© copyright, Raymond Descheneaux, 2019
*
For many reasons, travel in the desert regions of northern Africa is hazardous. Lions inhabit the scrub lands and leopards prowl the oases; raiders attack caravans that ply the Darb el-Arba trade route; and religious fanatics who live on our western border kidnap women. So whenever members of the royal family leave the safety of the palace, Grandfather sends a cohort of soldiers with them.
Some years ago, my cousin Hani, who had just completed his warrior training, and my cousin Ghayda, who was about to enter the harīm, were, in accordance with our traditions, sent to Thebes in order to pray at the mighty Nile River. Hani was an innocent boy who had always been shy with women. We used to tease him mercilessly just to see his face turn red.
On a bright spring day, Hani and Ghayda departed al-Kharijah bound for Thebes. Ghayda rode in an opulent litter that was carried by for stout slaves, and Hani rode a war horse. They were accompanied by a contingent of 12 soldiers. The warriors wore leather sandals and lightweight leather armor, and each carried a sword and a spear. As the company approached Thebes, the desert gave way to a grassy savannah and then to a dense woodland.
Suddenly, a party of twenty raiders burst out of the forest and raced down upon the travelers. The soldiers spread out and engaged them in furious combat. The slaves that had been carrying Ghayda's litter dropped it and ran off, spilling her out onto the grass. Swiftly, Hani dismounted and rushed to her side. Weaving between the combatants, Hani led his cousin into the forest. As they fled, the sounds of battle diminished until all they could hear was the buzzing of insects and the chirping of birds.
For hours they searched for shelter, but found none. Fearing that they might never discover the way back, Ghayda tore strips from her abaya and tied them to branches along the way. By the time the sun had set, they were cold and hungry.
Pushing through the undergrowth, they emerged in a large, moonlit clearing elegantly decorated with flowering shrubs and fountains. In its center stood a large structure that resembled a top. As they drew nearer, they discovered that the building was actually a gigantic wasps nest. It smelled sweet, and on closer inspection, it proved to be constructed from honey pastries that were stacked side by side and atop each other like bricks. The sweet scent had attracted hundreds of wasps, who were busily tending it.
Their mouths began to water, for they were very hungry. Ghayda approached and broke off a piece of pastry from the doorframe. Suddenly, a powerful female voice rang out into the night.
"Who are you to eat of my house?" it asked.
Ghayda jumped back and clung to her cousin. For a moment they were silent. Then, Hani said, "We respectfully seek the protection of this household."
"Ah," said the voice. "I am surprised. Many who come here have no manners at all and are quickly sent away. But you are polite." The voice was silent for a long time. Ghayda had an eerie feeling that they were being closely scrutinized. Just then, the door swung open, revealing a cavernous lighted chamber inside. "Enter," said the voice.
Passing through the portal, they emerged in a palace that had been fashioned entirely from natural materials. At its center was a huge cypress tree whose tall branches spread out and supported the roof. Long vines draped from its limbs, each sprouting white orchids. The floor was carpeted with purple grass that was soft and resilient. From one end to the other, a clear, babbling brook cascaded through the building, passing through three pools, each filled with exotic fish of the most marvelous kinds. Through one doorway, they could see a gigantic kitchen with oak tables and cabinets, a large granite oven, and shelves stocked with fruits, nuts, roots, and vegetables. Through another, they saw a bathing chamber with a blue swimming pool. And winding its way up and around the trunk of the cypress was an elegantly carved ebony staircase that led to the entrance of a large boudoir.
Suspended from the ceiling were slim hemp ropes that bore slate trays with white tallow candles, which bathed the palace in soft light. On tables and bookcases distributed throughout, there were stone bowls in which savory herbs and spices were smoldering, suffusing the cavernous room with intoxicating vapors.
Most marvelous of all were the servants. The entranceway was being guarded by two reclining leopards. In the kitchen, three large honey badgers were preparing the evening meal. Duiker antelopes were ferrying kiln-fired clay plates from the kitchen, and fennec foxes were setting the table. An army of wasps was busy cleaning the paneled walls, and countless ants were grooming the grass carpet.
There was a deep thrumming coming from somewhere above, and as Hani and Ghayda looked up, they beheld a nubile woman descending through the air. From her shoulder blades grew two pairs of diaphanous wings that were beating rapidly. Slung low upon her hips were a pair of tight fitting dark red leggings. Her hands, arms, and shoulders were covered in a form-fitting dark red blouse that surrounded and enhanced her naked breasts.
The woman alighted on the grass and folded her wings into her body. "I am the wasp queen," she said, "and this is my palace. Mother Cobra has given me dominion over this forest, and all of its inhabitants are my children. She charged me to protect them from humans, for your species can be unnaturally cruel." She circled around them, her delicate feet making no sound, her eyes piercing and knowing. "Who are you? Why have you entered my forest?" she asked.
Hani and Ghayda told the wasp queen that they had been on a religious pilgrimage to the Nile when their caravan had been attacked by robbers. During the ensuing battle, they explained, they had fled into the wilderness and become separated from their companions.
"So," said the queen. "Not only are you polite; you are also devout. You are welcome in my house. Here you will find refreshment and delight. When you are ready to leave, I will send an eagle to guide and protect you."
