The moon's night-litany

Al-Masudi mentions that the Arabs used to tell of the moon each night according to its brightness, in the manner of question and answer. ²

It is asked of the moon: "Which night's son are you?" and it answers with an image suited to the night. On the first night, "the suckling of a young she-goat"; on the second, "the talk of two maids"; on the third, "the talk of girls gathering from scattered places." The saying continues in this pattern until the end of the month. ²

On the thirteenth, "a brilliant moon," and on the fifteenth, "complete perfection, and the days have run out." ²