No More Learning

"But I did not listen to him. 'Behold, am I not thy' mother, and thy elder brother is he not like a father to thee ? that is what I said to him, and he got alarmed and did me violence that I might not make a report to thee; but if thou lettest him live, I shall kill myself. Behold he was come . . . " . . .
And the elder brother became like a panther he made his dagger sharp, and took it in his hand. And the elder brother put himself behind the door of his stable to kill his younger brother on his return at evening to bring his cattle to the stable.
But when the sun set, he loaded himself with all the herbs of the field, according to his daily wont. And he came, and the first cow entered into the stable, and it said to its keeper : "Verily, thy elder brother is standing before thee with his dagger to slay thee. Betake thyself from before him. "
He heard the speech of the first ox ; the next one entered and it spoke in the same way. He looked under the door of the stable, and he saw the two feet of his elder brother, who was standing behind the door with a dagger in his hand.
He laid down his load upon the ground and betook himself to flight, his elder brother following him with his dagger.
The younger brother invoked the Sun god Horus of the two horizons, saying, " My good Lord, it is thou who distin- guishest wrong from right ! "
The Sun god stopped to listen to all his wailings. And the Sun god made a large stream, which was full of croco diles, between him and his elder; one of them was on one bank and one upon the other.
And the elder brother struck his hand twice (with rage) at not killing him : he did.
And the younger brother called to him from the bank, saying : —
166 STORY OF THE TWO BROTHERS.
"Stop till daybreak, and when the sun's disk comes forth, I shall have an explanation with thee in its presence
. . .
of the truth, for I have never done wrong to thee, but I will never live in the places wherein thou art.
to give the
I am going to the mountain of the Cedar. "
But when the day dawned, the Sun god, Horus of both
horizons, came forth, and each of them saw the other. "
The young man spoke to his elder brother, saying : What is this, thy coming to kill me wrongfully ? Hearest thou not what my mouth speaketh ? Verily, I am thy younger brother, in very deed, and thou wert to me as a father, and thy wife as
a mother.
" Behold, is it not because thou didst send me to fetch
seed for us ' thy wife said to me, 'Come, let us lie down for an instant ; but see, she has turned it to thee the wrong way. " And he made him understand what had happened with reference to himself with his wife. He swore by the Sun
god, Horus of both horizons, saying, "Thy intent is to slay me wrongfully, thou art with thy dagger, . . . " and he took a sharp knife, cut off his phallus and threw it into the water, and the fish swallowed it.
But he became faint and swooned away. And his elder brother felt compassion exceedingly. And he stood weeping and crying, not being able to pass over to the place where his younger brother was, on account of the crocodiles.
But the younger brother called to him, saying : " Behold, thou didst imagine a crime : thou didst not imagine that it was a virtuous action or a thing which I had done for thee.
"Now return to thy house, and do thou look after thy cattle thyself; for I will no longer remain in a place where thou art. I go to the mountain of the Cedar.
" But as to what thou shalt do for me, and thy coming to look after me, thou shalt learn, namely, things will happen to me.
" I shall take my heart and place it in the top of the flower of the Cedar, and when the Cedar is cut down, it will fall to the ground.
"Thou shalt come to seek it. If thou art seven years in the search of let not thy heart be depressed and when thou hast found it, thou shalt place in cup of cold water oh, then shall live (once more) and fling back reply to an attack.
I
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;
it a
;
STORY OF THE TWO BROTHERS. 167
" And this thou shalt learn, namely, that the things have happened to me. When thou shalt take a jug of beer into thy hand and it turns into froth, then delay not ; for to thee of a certainty is the issue coming to pass. "
Then he departed to the mountain of the Cedar, and the elder brother returned to his house. He put his hand upon his head and smeared it with dust ; and when he came to his house he slew his wife and flung her to the dogs. But he continued mourning for his younger brother.
But when the days had multiplied after this, the younger brother was at the mountain of the Cedar. There was no one with him, and his time was spent in hunting the animals of the country. He returned at evening to lie down under the Cedar, on the top of whose flowers his heart lay.
But when the days had multiplied after this, he built with his hands a dwelling on the mountain of the Cedar, which was filled with all the good things which the possessor of a house desires.
And having gone out of his dwelling, he met the company of the gods, who were going forth to do their will in their land of Egypt.