Hani and Ghayda were relieved to have found sanctuary and thanked the queen profusely.
"You are tired. Please, be seated and eat. It will help you recover your strength."
Gratefully, the two cousins sat down. A parade of animals brought them a steady stream of culinary delights. Despite their lacking any kind of meat, each of the dishes was savory and satisfying. Hani and Ghayda marveled at the high degree of skill and artistry evinced by them. When they had finished, the queen poured honey wine into ceramic goblets, and all three drank with relish.
In the meantime, the queen asked them many questions about their families and about their personal histories. The cousins answered truthfully, for they sensed that the queen would know if they were lying. When she asked them if they had had sex yet, Ghayda avowed that she was still a virgin; but Hani's face turned beet red, and when he opened his mouth, his throat seized, rendering him incapable of speech. Mercifully, the wasp queen smiled and said that it was of no consequence and that he should relax.
As the moon began to rise, the queen escorted them through an ornate doorway to the bathing chamber. In the low lighting, they could see crystal clear waters undulating softly in a deep pool whose bottom and sides were lined with iridescent blue stones. She accompanied them to the shallow end, removed her clothing, descended a marble stairway into the waist deep water, and bid them to do the same. Ghayda removed her abaya, unbuckled her halter and let it fall, and slid her paneled skirt down over her hips and onto the floor. Then she descended the steps into the water. An eland gathered her clothing in its teeth and conveyed it to the laundry.
Hani had never seen Ghayda naked before. It flustered him. And the sight of the naked queen gave him an enormous erection. He blushed and fumbled with his clothing. The wasp queen smiled, emerged from the pool, took him by the hand, and led him down the staircase, where the water concealed the bulge in his trousers. Expertly, she removed his clothes and handed them to a sable antelope, who, like the eland, departed to convey them to the laundry. Finally, a kudu gathered up the queen's clothing and did likewise.
The wasp queen retrieved a bar of tallow soap from a ceramic dish by the side of the pool. Smiling, she walked to where Ghayda was standing and began to lather it upon her. Soon, soap bubbles began to shimmy all over Ghayda's body. As the queen massaged her, they gradually descended onto the surface of the water and formed a ring of suds around her. Ghayda's body was electrified. She had never been touched in such a caressing and sensuous way. Her cheeks and lips became pink. Her nipples swelled and hardened.
The wasp queen put down the soap, kissed Ghayda on her lips, and caressed her breasts. Ghayda's breath became deep and labored. Her body pulsed with excitement, and she moaned with pleasure.
The queen guided her up the steps and made her recline upon a thickly upholstered divan that was located by the side of the pool. She kneeled on the cushions, straddling Ghayda's face, and lowered her mouth onto her pubis. She rolled her tongue in little circles that gradually
descended onto Ghayda's clitoris. Then she closed her lips upon her rosebud and sucked it lovingly. Ghayda placed her palms upon the queen's buttocks, arched her back, and closed her eyes. She opened her mouth wide and screamed in ecstasy.
Hani wrapped his hand around the shaft of his penis and stroked it. For some time, he watched the two women as they pleasured each other. As he did so, he masturbated faster until, at last, he sprayed a tremendous load of semen into the water.
The wasp queen raised her face from Ghayda's pubis and smiled at him. Lifting herself from the divan, she reentered the water, walked toward Hani, and wrapped her arms around him. Then she kissed him passionately and pushed her tongue into his mouth. She began to walk him backward toward the edge of the pool. As they progressed, she slid her hand down his abdomen, grasped his penis, and began to stroke it lovingly. When they reached the edge of the pool, she whispered a command in his ear. Hani obeyed and sat on the rim of the pool with his legs dangling in the water. The queen parted his thighs, lowered her face between them, and wrapped her lips around his glans. For several moments, she fellated him slowly and intensely. Hani placed his hands on her head, turned his face up to the ceiling, and uttered "Oh!" His penis spasmed in her mouth and released another load of semen, which the queen happily swallowed.
When Hani and Ghayda were calm again, the wasp queen escorted them back into the main chamber. Together, they crossed the purple grass, ascended the ebony staircase, and stood just inside the portal of the boudoir. The queen clapped her hands and spoke a few words in a strange tongue. From the main hall below, there arose a tremendous buzzing as hundreds of wasps responded. They ascended through the air, flew past the queen, Hani, and Ghayda, and dispersed throughout the bedroom. They divided into squadrons each of which undertook a particular task. Some lit the incense and candles; others removed the bedsheets and pillow cases and replaced them with freshly laundered ones; still others fluffed the ornate canopy over the large round bed. When all had been prepared, the wasps assembled near the ceiling and fluttered their wings in unison in order to circulate the air. Quickly the room acquired a comfortable temperature. The thrumming of their wings produced a natural soothing music that was pleasing to the ear.
