Pagina 567 van 1116

The most notable part of her dress was a loose robe worn over her

other garments; it was diapered in red gold with figures of wild

beasts, and birds whose eyes and beaks were of gems, and claws of

red rubies and green beryl; and her neck was graced with a

necklace of Yamani work, worth thousands of gold pieces, whose

bezels were great round jewels of sorts, the like of which was

never owned by Kaysar or by Tobba King. [FN#410] And the bride

was as the full moon when at fullest on fourteenth night; and as

she paced into the hall she was like one of the Houris of

Heaven-praise be to Him who created her in such splendour of

beauty! The ladies encompassed her as the white contains the

black of the eye, they clustering like stars whilst she shone

amongst them like the moon when it eats up the clouds.