The divine company spoke by one of them, who said to him: —
" Ho ! Bata, Bull of the divine company ! dost thou remain alone, and abandonest thou thy country on account of the wife of Anpu, thy elder brother ? Behold, his wife is slain, because thou hast flung back replies to all the attacks made upon thee. "
Their hearts pitied him exceedingly. And the Sun god, Horus of both horizons, said to Chnum, "Oh, make a wife for Bata, that he may not remain alone. "
And Chnum made him a companion, who as she sat was more beautiful in her limbs than any woman in the whole earth ; the whole godhead was in her.
The seven Hathors came to see her, and they said with one mouth that she would die a violent death. And he loved her exceedingly, and she remained in his house whilst he spent his time in hunting the animals of the country and bringing the game to her.
And he said to her, "Do not go out, lest the Sea carry thee off, and I may not know how to rescue thee from him, because I am a woman even as thou art; for my heart is on
168 STORY OF THE TWO BROTHERS.
the top of the flower of the Cedar, and if any one finds it, I shall be overcome by him. " And he revealed to her his heart in all its height.
And when the days had multiplied after this, Bata went out to hunt the animals after his daily wont, and the young woman went out to take a turn under the Cedar, which was near her house.
And the Sea beheld her and dashed its waters in pursuit of her, and she betook herself to flight before it and entered into her house.
And the Sea" cried to the Cedar, saying, " O that I could seize upon her ! And the Cedar carried off one of her fra grant locks, and the Sea carried it to Egypt, and deposited it in the place where the washers of the King were.
And the odor of the lock grew into the clothes of the King. And a quarrel arose among the royal washers on account of the overpowering odor in the clothes of the King. The quarrel continued among them day after day, so that they no longer knew what they were doing.
And the Chief of the washers of the King went out to the waterside, and his heart was exceedingly oppressed on account of the quarrels in which he was every day involved.
And he stopped and stayed at the spot in the midst of which lay the fragrant lock in the water. And he stooped down and picked it up, and he found the odor of it delicious, exceedingly, and he took it to the King.
And it was carried to the doctors, the magicians of the King. They said to the King, "The lock belongs to a daughter of the Sun god, Horus of both horizons ; the essence of the whole godhead is in her.
" But the whole earth is in obeisance before thee ; send, therefore, envoys to every place to seek her ; but as for the envoy who is for the mountain of the Cedar, send out with him troops in great numbers to bring her. "
His Majesty replied, " Good exceedingly is that which ye have said to us ! " And the envoys were sent.
But when the days had multiplied after this, the troops that went to every place returned to give their reports to His Majesty, but those returned not who had gone to the moun tain of the Cedar; Bata had slain them.
One of them returned to tell the tale to His Majesty. And His Majesty once more sent out troops, many bowmen and also
STORY OF THE TWO BROTHERS. 169
cavalry to fetch her ; and there was a woman with them, into whose hand one had given all the most beautiful trinkets for a woman.
And the woman came with her into Egypt, and rejoicing was made for her throughout the whole land. And His Maj esty loved her exceedingly, and she was raised to the dignity of a Princess.
And it was said to her that she should reveal the ways of her husband ; and she said to His Majesty, " Cause the Cedar to be cut down, and he will be destroyed. "
And troops were sent out with their swords to cut down the Cedar. They came to the Cedar, and cut down the flower upon which lay the heart of Bata. He fell dead in an instant.
But when the dawn of the next day appeared, the Cedar was cut down ; and Anpu, the elder brother of Bata, entered his house. He sat down and washed his hand ; and there was given to him a jug of beer, but this turned into froth. Another jug was then given him of wine, but this at once became troubled.
Thereupon he took his staff and his sandals, likewise his clothes and his instruments of labor; and he betook himself to a journey toward the mountain of the Cedar.
He came to the dwelling of his younger brother and found him lying dead upon the floor. He wept when he saw his younger brother lying in the state of death ; and he went out to seek for his brother's heart under the Cedar where he used to lie in the evening.
Three years he sought without finding. But when the fourth year was come, his heart longed to return to Egypt, and he said, "I will go to-morrow. " Such was his intention.
But when the dawn of the next day appeared, he con tinued to walk under the Cedar, occupied with his search, and he returned in the evening.
