man thou seest buying liquor and say to him，'Take these two dirhams for thyself， and with this dinar buy me some wine and set it on the ass.'So shalt thou be neither the presser， nor the buyer， nor the carrier； and no part of the curse will fall upon thee.'At this Shaykh Ibrahim laughed and said，'By Allah， O my son， I never saw one wilier of wit than thou art， nor heard aught sweeter than thy speech.'So he did as he was bidden by Nur al-Din who thanked him and said，'We two are now dependent on thee， and it is only meet that thou comply with our wishes； so bring us here what we require.''O my son，'replied he，'this is my buttery before thee'（and it was the store-room provided for the Commander of the Faithful）；'so go in， and take whatso thou wilt， for there is over and above what thou wantest.'Nur al-Din then entered the pantry and found therein vessels of gold and silver and crystal set with all kinds of gems， and was amazed and delighted with what he saw.Then he took out what he needed and set it on and poured the wine into flagons and glass ewers， whilst Shaykh Ibrahim brought them fruit and flowers and aromatic herbs. Then the old man withdrew and sat down at a distance from them， whilst they drank and made merry， till the wine got the better of them， so that their cheeks reddened and their eyes wantoned like the gazelle's； and their locks became dishevelled and their brightness became yet more beautiful.Then said Shaykh Ibrahim to himself，'What aileth me to sit apart from them？ Why should I not sit with them？ When shall I ever find myself in company with the like of these two that favour two moons？'So he stepped forward and sat down on the edge of the dais， and Nur al-Din said to him，'O my lord， my life on thee， come nearer to us！'
He came and sat by them， when Nur al-Din filled a cup and looked towards the Shaykh and said to him，'Drink， that thou mayest try the taste of it！''I take refuge from it with Allah！'replied he；
'for thirteen years I have not done a thing of the kind.'Nur al-Din feigned to forget he was there and， drinking off the cup， threw himself on the ground as if the drink had overcome him；
whereupon Anis al-Jalis glanced at him and said，'O Shaykh Ibrahim see how this husband of mine treateth me；'and he answered，'O my lady， what aileth him？''This is how he always serveth me，'cried she，'he drinketh awhile， then falleth asleep and leaveth me alone with none to bear me company over my cup nor any to whom I may sing when the bowl goeth round.'Quoth the Shaykh （and his mien unstiffened for that his soul inclined towards her），'By Allah， this is not well！'Then she crowned a cup and looking towards him said，'By my life thou must take and drink it， and not refuse to heal my sick heart！'So he put forth his hand and took it and drank it off and she filled a second and set it on the chandelier and said，'O master mine， there is still this one left for thee.''By Allah， I cannot drink it；'cried he，'what I have already drunk is enough for me；'but she rejoined，'By Allah， there is no help for it.'So he took the cup and drank； and she filled him a third which he took and was about to drink when behold， Nur al-Din rolled round and sat upright，--And Shahrazad perceived the dawn of day and ceased saying her permitted say.
When it was the Thirty-seventh Night，She said， It hath reached me， O auspicious King， that Nur al-Din sat upright and said，'Ho， Shaykh Ibrahim， what is this？Did I not adjure thee a while ago and thou refusedst， saying，'What I！