68 
The Shame of the Prodigal. 
 
 
 
XIV 
 
THE COMPARISONS 
 
 
O Habib, I have compared thy figure to the cy-
press, and to a thousand other beautifully shapen 
things.  Also I have said that thine eyes were like 
the sun for splendour ;  and like the gazelle’s eyes 
for depth and softness ;  many other things very 
well composed have I sung concerning thee.1  I 
have even compared the perfume of thy podex to 
that of the rose, and I take Allah to witness that 
this is not so, except by favour of Him in whom all 
is One.2  I was faithful and diligent in love, and 
worshipped thee above all save Him to whom alone 
worship is due. 
Thou didst cast me off for thy filthy lovers — Allah 
forget them ! — and now thou comest back thou 
thinkest still to play the master.  No, by Allah !  thy 
podex doth not resemble the rose, or another 
flower ;  it resembles nothing but a podex, the po-
dex of a peevish and filthy sodomite. 
When thou didst veil thy buttocks with the 
spangled muslin of Egypt, we cried out that it was 
the face of Allah radiant through the stars of 
night — for we were excessively drunk, Habib ! — 
But yesterday we laughed even louder when my 
women veiled thee as to thy face with a black veil, 
and Laila cried :  “ Allah be praised, the Concealer, 
that He hath permitted us to conceal the podex of 
this pig.” 
Thou didst not laugh, O spoiler of sport ! 
Nor did the rattans of the eunuchs move thee to 
mirth, falling like the first hard rain of summer 
upon thy back, and upon thy buttocks, and upon