He looked after his search once more, and found a pod. He examined under it ; and behold, there was the heart of his younger brother. He brought a vessel of cold water, dropped the heart into it, and sat down according to his daily wont.
But when the night was come, the heart absorbed the water. Bata trembled in all his limbs and continued looking at his elder brother, but his heart was faint.
Then Anpu took the vessel of cold water which his brother's heart was in. And when the latter had drunk it
170 STORY OF THE TWO BROTHERS.
up, his heart rose in its place, and he became as he had been before. Each embraced the other, and each one of them held conversation with his companion.
And Bata said to his elder brother, " Behold, I am about to become a great Bull with all the sacred marks, but with an unknown history.
"Do thou sit upon my back, and when the Sun god rises we shall be in the place where my wife is. (Answer whether thou wilt take me there ? ) For there will be given to thee all good things, yea, thou shalt be loaded with silver and gold for bringing me to the King, for I shall become a great marvel, and there will be rejoicing for me in the whole land. Then do thou return to thy village. "
But when the dawn of the next day appeared, Bata had assumed the form which he had mentioned to his elder brother. And Anpu, his elder brother, sat upon his back at dawn of day.
And he arrived at the place which had been spoken of, and information was given to His Majesty, who inspected him, and rejoiced exceedingly, and celebrated a festival above all description, a mighty marvel, and rejoicings for it were made throughout the whole land.
And there was brought silver and gold for the elder brother, who stayed in his village. But to (the Bull) there were given many attendants and many offerings ; and the King loved him exceedingly above all men in the whole land.
But when the days had multiplied after this, he entered the sanctuary, and stood in the very place where the Princess was. And he spoke to her, saying, "Look upon me; I am alive indeed. " "
"
And who then art thou ?
I am Bata. Thou gavest information for the cutting down of the Cedar to the King as to where I was, that I might no longer live. But look upon me, for I am
And she said to him, said to her : "
And he
really alive. I am a Bull. "
And the Princess was frightened exceedingly at the speech
which her husband addressed to her. And he went out of the sanctuary.
But when the King sat down to make a holiday with her, and as she was at the table of His Majesty and he was exceed ingly gracious to her, she said to him, " Come, swear to me by God that you will grant whatever I ask. "
STORY OF THE TWO BROTHERS.
171
And he granted all that she asked, saying, "Let me eat the liver of the Bull, for you have no need of him. "
So spake she to him, and it grieved him exceedingly that she spake and the heart of His Majesty was exceedingly troubled.
But when the dawn of the next day appeared, there was celebrated great festival with offerings to the Bull.
But one of the Chief Royal Officers of His Majesty was made to go and slay the Bull. And as they were killing him and he was in the hands of the attendants, he shook his neck, and two drops of blood fell upon the two doorposts of His Majesty one was on the one side of the great staircase of His Majesty, the other upon the other side and they grew up into two mighty Persea trees, each of which stood alone.
And they went and told His Majesty, saying: "Two mighty Persea trees have sprung up as great omen of good fortune to His Majesty during the night, near the great stair case of His Majesty and there rejoicing for them through the whole land, and offerings are made to them. "
And when the days had multiplied after this, His Majesty was wearing the collar of lapis lazuli with wreath of all kinds of flowers upon his neck. He was in his brazen chariot, and he went forth from the royal palace to see the Persea trees.
And the Princess went out on two-horsed car behind the King. And His Majesty sat under one of the Perseas, and (the Tree) said to his wife " Ho thou false one am Bata am living still have transformed myself. Thou gavest information to the King of where was that might be slain. then became a Bull, and thou didst cause me to be slain. "
And when the days had multiplied after this, the Princess was in the good graces of His"Majesty, and he showed her favor. And she said to him, Come, swear to me by God, saying, 'Whatever the Princess shall ask me, will consent to it. '"
" And he consented to all that she said. And she said, Cause the two Persea trees to be cut down, and let them be made into beautiful planks. " And he consented to all
that she said.
And when the days had multiplied after this, His Majesty
made cunning workmen come to cut down the two Persea trees of the King and there stood by looking on the royal spouse,
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172 JOSEPH AND POTIPHAR'S WIFE.
the Princess. And there flew a splinter, and it entered into the mouth of the Princess ; and she perceived that she had
conceived
. . .
all that she desired.
