（Q.）'What is the best time for cupping？'（A.）'One should be cupped fastingfor this fortifies the wit and the memory. It is reported of the Prophet thatwhen any one complained to him of a pain in the head or legshe would bid him be cupped and not eat salt [meat] fastingfor it engendered scurvyneither eat sour milk immediately after [cupping].'（Q.）'When is cupping to be avoided？'（A.）'On Wednesdays and Saturdaysand let him who is cupped on these days blame none but himself.
Moreoverone should not be cupped in very hot nor in very cold weather；and the best season for cupping is Spring.'（Q.）'Tell me of copulation.'
At this Taweddud hung her headfor shame and confusion before the Khalif；then said'By AllahO Commander of the Faithful，it is not that I am at faultbut that I am ashamedthough，indeedthe answer is on the tip of my tongue.'SpeakO damsel，'said the Khalif；whereupon quoth she'Copulation hath in it many and exceeding virtues and praiseworthy qualities，amongst which arethat it lightens a body full of black bile and calms the heat of love and engenders affection and dilates the heart and dispels sadness；and the excess of it is more harmful in summer and autumn than in spring and winter.'（Q.）
'What are its good effects？'（A.）'It doth away trouble and disquietcalms love and chagrin and is good for ulcers in a cold and dry humour；but excess of it weakens the sight and engenders pains in the legs and head and back： and beware，beware of having to do with old womenfor they are deadly.
Quoth the Imam Ali（whose face God honour）'Four things kill and ruin the body： bathing on a full stomach，eating salt meatcopulation on a plethora [of blood] and lying with an ailing woman；for she will weaken thy strength and infect thy body with sickness；and an old woman is deadly poison.'And quoth one of them'Beware of taking an old woman to wifethough she be richer in goods than Caroun.''
（Q.）'What is the best copulation？'（A.）'If the woman be youngwell-shapedfair of faceswelling-breasted and of honourable extractionshe will add to thee strength and health of body；and let her be even as saith the poetdescribing her：
Even by thy looksI trowshe knows what thou desir'stBy instinctwithout sign or setting forth of sense；And when thou dost behold her all-surpassing graceHer charms enable thee with gardens to dispense.'
（Q.）'At what time is copulation good？'（A.）'If by dayafter the morning-mealand if by nightafter food digested.'（Q.）
'What are the most excellent fruits？'（A.）'The pomegranate and the citron.'（Q.）'Which is the most excellent of vegetables？'
（A.）'The endive.'（Q.）'Which of sweet-scented flowers？'
（A.）'The rose and the violet.'（Q.）'How is sperma hominis secreted？'（A.）'There is in man a vein that feeds all the other veins. Water [or blood] is collected from the three hundred and threescore veins and entersin the form of red bloodthe left testiclewhere it is decoctedby the heat of man's temperamentinto a thickwhite liquidwhose odour is as that of the palm-spathe.'（Q.）'What bird [or flying thing]is it that emits seed and menstruates？'（A.）'The batthat is，the rere-mouse.'（Q.）'What is that whichwhen it is shut out[from the air]livesand when it smells the airdies？'（A.）
'The fish.'（Q.）'What serpent lays eggs？'（A.）'The dragon.'
With this the physician was silentbeing weary with much questioningand Taweddud said to the Khalif'O Commander of the Faithfulhe hath questioned me till he is wearyand now I will ask him one questionwhich if he answer notI will take his clothes as lawful prize.'Ask on，'quoth the Khalif. So she said to the physician'What is that which resembles the earth in [plane] roundnesswhose resting-place and spine are hiddenlittle of value and estimationnarrow-chestedits throat shackledthough it be no thief nor runaway slave，thrust through and throughthough not in fightand wounded，though not in battle；time eats its vigour and water wastes it away；now it is beaten without a fault and now made to serve without stint；united after separationsubmissivebut not to him who caresses itpregnant without a child in its bellydroopingyet not leaning on its sidebecoming dirty yet purifying itselfcleaving to [its mate]yet changing，copulating without a yardwrestling without armsresting and taking its easebittenyet not crying out[now] more complaisant than a boon-companion and [anon] more troublesome than summer-heatleaving its wife by night and clipping her by day and having its abode in the corners of the mansions of the noble？'The physician was silent and his colour changed and he bowed his head awhile in perplexity and made no reply；
whereupon she said to him'O physicianspeak or put off thy clothes.'At thishe rose and said'O Commander of the Faithfulbear witness against me that this damsel is more learned than I in medicine and what else and that I cannot cope with her.'And he put off his clothes and fled forth. Quoth the Khalif to Taweddud'Expound to us thy riddle，'and she replied'O Commander of the Faithfulit is the button and the button loop.'
Then said she'Let him of you who is an astronomer come forward.'So the astronomer came forward and sat down before her. When she saw himshe laughed and said'Art thou the astronomerthe mathematicianthe scribe？'Yes，'answered he.
'Ask of what thou wilt，'quoth she；'success rests with God.'
So he said'Tell me of the sun and its rising and setting？'
And she replied'The sun rises in the Eastern hemisphere and sets in the Westernand each hemisphere comprises ninescore degrees. Quoth God the Most High'VerilyI swear by the Lord of the places of the sunrise and of the sunsetting.'
And again'He it is who appointed the sun for a splendour and the moon for a light and ordained to her mansionsthat ye might know the number of the years and the reckoning.'
