grip it as I do; so! and now push for the plain and leaning well
over thy horse drive the ball with all thy might until thy palm
be moist and thy body perspire: then the medicine will penetrate
through thy palm and will permeate thy person. When thou hast
done with playing and thou feelest the effects of the medicine,
return to thy palace, and make the Ghusl ablation[FN#82] in the
Hammam bath, and lay thee down to sleep; so shalt thou be come
whole; and now peace be with thee!" Thereupon King Yunan took the
bat from the Sage and grasped it firmly; then, mounting steed, he
drove the ball before him and gallopped after it till he reached
it, when he struck it with all his might, his palm gripping the
bat handle the while; and he ceased not malling the ball till his
hand waxed moist and his skin, perspiring, imbibed the medicine
from the wood. Then the sage Duban knew that the drugs had
penetrated his person and bade him return to the palace and enter
the Hammam without stay or delay; so King Yunan forthright
returned and ordered them to clear for him the bath. They did so,
the carpet spreaders making all haste, and the slaves all hurry
and got ready a change of raiment for the King. He entered the
bath and made the total ablution long and thoroughly; then donned
his clothes within the Hammam and rode therefrom to his palace
where he lay him down and slept. Such was the case with King
Yunan, but as regards the sage Duban, he returned home and slept
as usual and when morning dawned he repaired to the palace and
craved audience. The King ordered him to be admitted; then,
having kissed the ground between his hands, in allusion to the
King he recited these couplets with solemn intonation:--

Happy is Eloquence when thou art named her sire * But mourns
she whenas other man the title claimed.