The queen opened a mahogany armoire and retrieved three neatly folded sets of clothing, two of which were colored black and the other, dark red. The queen unfolded the red garments, which comprised a cap, a hijab, and a niqab. Crossing to an ornate mirror that was hanging on the wall, she fitted the cap onto her head. She shook out the hijab to its full dimensions and pulled it over the cap so that the fabric draped around her head and down onto her shoulders and her face protruded through the opening. Then she arranged the niqab on her face so that her eyes could be seen through the horizontal slit, pulled the long ends over the hijab and cap, and tied them together behind her head. The second ensemble was identical in all respects to the queen's, except that it was black instead of red. The queen stepped behind Ghayda and secured the cap and hijab on her head and the niqab over her face. The final garment was a black cowl. Shifting to a position behind Hani, the queen pulled it over his head and secured it so that he could see through the eyeholes. Then she stepped back and examined her work. The cousins' faces were completely hidden, except for their eyes. Their masks were constructed in such a way as to cling closely to their foreheads, cheeks, and noses while draping loosely down onto their clavicles. The fabric was so thin and finely woven that she could see the outlines of their lips.
The queen climbed onto the bed and kneeled in the center. Motioning with her hand, she beckoned Hani and Ghayda to join her. They complied and kneeled on the mattress facing her. The queen pushed lightly on Hani's chest, conveying to him her wish that he should lie down. Hani complied by assuming a supine position. He reached for a pillow and placed it under his head and opened his legs. The queen responded by reversing herself and crouching over him. She planted her knees on either side of Hani's head and lowered her chest onto his abdomen so that her face was directly over his groin. Then she beckoned Ghayda and indicated that she should lie prone between his legs and position her face directly above his testicles.
The queen grasped the lower margin of her niqab and raised it slightly so that her mouth was exposed. She lowered her face onto Hani and kissed his abdomen. Hani's body quivered. The queen cradled his penis in her hands and kissed it repeatedly. It responded by engorging and standing upright, like a little soldier at attention. The queen angled his penis toward Ghayda. Ghayda leaned forward, raised her niqab, slipped her tongue onto his shaft, and licked slowly and teasingly. Cupping her fingers under his testicles, she lifted them slightly and sucked first one and then the other. She wrapped one hand around his shaft, and with the fingers of the other, stroked his perineum, letting her middle finger trace lazy circles around his anus. Then she lowered her mouth onto his glans and fellated him.
Hani began to shake convulsively. He grasped the queen's hips, pushed his head back into the pillow, and opened his mouth wide. Ghayda giggled with delight and redoubled her sucking. After a few moments, the wasp queen pulled Hani's penis out from between Ghayda's lips, put it in her own mouth, and fellated him.
When Hani could stand it no longer, the queen removed his penis from her mouth and held it upright. A geyser of sperm emerged from it and fell back upon the women's upturned faces. They laughed happily and licked the white liquid from each other. Hani's orgasm continued in spurts of diminishing force and finally ceased. Semen pooled on his abdomen, covered his penis, and dripped onto his testicles. Ghayda and the queen assiduously licked him clean.
The sun rose in a clear, blue sky, its warmth awakening the wasp queen and her guests, who had fallen asleep wrapped in each other's arms. The queen donned a diaphanous red and black abaya and dressed Ghayda in a similar one colored mauve. She gave Hani new clothes and a pair of fine leather sandals.
Accompanied by her leopards, the wasp queen led Hani and Ghayda outside and through the garden. When they arrived at the edge of the forest, the queen, by gesturing with her hand, caused the brambles to separate, revealing a path that was paved with marble chips. An army of crickets was clearing it of weeds and shepherding stray stones back into place.
The queen took Hani and Ghayda on a tour of her domain. As they progressed, she introduced them to her subjects. The aspens, cedars, and pines bowed courteously. The antelopes, bears, and foxes did likewise.
When the sun began to set, they returned to the palace and dined pleasantly. After some light conversation over goblets of honey wine, they fell silent. The queen then arose and conducted the cousins up the stairs and back into her boudoir.
She commanded them to undress, and, as they were doing so, crossed to the armoire and retrieved fresh clothing. As Hani and Ghayda put on their masks, the queen disrobed, pulled something out of one of the drawers, and strapped it on over her hips. Turning toward the cousins, she revealed that she had donned a large rubber penis that surmounted, at its root, two pendulous rubber testicles. Ghayda caught her breath and began to caress her clitoris.
They climbed into bed. The wasp queen put on her cap, hijab, and niqab and reclined upon her back in the center of the mattress. She opened her legs, and, with one hand, stroked the rubber penis. Ghayda was mesmerized. She lay on her stomach between the queen's thighs and wriggled forward. Then she raised her niqab and surrounded the penis with her mouth. As she fellated it, she whimpered with excitement and pleasure. The queen squeezed one of the rubber testicles and shot sweetened cream into her mouth, which Ghayda happily swallowed.
The wasp queen arose and pushed Ghayda down upon her back. Ghayda bent her knees, brought her heels close to her body, and spread open her legs. The queen lay down prone with her elbows propped on the mattress between Ghayda's feet. Then she turned and beckoned Hani, who had been watching and stroking his penis. Obediently, he lay down upon his stomach next to her.
The queen turned her attention back to Ghayda. She drew her fingertips slowly around her clitoris, which caused Ghayda to shudder with delight. Then she raised her niqab, enclosed Ghayda's rosebud between her lips, and sucked the little ball of flesh repeatedly. A massive orgasm swept over Ghayda.
