Aziz, the son of a wealthy merchant, is aranged to wed his cousin Aziza. However, one day, while on his way back from the public bath, Aziz falls in love with a beautiful woman whom he sees in a window making signs at him, and is late to his own wedding. The ceremony is postponed for a year, but Aziz describes the woman's signs to Aziza, who interprets them. He returns to see the woman two more times. Then he begins visiting periodically, reciting poetry given to him by Aziza, but falls asleep every time, until finally he manages to stay awake and spend the night with the woman. The woman, Dalila, gives him the piece of linen, which he passes on to Aziza. He continually returns to stay with her, each time reciting Aziza's poetry. One day, Dalila understands from the poetry that another woman is in love with him and has died of grief, and sure enough, Aziz returns home only to learn that his cousin is dead.
Aziz's mother tells him that she will give him the piece of linen only when he weeps for Aziza. Dalila, on the other hand, tells him that she was planning to harm him, and Aziza saved him. She tells him never to leave her, but one night while he is drunk and out walking, an old woman and a girl lure him into a house, where the girl forces him into sex and then forces him to marry her. He is only allowed out once a year. When the day comes, he immediately goes to the garden of Dalila. However, now that he is married, he is of no use to her, and she has her slave girls castrate him. He tries to return to the house of his wife, but is refused because of his castration. Only now does he realize that Aziza was the one who really loved him, and weeps for her, causing his mother to finally give him the piece of linen and a letter explainnig that it was created by princess Dunya of the Camphor Islands, as well as a warning of the malice of women.