There were in the palace of the Khalif El Mutawekkil ala Allah four thousand concubineswhereof two thousand were Greeks [and other foreigners] and other two thousand native Arabians and Abyssinians；and Obeid ibn Tahir had given him two hundred white girls and a like number of Abyssinian and native girls . Among these latter was a girl of BassoraMehboubeh by namewho was of surpassing beauty and elegance and voluptuous grace. Moreovershe played upon the lute and was skilled in singing and making verses and wrote excellent well；so that El Mutawekkil fell passionately in love with her and could not endure from her a single hour.
When she saw thisshe presumed upon his favour to use him
haughtily and capriciouslyso that he waxed exceeding wroth with her and forsook herforbidding the people of the palace to speak with her.
On this wise she abode some daysbut the Khalif still inclined to her；and he arose one morning and said to his courtiers，'I dreamtlast nightthat I was reconciled to Mehboubeh.'
'Would God this might be on wake！' answered they. As they were talkingin came one of the Khalif's maidservants and whispered him that they had heard a noise of singing and luting in Mehboubeh's chamber and knew not what this meant. So he rose and entering the haremwent straight to Mehboubeh's apartment，where he heard her playing wonder-sweetly upon the lute and singing the following verses：
I wander through the hallsbut not a soul I seeTo whom I may complain or who will speak with me.
It is as though I'd wrought so grievous an offenceNo penitence avails myself therefrom to free.
Will no one plead my cause with a kingwho came to me In sleep and took me back to favour and to gree；But with the break of day to rigour did revert And cast me off from him and far away did flee？
When the Khalif heard these verseshe marvelled at the strange coincidence of their dreams and entered the chamber. As soon as she was ware of himshe hastened to throw herself at his feet，and kissing themsaid'By AllahO my lordthis is what I dreamt last night；and when I awokeI made the verses thou hast heard.''By Allah，' replied El Mutawekkil'I also dreamt the like！' Then they embraced and made friends and he abode with her seven days and nights.
Now she had written upon her cheekin muskthe Khalif's name，which was Jaafer： and when he saw thishe made the following verses：
One wrote on her cheekwith muska nameyeaJaafer to wit：
My soul be her ransom who wrote on her cheek what I see on it！
If her fingersindeedhave traced a single line on her cheek，I trowin my heart of hearts full many a line she hath writ O thouwhom Jaafer alone of men possessesmay God Grant Jaafer to drink his fill of the wine of thy beauty and wit！
When El Mutawekkil diedall his women forgot him save Mehboubehwho ceased not to mourn for himtill she died and was buried by his sidethe mercy of God be on them both！