The queen removed her niqab, faced Hani, and opened her mouth. Vaginal juices from Ghayda's body dripped from the end of her tongue. She dipped her finger into the liquid and proffered it to Hani. Hani raise his cowl and licked it. It electrified him. Turning swiftly, he sealed his lips against Ghayda's clitoris and licked her rosebud. Ghayda gasped with pleasure. As he rolled his tongue around and around, he inserted a finger into her rectum and twisted it back and forth. Ghayda arched her back, screamed with pleasure, and climaxed.
Hani shifted around Ghayda's body and crouched over her with his knees on either side of her head. Ghayda smiled and stroked the undersides of his testicles. His penis grew rock hard in anticipation. She pulled it downward and wrapped her lips around its head. By arching her back, she was able to force his glans to the back of her mouth and into her throat. Then she pulled his penis out of her mouth and kissed its underside. Hani gasped with surprise and pleasure. His penis spasmed and sprayed a dollop of semen onto Ghayda's breasts. She giggled and, with her finger, swept up some of the sticky liquid and put it in her mouth.
Hani rolled off her body and onto his back. For some time, the cousins lay on the bed side by side, holding hands, and breathing heavily. In the meantime, the wasp queen stepped off the mattress and crossed the room to an ornate table, upon which there was a stoppered bottle and three goblets. She conveyed them to the side of the bed, sat down, and placed them on one of the night tables. She unstopped the bottle, poured some of its contents into two goblets, and handed them to Hani and Ghayda. Then she measured some out for herself. Raising her goblet, she said, "Drink this. It will restore your strength and increase your desire." They drank in silence. The queen poured out another dose, and the three drank again.
Ghayda felt passion rising in her body. The queen motioned for her to lie supine upon the bed, and she obeyed. Removing a glass bottle from a drawer in the night table, the queen poured scented oil onto the rubber penis and spread it around its circumference with her hand. Then she turned and approached Ghayda. Ghayda raised her knees and opened her legs. With two fingers, she spread open her labia. The wasp queen crouched over her and guided the tip of the rubber penis into Ghayda's vagina. She rock forward and back, each time pushing the giant dildo deeper into her. When it could penetrate no further, she increased the rhythm of her thrusting. Ghayda began to weep tears of ecstasy. Suddenly, the queen planted her palms upon the mattress on either side of Ghayda's body and slammed against her pubis repeatedly. Ghayda let out a long mournful scream as her body shuddered with pleasure. The queen did not relent until Ghayda began to gasp for air. Then she withdrew the rubber penis, fell on Ghayda, and kissed her passionately.
After several moments, the wasp queen rolled off of Ghayda's body and lay on her back. Suddenly, Ghayda lurched upward and sprang upon Hani. Hani was caught off guard and tumbled backward onto the bed. Ghayda pulled her niqab off her head and pushed his thighs apart. She wrapped her hands around his shaft and masturbated him until his penis was rock hard. Then she opened her mouth wide, lowered it onto his throbbing shaft, and pushed her face downward until the back of her pharynx was pressed against his glans. She sealed her lips around the shaft and sucked in her breath so that the insides of her cheeks collapsed around his
penis. Licking its underside, she slowly pulled her lips up along its length. When it popped out of her mouth, its sheer weight caused it to oscillate up and down in the air. It was wet with her saliva and glittered in the candlelight. She fellated him again and again until, at last, he bellowed in ecstasy and filled her mouth with semen.
For four more nights, the wasp queen instructed Hani and Ghayda in the arts of sexual pleasure. On the morning of the seventh day, she gave them each a purse filled with gold coins, kissed them affectionately, and accompanied them to the door. Hand in hand, Hani and Ghayda walked to the edge of the forest. The queen gestured with her hand, and the branches parted and, once again, uncovered the cobbled path. The grateful cousins turned and waved goodbye. The queen threw them a kiss, turned, and entered the palace. The door closed behind her.
Hani and Ghayda turned and stepped onto the trail. An eagle appeared in the sky overhead, and, over the next few days, guided them safely through the wilderness. Eventually, they emerged near the road to Thebes. They waited for a passing caravan, paid the camel master, and rode by camel to the Nile. There, they kneeled and thanked the gods for preserving them. Then they made their way back to Al-Kharijah.
A few days after their return, Hani and Ghayda asked me to intervene with Grandfather on their behalf and to petition him to release Ghayda from the harīm. Grandfather generously did so, and within a few weeks, Hani and Ghayda were married. According to our laws, their commitment to each other did not rule out their making love with others in order to pass on the wasp queen's teachings. As a result, the palace, which had always been a happy place, became even happier.
Three years passed. Then, one day, a caravan arrived from the east. One of the passengers, a woman, was a relative of Grandfather's. She hastened to the court, kneeled before him, and told him that the wasp queen was dead. A trio of monotheist soldiers from the western desert had infiltrated the countryside around Thebes. These fanatics believe in a stern, vengeful god who forbids all inventive sexual pleasures. They had stumbled upon the wasp queen's palace and been invited inside. But when she attempted to give them pleasure, they killed her leopards, seized her, pushed her into her oven, and burned her alive.
The End
Illustrated Erotic Desert Fairy Tales by Raymond Descheneaux:
*
For many reasons, travel in the desert regions of northern Africa is hazardous. Lions inhabit the scrub lands and leopards prowl the oases; raiders attack caravans that ply the Darb el-Arba trade route; and religious fanatics who live on our western border kidnap women. So whenever members of the royal family leave the safety of the palace, Grandfather sends a cohort of soldiers with them.