And when the days had multiplied after this, she brought
forth a male child, and they went to the King and said to him, " There is born to thee a male child. "
And the child was brought, and there were given to it a nurse and waiting woman ; and rejoicings were made through the whole land. They sat down to make a holiday (and they gave him his name), and His Majesty at once loved him exceed ingly and raised him to the dignity of Prince of ^Ethiopia.
But when the days had multiplied after this, His Majesty made him hereditary Prince of the whole land.
And when the days had multiplied after this, and he had completed many years as hereditary Prince . " . . His Majesty flew up to heaven ; and (the Prince) said, Let the Princes and Nobles of His Majesty be summoned, and I shall inform them of all the events which have happened to me. . . . " His wife was brought to him, and he had a reckoning with her in presence of them, and they spoke their speech.
And his elder brother was brought to him, and he made him hereditary Prince of the whole land. And he reigned for thirty years as King of Egypt.
And when he had completed (those) thirty years of life, his elder brother arose in his place, on the day of his death.
JOSEPH AND POTIPHAR'S WIFE. By CHARLES WELLS.
Joseph — Enter Joseph.
Madam, so please —
Phraxanor — I'll hear thee by and by.
Myrah, depart ; yet stay, and first arrange My sandal, that unseemly doth escape. Higher still there, where the transparent silk Tapers towards the ankle. Have a care ;
Let me not have to chide this fault again.
Joseph —
Madam, I have a message from my lord.
[Exit Attendant.
JOSEPH AND POTIPHAR'S WIFE. 173
Phraxanor —
Put that to rest. Give me that golden box,
'Tis filled with precious spikenard, queen of scents.
Joseph —
Madam, what must I say ? My state is low, Yet you do treat me as you might my lord When he besought your hand.
Phraxanor — Must I get up, And cast myself in thy sustaining arms,
To sink thee to a seat ? — Come, sit thou here. Now I will neighbor thee and tell thee why
I cast that ointment on thee. Joseph —
Desire it. Phraxanor —
I did not You did ask me for it.
Joseph — Phraxanor —
Madam !
Why, what amaze is now upon thy face
[She spills it on his head.
You breathed upon me as you did advance, And sweets do love sweets for an offering. My breath is sweet and subtle, yet I dared Not put my lips half close enough to thine To render back the favor ; so
I say
The obligation did demand as much — —
Will nothing please ?
Joseph — — Madam, your arm — pray move. Phraxanor
You peevish bird — like a sick eagle I
Could fain devour, but may not.
Joseph — I beseech you,
If you respect your place, or my fair name,
Undo your prisoning arms and let me go. Phraxanor —
Tremble to fear the woman you might love. Joseph —
Indeed, I would far sooner honor her. Phraxanor —
I eye you like to one
Cold, cold, still cold ;
That dieth in my arms : beware you chill
Me too : you do a wrong, and herein court
Much danger. I would risk the world for you ; But blow me cold with your sharp frosty breath, And these same arms that gird you round about May turn to bitter chains. We are most dear
In our affections ; in vengeance most resolved.
174 JOSEPH AND POTIPHAR'S WIFE.
Joseph —
Madam, I have a spirit beyond fear.
God knows the duty that I owe your lord Would break my heart did I commit this sin. But, madam, hear the reason that I have, Why my lord's honor dearer is than life.
I do remember me, when first I came
Into this land of Egypt, fugitive,
Forlorn, and wretched, bruised at the heart, An iron collar round about my neck, Degrading mark of bitter servitude,
Stalled in the press of slaves upon the mart, Brimful of misery unto the crown,
Forlorn, cast out, abandoned, and bereaved,
A certain man did look into my face,
As though to penetrate my very soul.
By slow degrees conviction worked on him, And through my sufferings he read my heart, And all his features melted at the sight.
A sacred pity stole into his eyes,
That dwelt on me in gentle tenderness.
Oh ! balm of sweetness, what a holy joy Poured like a flood into my thousand wounds Of soul and body's sore affliction.
Whereof I languished in my pilgrimage ! With his own hands he drew my collar off, Nor bartered with the merchant for my price. He took me to his house, put me in trust, Justly and wisely kept his eyes on me, Weighing with care my actions and desert, And by degrees received me to his breast, O'erloaded me with benefits, and changed
A chain of iron for a chain of gold,
A wolfskin kirtle for a purple cloak,
A life of wretchedness for one of peace,
A broken heart to love and tenderness.
