Thus： God（blessed and exalted be He）preferred the male above the femalesolely because of the quality of masculinity；and in thisthere is no difference between us. Now this quality[of masculinity] is common to the childthe boythe youth，the ***** and the graybeard；nor is there any distinction between them in this. Sincethenthe superior excellence of man enures to him solely by virtue of the quality of masculinity，it behoves that thy heart incline to the graybeard and thy soul delight in himequally with the boyseeing that there is no distinction between themin point of masculinity. But the difference between thee and me turns upon the qualities that are sought as constituting excellence of intercourse and delight of usance；and thou hast adduced no proof of the superiority of the male over the female in this.'
'O my lady，'answered he'knowest thou not that which is proper to the boy of symmetry of shape and rosy cheeks and pleasant smile and sweetness of speech？ Boys arein these respectssuperior to women；and the proof of this is what is reported of the Prophetthat he said'Stay not thy gaze upon the beardless boysfor in them is the similitude of the black-eyed girls of Paradise.'Nor indeed is the superiority of the boy over the girl hidden to anyand how well saith Abou Nuwas：
The least of his virtues it is that thou'rt free From uncleanness with him nor with child can he be.
And what another poet says：
Quoth th'Iman Abou Nuwaspast-master sure was he In every canon of debauch and jolly knavery，'O ye that love the downy cheeks of younglingstake your fill Of a delightin Paradise that will not founden be.'
So if one enlarge in praise of a girl and wish to enhance her value by the mention of her charmshe likens her to a boy，because of the illustrious qualities that belong to the latter，even as saith the poet：
Boylike of buttocksto and froin amorous dallianceShe sways as sway the nodding canes that in the north wind dance.
If boysthenwere not superior to girlswhy should the latter be likened to them？ And know alsomay God the Most High preserve theethat a boy is easy to be ledadapting himself to the wishpleasant of commerce and mannersinclining to assent rather than differenceespecially when the down on his face creeps lightly and the hair darkens on his lips and the vermilion of early youth runs in his cheeksso that he is like the full moon；and how goodly is the saying of Abou Temmam：
'The whiskers on his cheek appear；'the slanderers said to me；Quoth I'That's none of his defect；so give me no more prate.'
What time he came of age to bear buttocks that here and there Pulled him and over beads of pearl his lips'hair darkened late And eke the rose a solemn oathfull fast and bindingswore Its ruddy marvels from his cheek should never separate，I with my eyelids spoke to himwithout the need of speechAnd for reply thereto was what his eyebrows answered straight.
His goodliness still goodlier is than that thou knewst of yore，And the hair guardeth him from those his charms would violate.
Brighter and sweeter are his charmsnow on his cheek the down Shows and the hair upon his lips grows dark and delicate；
And those who chide me for the love of himwhen they take up Their parable of him and mesay evermore'His mate.'
And quoth El Heriri and saith well：
My censors say'What is this love and doting upon him？ Seest not the hair upon his cheeks that sprouts？ Where is thy wit？'
Quoth I'By Allahan ye chide at meI rede you note The exposition of the truth that in his eyes is writ.
But for the blackness of the downthat veils his chin and cheeksUpon the brightness of his face no mortal gaze might sit.
A man who sojourns in a landwherein no herbage isWhenas the very Spring arrivesshall he depart from it？'
And quoth another：
'He is consoled，'say the censors of me；butby heaventhey lie！ For solace and comfort come hardly to those for longing that sigh.
When the rose of his cheek stood blooming aloneI was not consoled；So how should I now find solacethat basil has sprung thereby？
And again：
A slender onewhose glances and the down upon his cheeks Each otherin the slaying of folkabet and aid.
A sabre of narcissus withalhe sheddeth bloodThe hangers of its scabbard of very myrtle made.
And again：
Not with his wine I'm drunkenbut with his tresses bright，That make all creatures drunkenyeaall beneath the sky.
Each of his charms doth envy the others；ayand each To be the down so silky upon his cheek doth sigh.
These are the excellences of the boythat women do not possessand these suffice and more to give boys the preference in grace and glory over women.'
'God give thee health！'cried she. 'Verilythou hast imposed the discussion upon thyself；and thou hast spoken and hast not stinted and hast adduced these argumentsin support of thy contention. But now is the truth made manifest；so swerve thou not from the path thereof；and if thou be not content with a summary of proofI will set it out to thee in detail. God on theewhere is the boy beside the girl and who shall liken the kid to the wild cow？ The girl is soft of speechfair of shapelike a stalk of sweet basilwith teeth like chamomile-petals and hair like halters. Her cheeks are like blood-red anemones and her face like an apple；she hath lips like wine and breasts like double pomegranates and a shape flexile as a willow-wand. Her body is rounded and well-formed：