Some years ago, my cousin Hani, who had just completed his warrior training, and my cousin Ghayda, who was about to enter the harīm, were, in accordance with our traditions, sent to Thebes in order to pray at the mighty Nile River. Hani was an innocent boy who had always been shy with women. We used to tease him mercilessly just to see his face turn red.
On a bright spring day, Hani and Ghayda departed al-Kharijah bound for Thebes. Ghayda rode in an opulent litter that was carried by for stout slaves, and Hani rode a war horse. They were accompanied by a contingent of 12 soldiers. The warriors wore leather sandals and lightweight leather armor, and each carried a sword and a spear. As the company approached Thebes, the desert gave way to a grassy savannah and then to a dense woodland.
Suddenly, a party of twenty raiders burst out of the forest and raced down upon the travelers. The soldiers spread out and engaged them in furious combat. The slaves that had been carrying Ghayda's litter dropped it and ran off, spilling her out onto the grass. Swiftly, Hani dismounted and rushed to her side. Weaving between the combatants, Hani led his cousin into the forest. As they fled, the sounds of battle diminished until all they could hear was the buzzing of insects and the chirping of birds.
For hours they searched for shelter, but found none. Fearing that they might never discover the way back, Ghayda tore strips from her abaya and tied them to branches along the way. By the time the sun had set, they were cold and hungry.
Pushing through the undergrowth, they emerged in a large, moonlit clearing elegantly decorated with flowering shrubs and fountains. In its center stood a large structure that resembled a top. As they drew nearer, they discovered that the building was actually a gigantic wasps nest. It smelled sweet, and on closer inspection, it proved to be constructed from honey pastries that were stacked side by side and atop each other like bricks. The sweet scent had attracted hundreds of wasps, who were busily tending it.
Their mouths began to water, for they were very hungry. Ghayda approached and broke off a piece of pastry from the doorframe. Suddenly, a powerful female voice rang out into the night.
"Who are you to eat of my house?" it asked.
Ghayda jumped back and clung to her cousin. For a moment they were silent. Then, Hani said, "We respectfully seek the protection of this household."
"Ah," said the voice. "I am surprised. Many who come here have no manners at all and are quickly sent away. But you are polite." The voice was silent for a long time. Ghayda had an eerie feeling that they were being closely scrutinized. Just then, the door swung open, revealing a cavernous lighted chamber inside. "Enter," said the voice.
Passing through the portal, they emerged in a palace that had been fashioned entirely from natural materials. At its center was a huge cypress tree whose tall branches spread out and supported the roof. Long vines draped from its limbs, each sprouting white orchids. The floor was carpeted with purple grass that was soft and resilient. From one end to the other, a clear, babbling brook cascaded through the building, passing through three pools, each filled with exotic fish of the most marvelous kinds. Through one doorway, they could see a gigantic kitchen with oak tables and cabinets, a large granite oven, and shelves stocked with fruits, nuts, roots, and vegetables. Through another, they saw a bathing chamber with a blue swimming pool. And winding its way up and around the trunk of the cypress was an elegantly carved ebony staircase that led to the entrance of a large boudoir.
Suspended from the ceiling were slim hemp ropes that bore slate trays with white tallow candles, which bathed the palace in soft light. On tables and bookcases distributed throughout, there were stone bowls in which savory herbs and spices were smoldering, suffusing the cavernous room with intoxicating vapors.
Most marvelous of all were the servants. The entranceway was being guarded by two reclining leopards. In the kitchen, three large honey badgers were preparing the evening meal. Duiker antelopes were ferrying kiln-fired clay plates from the kitchen, and fennec foxes were setting the table. An army of wasps was busy cleaning the paneled walls, and countless ants were grooming the grass carpet.
There was a deep thrumming coming from somewhere above, and as Hani and Ghayda looked up, they beheld a nubile woman descending through the air. From her shoulder blades grew two pairs of diaphanous wings that were beating rapidly. Slung low upon her hips were a pair of tight fitting dark red leggings. Her hands, arms, and shoulders were covered in a form-fitting dark red blouse that surrounded and enhanced her naked breasts.
The woman alighted on the grass and folded her wings into her body. "I am the wasp queen," she said, "and this is my palace. Mother Cobra has given me dominion over this forest, and all of its inhabitants are my children. She charged me to protect them from humans, for your species can be unnaturally cruel." She circled around them, her delicate feet making no sound, her eyes piercing and knowing. "Who are you? Why have you entered my forest?" she asked.
Hani and Ghayda told the wasp queen that they had been on a religious pilgrimage to the Nile when their caravan had been attacked by robbers. During the ensuing battle, they explained, they had fled into the wilderness and become separated from their companions.
"So," said the queen. "Not only are you polite; you are also devout. You are welcome in my house. Here you will find refreshment and delight. When you are ready to leave, I will send an eagle to guide and protect you."
Hani and Ghayda were relieved to have found sanctuary and thanked the queen profusely.
"You are tired. Please, be seated and eat. It will help you recover your strength."
