Vis and Ramin

6 VISRAMIANI
scribes ; the wife * and Shakarlab, the daughter
inan the vizier ; and Abanosh of Eraq ;
2 the tender
Adragun (i.e., Asphodel) and Gulguno ; Shainani and
Khaibla (? Zaibla or Saibla) of Shiraz, and Shah Moa-
of lasa-
bad's wives; there were Chinese, 3 T'hurkis, Barbarians,
Greeks, noblemen's daughters, and the Khuarazmi was the
lady of these queens. 4 Each was more beautiful than the
other. No one can fittingly tell forth their praise, in face
and form 5 they were perfect and faultless in all points.
were seated before King
All
Moabad.
The monarch, Shah Moabad, was a lover of women ; he
gazed, he rejoiced, he gave gifts, and bade the minstrels
sing ;
some he made to joust in the lists, some to sport with
lances, and the lovely
round dance.
damsels to sway to and fro in the
For a week they made merry with great rejoicing. He
gave away all the jewels, pearls, and treasures which had
6 been used in their drinking and rejoicing at the feast. He
satisfied great and small, none there was passed over.
Thereupon Shahro, the elder-born, 7 with smiling face
jested 8 with Shah Moabad. When Shah Moabad heard the
words of Shahro 9 he spoke thus :
" Ah rose, thou that ! smiling speakest May
7 thee merry !
| Since
I ever see
in the days of thine old age thou art
such a ravisher of hearts, what must thou have been in the
of Gurgan, Naslakith of Descitan, and Nirges and Zarniges from the
roots of the mountains, Shirin and Gurgis of Ispan, two sunlike ebon
beauties, Abanoed-Abano. For Abanoz and Shirin, 130.
1 Or household jalab.
2
Ch., Jalab and Isaman (the vizier's Abanom of Eraq.
daughter), Shakarlab and
3
Ch., Gulgulon of Shiraz, Shainam and Sibala, and Shah Moabad's
wives were Chinese.
4 Ch. omits " and the Khuarazmi . . . queens." The whole para-
graph seems to be very corrupt.
5 Ch., " in face, eye, and form."
6 Ch. omits " rejoicing."
7 Is pirmsho a corrupt reading for pirmze = sunfaced ?
8 Made a zma i.e., a play upon words. E., 1495.
8
Ch., Sharo.