The Scented Garden

60 The Reproaches of God. X. The Black Stone I have kissed the black stone of the Ka’abah,1 O Habib ! but a thousand times the black mole upon thy buttocks. I have seen a thousand men kiss the black stone of the Ka’abah ; but I hear that the pilgrims to thy house are even more numerous than the Hujjaj.2 Omar3 was an ass ; but he is buried—Allah curse him ! — at El Medinah ; only those with members like an ass find any permanent resting place in thy mosque. His4 member is firmer than a rock, sayest thou ? But I will bottle and drown him.5 It is disgraceful, Habib, that thou lettest that lousy little tailor into thy secret beauties ; but I suppose thou needest his needle and thread to re- pair the rents made by thy boasted Qazi. Often have I sung thy podex as the sun, and of a surety he shineth upon all. Thy gait is the gait of a gravid sow ; thou admit- test every hog in Iran to thy sty ; beware, sayeth El Qahar, lest thou bring forth a litter of pigs !6 1. Ka’abah — the “ Holy Place ” at Mecca. See Burton’s Pilgrimage for a long description of this and of the black stone. 2. Hujjaj — plural of Haji, a pilgrim to Mecca. 3. Omar — See Burton’s Pilgrimage for facts about this caliph, highly honoured by the orthodox