Gratefully, the two cousins sat down. A parade of animals brought them a steady stream of culinary delights. Despite their lacking any kind of meat, each of the dishes was savory and satisfying. Hani and Ghayda marveled at the high degree of skill and artistry evinced by them. When they had finished, the queen poured honey wine into ceramic goblets, and all three drank with relish.
In the meantime, the queen asked them many questions about their families and about their personal histories. The cousins answered truthfully, for they sensed that the queen would know if they were lying. When she asked them if they had had sex yet, Ghayda avowed that she was still a virgin; but Hani's face turned beet red, and when he opened his mouth, his throat seized, rendering him incapable of speech. Mercifully, the wasp queen smiled and said that it was of no consequence and that he should relax.
As the moon began to rise, the queen escorted them through an ornate doorway to the bathing chamber. In the low lighting, they could see crystal clear waters undulating softly in a deep pool whose bottom and sides were lined with iridescent blue stones. She accompanied them to the shallow end, removed her clothing, descended a marble stairway into the waist deep water, and bid them to do the same. Ghayda removed her abaya, unbuckled her halter and let it fall, and slid her paneled skirt down over her hips and onto the floor. Then she descended the steps into the water. An eland gathered her clothing in its teeth and conveyed it to the laundry.
Hani had never seen Ghayda naked before. It flustered him. And the sight of the naked queen gave him an enormous erection. He blushed and fumbled with his clothing. The wasp queen smiled, emerged from the pool, took him by the hand, and led him down the staircase, where the water concealed the bulge in his trousers. Expertly, she removed his clothes and handed them to a sable antelope, who, like the eland, departed to convey them to the laundry. Finally, a kudu gathered up the queen's clothing and did likewise.
The wasp queen retrieved a bar of tallow soap from a ceramic dish by the side of the pool. Smiling, she walked to where Ghayda was standing and began to lather it upon her. Soon, soap bubbles began to shimmy all over Ghayda's body. As the queen massaged her, they gradually descended onto the surface of the water and formed a ring of suds around her. Ghayda's body was electrified. She had never been touched in such a caressing and sensuous way. Her cheeks and lips became pink. Her nipples swelled and hardened.
The wasp queen put down the soap, kissed Ghayda on her lips, and caressed her breasts. Ghayda's breath became deep and labored. Her body pulsed with excitement, and she moaned with pleasure.
The queen guided her up the steps and made her recline upon a thickly upholstered divan that was located by the side of the pool. She kneeled on the cushions, straddling Ghayda's face, and lowered her mouth onto her pubis. She rolled her tongue in little circles that gradually
descended onto Ghayda's clitoris. Then she closed her lips upon her rosebud and sucked it lovingly. Ghayda placed her palms upon the queen's buttocks, arched her back, and closed her eyes. She opened her mouth wide and screamed in ecstasy.
Hani wrapped his hand around the shaft of his penis and stroked it. For some time, he watched the two women as they pleasured each other. As he did so, he masturbated faster until, at last, he sprayed a tremendous load of semen into the water.
The wasp queen raised her face from Ghayda's pubis and smiled at him. Lifting herself from the divan, she reentered the water, walked toward Hani, and wrapped her arms around him. Then she kissed him passionately and pushed her tongue into his mouth. She began to walk him backward toward the edge of the pool. As they progressed, she slid her hand down his abdomen, grasped his penis, and began to stroke it lovingly. When they reached the edge of the pool, she whispered a command in his ear. Hani obeyed and sat on the rim of the pool with his legs dangling in the water. The queen parted his thighs, lowered her face between them, and wrapped her lips around his glans. For several moments, she fellated him slowly and intensely. Hani placed his hands on her head, turned his face up to the ceiling, and uttered "Oh!" His penis spasmed in her mouth and released another load of semen, which the queen happily swallowed.
ξ
When Hani and Ghayda were calm again, the wasp queen escorted them back into the main chamber. Together, they crossed the purple grass, ascended the ebony staircase, and stood just inside the portal of the boudoir. The queen clapped her hands and spoke a few words in a strange tongue. From the main hall below, there arose a tremendous buzzing as hundreds of wasps responded. They ascended through the air, flew past the queen, Hani, and Ghayda, and dispersed throughout the bedroom. They divided into squadrons each of which undertook a particular task. Some lit the incense and candles; others removed the bedsheets and pillow cases and replaced them with freshly laundered ones; still others fluffed the ornate canopy over the large round bed. When all had been prepared, the wasps assembled near the ceiling and fluttered their wings in unison in order to circulate the air. Quickly the room acquired a comfortable temperature. The thrumming of their wings produced a natural soothing music that was pleasing to the ear.
The queen opened a mahogany armoire and retrieved three neatly folded sets of clothing, two of which were colored black and the other, dark red. The queen unfolded the red garments, which comprised a cap, a hijab, and a niqab. Crossing to an ornate mirror that was hanging on the wall, she fitted the cap onto her head. She shook out the hijab to its full dimensions and pulled it over the cap so that the fabric draped around her head and down onto her shoulders and her face protruded through the opening. Then she arranged the niqab on her face so that her eyes could be seen through the horizontal slit, pulled the long ends over the hijab and cap, and tied them together behind her head. The second ensemble was identical in all respects to the queen's, except that it was black instead of red. The queen stepped behind Ghayda and secured the cap and hijab on her head and the niqab over her face. The final garment was a black cowl. Shifting to a position behind Hani, the queen pulled it over his head and secured it so that he could see through the eyeholes. Then she stepped back and examined her work. The cousins' faces were completely hidden, except for their eyes. Their masks were constructed in such a way as to cling closely to their foreheads, cheeks, and noses while draping loosely down onto their clavicles. The fabric was so thin and finely woven that she could see the outlines of their lips.
