And Nazhat al-Zaman discoursed upon the policy of Kings till the bystanders said，'Never have we seen one reason of rule and government like this damsel！Haply she will let us hear some discourse upon subject other than this.' When she heard their words and understood them she said，'As for the chapter of good breeding，it is wide of comprehension，being a compend of things perfect.Now it so happened that one day there came to the Caliph Mu'awiyah[266] one of his companions，who mentioned the people of Irak and the goodness of their wit；and the Caliph's wife Maysun，mother of Yezid，heard his words.So，when he was gone，she said to the Caliph，'O Prince of the Faithful，I would thou let some of the people of Irak come in and talk to thee，that I may hear their discourse.' Therewith Mu'awiyah said to his attendants，'See who is at the door？' And they answered，'The Banu Tamim.' 'Let them come in，'said he.So they came in and with them Al-Ahnaf son of Kays.[267]Then quoth Mu'awiyah，'Enter，O Abu Bahr，'and drew a curtain between himself and Maysun，that she might hear what they said without being seen herself；then he said to Al-Ahnaf，'O Son of the Sea，draw near and tell me what counsel thou hast for me.' Quoth Al-Ahnaf，'Part thy hair and trim thy moustachio and pare thy nails and pluck thine armpits and shave thy pubes[268] and ever use the toothstick because therein be two and seventy virtues，and make the Ghusl or complete ablution on Friday，as an expiation for all between the Fridays.'--And Shahrazad perceived the dawn of day and ceased saying her permitted say.
When it was the Sixty-second Night，She said，It hath reached me，O auspicious King，that Ahnaf bin Kays replied to Al-Mu'awiyah's[269] question，'And ever use the toothstick，because therein be two end seventy virtues and make the complete Friday ablution as an expiation for all between the two Fridays.' Quoth Mu'awiyah，'What is thy counsel to thyself？''To set my feet firmly on the ground，to move them deliberately and watch over them with mine eyes！''How dost thou order thyself when thou goest in to one not of the nobles of thy tribe？''I lower mine eyes modestly and I salute first；I avoid what concerneth me not and I spare my words！''And how when thou goest in to thine equals？''I give ear to them when they speak and I do not assail them when they err！''When thou goest in to thy chiefs？''I salute without ****** any sign and await the reply： if they bid me draw near，I draw near，and if they draw off from me I withdraw！''How dost thou with thy wife？' Quoth Ahnaf，'Excuse me from answering this，O Commander of the Faithful！'but Mu'awiyah cried，'I conjure thee inform me.' He said，'I entreat her kindly and show her familiarity and am large in expenditure，for woman was created of a crooked rib.'[270]
'And how dost thou when thou hast a mind to lie with her？''I bid her perfume herself and kiss her till she is moved to desire；
then，should it be as thou knowest，[271] I throw her on her back.If the seed abide in her womb I say，'O Allah make it blessed and let it not be a wastrel，but fashion it into the best of fashions！'[272]Then I rise from her to ablution and first I pour water over my hands and then over my body and lastly，I praise Allah for the joy He hath given me.' Said Mu'awiyah，'Thou hast answered right well and now tell me what be thy requirements？' Said Ahnaf，'I would have thee rule thy subjects in the fear of Allah and do even handed justice between them.'
Thereupon Ahnaf rose to his feet and left the Caliph's presence，and when he had gone Maysun said，'Were there but this man in Irak，he would suffice to it.' Then continued Nuzhat al-Zaman，'And all this is a section of the chapter of good breeding，and know O King，that Muaykib was intendant of the public treasury during the Caliphate of Omar bin al-Khattab，'--And Shahrazad perceived the dawn of day and ceased to say her permitted say.
When it was the Sixty-third Night，She said，It hath reached me，O auspicious King，that Nuzhat al-Zaman continued，'Know，O King，that Mu'aykib was intendant of the public treasury during the Caliphate of Omar bin al-Khattab；
and it so befel him that he saw Omar's son and gave him a dirham out of the treasury.Thereupon，quoth Mu'aykib，'I returned to my own house，and while I was sitting there behold，a messenger came to me from Omar and I was afraid and went to him，and when I came into his presence，in his hand was the dirham I had given his son.He said to me，'Woe to thee Mu'aykib！I have found somewhat concerning thy soul.' I asked 'And what is that？'and he answered，'It is that thou hast shown thyself a foe to the followers of Mohammed （on whom be peace and salvation！） in the matter of this dirham，and thou wilt have to account for it on Resurrection Day.'[273] And Omar also wrote a letter to Abu Musa al-Ashari[274] as follows，'When these presents reach thee，give the people what is theirs and remit to me the rest.'
