de, raised upon columns of red gold, and within this were birds,
the feet of which were of emeralds; beneath each bird was a net of
brilliant pearls, spread over a fountain; and by the brink of the
fountain was placed a couch adorned with pearls and jewels and jacinths,
whereon was a damsel resembling the shining sun. Eyes had not beheld
one more beautiful. Upon her was a garment of brilliant pearls, on her
head was a crown of red gold, with a fillet of jewels, on her neck was a
necklace of jewels in the middle of which were refulgent gems, and upon
her forehead were two jewels the light of which was like that of the
sun; and she seemed as though she were looking at the people, and
observing them to the right and left. When the Emeer Moosa beheld this
damsel, he wondered extremely at her loveliness, and was confounded by
her beauty and the redness of her cheeks and the blackness of her hair.
Any beholder would imagine that she was alive, and not dead. And they
said to her: "Peace be on thee, O damsel!" But Talib said to the emeer:
"May God amend thy state! Know that this damsel is dead. There is no
life in her. How then can she return the salutation?" And he added: "O
Emeer, she is skilfully embalmed; and her eyes have been taken out after
her death, and quicksilver hath been put beneath them, after which they
have been restored to their places; so they gleam; and whenever the air
putteth them in motion, the beholder imagineth that she twinkleth her
eyes, though she is dead."

And as to the couch upon which was the damsel, it had steps, and upon
the steps were two slaves, one of them white and the other black; and in
the hand of one of them was a weapon of steel, and in the hand of the
other a jewelled sword that blinded the eyes; and before the two slaves
was a tablet of gold, whereon was read an inscription, which was this:

In the name of God, the Compassionate, the Merciful. Praise be to God,
the Creator of Man; and He is the Lord of lords, and the Cause of
causes. O thou, if thou know me not, I will acquaint thee with my name
and my descent. I am Tedmur, the daughter of the King of the
Amalekites. I possessed what none of the kings possessed, and ruled
with justice, and acted impartially toward my subjects: I gave and
bestowed, and I lived a long time in the enjoyment of happiness and an
easy life, and possessing emancipated female and male slaves. Thus I
did until the summoner of death came to my