assigned them a site and marked out its boundaries. Then the
workmen occupied themselves with the making of the bath and the
setting out and adornment of its cabinets and roofs. They used
paints and precious stones of all kinds, according to the
variousness of their hues, red and green and blue and yellow and
what not else of all manner colours; and each artisan wrought at
his handicraft and each painter at his art, whilst the rest of
the folk busied themselves with transporting thither varicoloured
stones.

One day, as the [chief] painter wrought at his work, there came
in to him a poor man, who looked long upon him and observed his
handicraft; whereupon quoth the painter to him, "Knowest thou
aught of painting?" "Yes," answered the stranger; so he gave him
tools and paints and said to him, "Make us a rare piece of work."
So the stranger entered one of the chambers of the bath and drew
[on the walls thereof] a double border, which he adorned on both
sides, after a fashion than which never saw eyes a fairer.
Moreover, [amiddleward the chamber] he drew a picture to which
there lacked but the breath, and it was the portraiture of
Mariyeh, the king's daughter of Baghdad. Then, when he had made
an end of the portrait, he went his way [and told none of what he
had done], nor knew any the chambers and doors of the bath and
the adornment and ordinance thereof.

Presently, the chief workman came to the palace and sought an
audience of the king, who bade admit him. So he entered and
kissing the earth, saluted him with a salutation beseeming kings
and said, "O king of the time and lord of the age and the day,
may felicity endure unto thee and acceptance and be thy rank