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When his son and the Eunuch stepped before him he gazed on Ajib

and, seeing how very beautiful he was, his heart fluttered and

throbbed, and blood drew to blood and natural affection spake out

and his bowels yearned over him. He had just dressed a conserve

of pomegranate-grains with sugar, and Heaven-implanted love

wrought within him; so he called to his son Ajib and said, "O my

lord, O thou who hast gotten the mastery of my heart and my very

vitals and to whom my bowels yearn; say me, wilt thou enter my

house and solace my soul by eating of my meat?" Then his eyes

streamed with tears which he could not stay, for he bethought him

of what he had been and what he had become. When Ajib heard his

father's words his heart also yearned himwards and he looked at

the Eunuch and said to him, "Of a truth, O my good guard, my

heart yearns to this cook; he is as one that hath a son far away

from him: so let us enter and gladden his heart by tasting of his

hospitality.