The queen climbed onto the bed and kneeled in the center. Motioning with her hand, she beckoned Hani and Ghayda to join her. They complied and kneeled on the mattress facing her. The queen pushed lightly on Hani's chest, conveying to him her wish that he should lie down. Hani complied by assuming a supine position. He reached for a pillow and placed it under his head and opened his legs. The queen responded by reversing herself and crouching over him. She planted her knees on either side of Hani's head and lowered her chest onto his abdomen so that her face was directly over his groin. Then she beckoned Ghayda and indicated that she should lie prone between his legs and position her face directly above his testicles.
The queen grasped the lower margin of her niqab and raised it slightly so that her mouth was exposed. She lowered her face onto Hani and kissed his abdomen. Hani's body quivered. The queen cradled his penis in her hands and kissed it repeatedly. It responded by engorging and standing upright, like a little soldier at attention. The queen angled his penis toward Ghayda. Ghayda leaned forward, raised her niqab, slipped her tongue onto his shaft, and licked slowly and teasingly. Cupping her fingers under his testicles, she lifted them slightly and sucked first one and then the other. She wrapped one hand around his shaft, and with the fingers of the other, stroked his perineum, letting her middle finger trace lazy circles around his anus. Then she lowered her mouth onto his glans and fellated him.
Hani began to shake convulsively. He grasped the queen's hips, pushed his head back into the pillow, and opened his mouth wide. Ghayda giggled with delight and redoubled her sucking. After a few moments, the wasp queen pulled Hani's penis out from between Ghayda's lips, put it in her own mouth, and fellated him.
When Hani could stand it no longer, the queen removed his penis from her mouth and held it upright. A geyser of sperm emerged from it and fell back upon the women's upturned faces. They laughed happily and licked the white liquid from each other. Hani's orgasm continued in spurts of diminishing force and finally ceased. Semen pooled on his abdomen, covered his penis, and dripped onto his testicles. Ghayda and the queen assiduously licked him clean.
ξ
The sun rose in a clear, blue sky, its warmth awakening the wasp queen and her guests, who had fallen asleep wrapped in each other's arms. The queen donned a diaphanous red and black abaya and dressed Ghayda in a similar one colored mauve. She gave Hani new clothes and a pair of fine leather sandals.
Accompanied by her leopards, the wasp queen led Hani and Ghayda outside and through the garden. When they arrived at the edge of the forest, the queen, by gesturing with her hand, caused the brambles to separate, revealing a path that was paved with marble chips. An army of crickets was clearing it of weeds and shepherding stray stones back into place.
The queen took Hani and Ghayda on a tour of her domain. As they progressed, she introduced them to her subjects. The aspens, cedars, and pines bowed courteously. The antelopes, bears, and foxes did likewise.
When the sun began to set, they returned to the palace and dined pleasantly. After some light conversation over goblets of honey wine, they fell silent. The queen then arose and conducted the cousins up the stairs and back into her boudoir.
She commanded them to undress, and, as they were doing so, crossed to the armoire and retrieved fresh clothing. As Hani and Ghayda put on their masks, the queen disrobed, pulled something out of one of the drawers, and strapped it on over her hips. Turning toward the cousins, she revealed that she had donned a large rubber penis that surmounted, at its root, two pendulous rubber testicles. Ghayda caught her breath and began to caress her clitoris.
They climbed into bed. The wasp queen put on her cap, hijab, and niqab and reclined upon her back in the center of the mattress. She opened her legs, and, with one hand, stroked the rubber penis. Ghayda was mesmerized. She lay on her stomach between the queen's thighs and wriggled forward. Then she raised her niqab and surrounded the penis with her mouth. As she fellated it, she whimpered with excitement and pleasure. The queen squeezed one of the rubber testicles and shot sweetened cream into her mouth, which Ghayda happily swallowed.
The wasp queen arose and pushed Ghayda down upon her back. Ghayda bent her knees, brought her heels close to her body, and spread open her legs. The queen lay down prone with her elbows propped on the mattress between Ghayda's feet. Then she turned and beckoned Hani, who had been watching and stroking his penis. Obediently, he lay down upon his stomach next to her.
The queen turned her attention back to Ghayda. She drew her fingertips slowly around her clitoris, which caused Ghayda to shudder with delight. Then she raised her niqab, enclosed Ghayda's rosebud between her lips, and sucked the little ball of flesh repeatedly. A massive orgasm swept over Ghayda.
The queen removed her niqab, faced Hani, and opened her mouth. Vaginal juices from Ghayda's body dripped from the end of her tongue. She dipped her finger into the liquid and proffered it to Hani. Hani raise his cowl and licked it. It electrified him. Turning swiftly, he sealed his lips against Ghayda's clitoris and licked her rosebud. Ghayda gasped with pleasure. As he rolled his tongue around and around, he inserted a finger into her rectum and twisted it back and forth. Ghayda arched her back, screamed with pleasure, and climaxed.
