The chief priest had a message sent to King Akaf: “Please allow the priests to come this evening to your palace to hear the stories of Far-li-mas from sunset until the moon rises.” King Akaf replied: “I agree.” Sali had a message sent to Far-li-mas: “Today you must tell a story like yesterday. This is the way.”

When evening came, King Akaf assembled his guests and the ambassadors. Sali came and sat beside him. All the priests came. They bared their breasts and fell to the ground. The chief priest said: “The stories of this Far-li-mas must be God’s most splendid work.” King Akaf said: “Decide this for yourselves.” The chief priest said: “Forgive us, our king, if we leave your house when the moon rises to carry out our duties.” King Akaf said: “Do as God wills.” The priests sat down. All of the guests and ambassadors sat down. The hall was full. Far-li-mas came forward. King Akaf said: “Begin, my companion in death.”

Far-li-mas looked at Sali. Sali looked at Far-li-mas. King Akaf said: “Why do you say nothing? Do you not know any more stories?” Far-li-mas turned his eyes away from Sali. Far-li-mas commenced. His story began at sunset. His story was like hashish, which blurs and entrances. His story became like hashish, which leads to languor. His story became like hashish, which induces a fatal swoon. When the moon rose, King Akaf, his guests and the ambassadors were dozing, the priests were all stretched out fast asleep. Only Sali was awake, and she absorbed with her gaze the ever sweeter words that came from Far-li-mas’s lips.

Far-li-mas reached the end. He stood up. Far-li-mas went toward Sali. Sali went toward Far-li-mas. Sali said: “Let me kiss these lips from which such sweet words come.” They kissed each other’s lips passionately. Far-li-mas said: “Let me embrace this body, which on seeing it gives me strength.” And they embraced, wrapping their arms and legs around each other, and they lay there in the midst of so many sleeping figures, and were happy until their hearts almost broke. But Sali rejoiced and said: “Do you see the way?” Far-li-mas said: “I see it.” They left. In the palace only the sleeping figures remained.

Next day, Sali went to the chief priest and said: “Now tell me if you were right to condemn my words.” The priest said: “I will not give you an answer today. We shall go once more to listen to this Far-li-mas. For yesterday we were not adequately prepared.” Sali said: “All right.” The priests performed their sacrifices and recited their prayers. They broke the fetlocks of many oxen. Throughout the day the prayers in the temple were never interrupted. In the evening the priests returned to the palace of King Akaf. In the evening Sali sat once again beside her brother, King Akaf. In the evening Far-li-mas resumed his story. And before daybreak everyone was asleep in the ecstasy of listening. But in the middle of all of them sat Sali and Far-li-mas, and they sucked happiness from each other’s lips and wrapped their arms and legs around each other. And so it continued, day after day.