YUSUF AND ZULAIKHA

[ Follow-ups ] [ Post Follow-up ] [ The Henna Page Discussion Forum ] [ FAQ ]

Posted by Michelle on January 21, 2000 at 13:40:25:

From "Jami: Yusuf and Zulaikha" translated and edited by
David Pendlebury.The Octagon Press, 1980.

A beautiful story of love, fatal attraction and death.

So, basically, Zulaikha is obsessively besotted with Yusuf, and he's
not that keen. Zulaikha's the one with the power, and has just
finished her new plalce, and the only thing lacking in her "abode of
delights" is Yusuf... so,

"Without the beloved, paradise itself seems ugly in the lover's
yearning eyes; so Zulaikha decided to send for Yusuf and install him
in the palace of honour. Alone with him there, she would play the game
of love and gallop with him along the racecourse of possession,
snatching her desire from his life-giving ruby lips and finding peace
at last in his unruly locks..
But first she had to adorn her own beauty, in order to attract Yusuf
to her. Not that she had any need for decoration; but it would
nonetheless enhance her charms. No matter how fair the rose may be,
it will be fairer still with a necklace of dewdrops.
So she heightened the colour of her cheeks, and darkened and
lengthened her eyebrows; she gathered and perfumed her hair, and made
it even more fragrent with musk from China. Her eyes she anointed
with kohl, to make the instruments of black magic. Here and there
she placed beauty spots, which seemed to proclaim her beloved:
"Your face has lit a fire in my heart, which burns it up like
rue-leaves!" Then she stained her hands with henna, and painted her
nails, artistically depictng ten crescent moons, which announced the
impending festival of love. Each of her ears with it's pendant was
like the moon in conjunction with a star.
She clothed her body like a rosebud in a lavish array of garments;
and finally she placedd a golden diadem inlaid with jewels on her
dark tresses. Then she reclined like a graceful peacock in the
courtyard of her palace, she gazed critically at her own beauty in a
mirror, and rejoyced to see the image of perfection she reflected
there. Now she resolved to find a buyer for this treasure.
She sent maidservants off in all directions to find Yusuf.........




Follow-ups:


Post a Follow-up

Name:
E-Mail:

Subject:

Comments:

Optional Link URL:
Link Title:
Optional Image URL:

[ Follow-ups ] [ Post Follow-up ] [ The Henna Page Discussion Forum ] [ FAQ ]