Hani shifted around Ghayda's body and crouched over her with his knees on either side of her head. Ghayda smiled and stroked the undersides of his testicles. His penis grew rock hard in anticipation. She pulled it downward and wrapped her lips around its head. By arching her back, she was able to force his glans to the back of her mouth and into her throat. Then she pulled his penis out of her mouth and kissed its underside. Hani gasped with surprise and pleasure. His penis spasmed and sprayed a dollop of semen onto Ghayda's breasts. She giggled and, with her finger, swept up some of the sticky liquid and put it in her mouth.
Hani rolled off her body and onto his back. For some time, the cousins lay on the bed side by side, holding hands, and breathing heavily. In the meantime, the wasp queen stepped off the mattress and crossed the room to an ornate table, upon which there was a stoppered bottle and three goblets. She conveyed them to the side of the bed, sat down, and placed them on one of the night tables. She unstopped the bottle, poured some of its contents into two goblets, and handed them to Hani and Ghayda. Then she measured some out for herself. Raising her goblet, she said, "Drink this. It will restore your strength and increase your desire." They drank in silence. The queen poured out another dose, and the three drank again.
Ghayda felt passion rising in her body. The queen motioned for her to lie supine upon the bed, and she obeyed. Removing a glass bottle from a drawer in the night table, the queen poured scented oil onto the rubber penis and spread it around its circumference with her hand. Then she turned and approached Ghayda. Ghayda raised her knees and opened her legs. With two fingers, she spread open her labia. The wasp queen crouched over her and guided the tip of the rubber penis into Ghayda's vagina. She rock forward and back, each time pushing the giant dildo deeper into her. When it could penetrate no further, she increased the rhythm of her thrusting. Ghayda began to weep tears of ecstasy. Suddenly, the queen planted her palms upon the mattress on either side of Ghayda's body and slammed against her pubis repeatedly. Ghayda let out a long mournful scream as her body shuddered with pleasure. The queen did not relent until Ghayda began to gasp for air. Then she withdrew the rubber penis, fell on Ghayda, and kissed her passionately.
After several moments, the wasp queen rolled off of Ghayda's body and lay on her back. Suddenly, Ghayda lurched upward and sprang upon Hani. Hani was caught off guard and tumbled backward onto the bed. Ghayda pulled her niqab off her head and pushed his thighs apart. She wrapped her hands around his shaft and masturbated him until his penis was rock hard. Then she opened her mouth wide, lowered it onto his throbbing shaft, and pushed her face downward until the back of her pharynx was pressed against his glans. She sealed her lips around the shaft and sucked in her breath so that the insides of her cheeks collapsed around his
penis. Licking its underside, she slowly pulled her lips up along its length. When it popped out of her mouth, its sheer weight caused it to oscillate up and down in the air. It was wet with her saliva and glittered in the candlelight. She fellated him again and again until, at last, he bellowed in ecstasy and filled her mouth with semen.
ξ
For four more nights, the wasp queen instructed Hani and Ghayda in the arts of sexual pleasure. On the morning of the seventh day, she gave them each a purse filled with gold coins, kissed them affectionately, and accompanied them to the door. Hand in hand, Hani and Ghayda walked to the edge of the forest. The queen gestured with her hand, and the branches parted and, once again, uncovered the cobbled path. The grateful cousins turned and waved goodbye. The queen threw them a kiss, turned, and entered the palace. The door closed behind her.
Hani and Ghayda turned and stepped onto the trail. An eagle appeared in the sky overhead, and, over the next few days, guided them safely through the wilderness. Eventually, they emerged near the road to Thebes. They waited for a passing caravan, paid the camel master, and rode by camel to the Nile. There, they kneeled and thanked the gods for preserving them. Then they made their way back to Al-Kharijah.
A few days after their return, Hani and Ghayda asked me to intervene with Grandfather on their behalf and to petition him to release Ghayda from the harīm. Grandfather generously did so, and within a few weeks, Hani and Ghayda were married. According to our laws, their commitment to each other did not rule out their making love with others in order to pass on the wasp queen's teachings. As a result, the palace, which had always been a happy place, became even happier.
Three years passed. Then, one day, a caravan arrived from the east. One of the passengers, a woman, was a relative of Grandfather's. She hastened to the court, kneeled before him, and told him that the wasp queen was dead. A trio of monotheist soldiers from the western desert had infiltrated the countryside around Thebes. These fanatics believe in a stern, vengeful god who forbids all inventive sexual pleasures. They had stumbled upon the wasp queen's palace and been invited inside. But when she attempted to give them pleasure, they killed her leopards, seized her, pushed her into her oven, and burned her alive.
The End
Illustrated Erotic Desert Fairy Tales by Raymond Descheneaux:
Sexual Practices of Al-Kharijah
Little Red Riding Veil
The Three Little Piglets
Golden-Hair and the Three Bears
The White King and the Seven Succubi
Hani and Ghayda
The Three She-Goats
Jamila and the Baobab Stalk
The Last Days of Al-Kharijah