This man, so full of human charities,
Had many precious treasures, which he gave To me in trust, but far above the rest
Was one in which all others were absorbed, As in a holy consecrated shrine,
Source of his life, his honor's nourishment, The loss of which would be a fell decree
Of shame, despair, and infamy, and death. Madam, this honored, honorable man
Was noble Potiphar, your lord and mine.
JOSEPH AND POTIPHAR'S WIFE.
Need I add more ? —
I pray you let us talk on common things. Phraxanor —
Neither am I not beautiful, perhaps, —
Set up to be the universal fool. — Why, here's a waste of party-colored words High-sounding phrases, empty eloquence.
" My lord ! my lord ! " It scenteth of reproach. Sir, have a care — blood waits on insult, ha! One way or other I will have your heart.
Joseph [aside] —
This wondrous creature is of faultless mold,
And grace plays o'er the movement of her limbs, Her marvelous beauty irresistible,
A double charm, abandons languishment,
In soft repose hints at oblivion.
In motion her imperious dignity,
At secret hours, might dictate to the king.
A most unscrupulous voluptuousness
Mars Nature in her marvelous qualities ;
A fascinating monster, fatal equally
In action or reaction of her love ;
Fair flower of poisonous perfume born to kill. Never the demon had an agency •
Where he had nought to do in work that's done.
[Aloud. ] — Take pity on yourself, on me, on him,
On me, for you would hate me mortally
When once you were awakened from this dream, To see the hideous monster you had made.
So utterly impossible this seems,
That I am prone to think it is a feint
To try my truth and prove my honesty.
Phraxanor —
Ah ! 'tis a feint that burns my body up,
And stirs my spirit like a raging sea.
Think you to pay in words ? — deeds — deeds ! For I can tell you that you have in hand
One who will have no debts.
Joseph — It is enough. 'Tis time this hopeless contest had an end. I have borne this besieging patiently,
Still hoping to arouse your modesty.
Oh ! do not force the loathing which lies hid Within my gall to rush into my face.
176 JOSEPH AND POTIPHAR'S WIFE.
Pkraxanor —
This is the greatest blessing that you shun.
Joseph —
Or the worst sin.
Phraxanor — Oh ! weigh not with such scales. Joseph —
Oh ! madam, have a care.
Phraxanor — Listen, or else
I'll set my little foot upon thy neck ; — Thou art like a beautiful and drowsy snake, Cold, and inanimate, and coiled around Upon a bank of rarest sun-blown flowers. My eye shall be the renovating sun —
Joseph —
Madam, forbear ; I'm sick to think of it.
Phraxanor —
You overdo this art, for Nature sure
Never did put disgust upon a lip
So near a woman's : an empoisoned cup Might curdle all the features of thy face ; But this same blandishment upon my brow Could never chase the color from thy cheeks.
Joseph —
Love, being forced, so sickeneth the sense, That dull monotony is nothing to it. —
A pallid appetite is sweeter far
Than shocked modesty and fierce distaste.
Phraxanor —
You are too dead a weight.
Joseph — — Why, let me go. Phraxanor
My arms are faint ; smile thou, they're ribs of steel. Joseph —
The sun ne'er shined in a pitch-black night. Phraxanor —
Oh ! ignorant boy, it is the secret hour
The sun of love doth shine most goodly fair. Contemptible darkness never yet did dull
The splendor of love's palpitating light.
At love's slight curtains, that are made of sighs, Though e'er so dark, silence is seen to stand Like to a flower closed in the night ;
Or like a lovely image drooping down
With its fair head aslant and finger raised,
And mutely on its shoulder slumbering.
JOSEPH AND POTIPHAR'S WIFE.
Pulses do sound quick music in Love's ear,
And blended fragrance in his startled breath
Doth hang the hair with drops of magic dew.
All outward thoughts, all common circumstance, Are buried in the dimple of his smile :
And the great city like a vision sails
From out the closing doors of the hushed mind. His heart strikes audibly against his ribs
As a dove's wing doth freak upon a cage,
Forcing the blood athro' the cramped veins
Faster than dolphins do o'ershoot the tide'
Coursed by the yawning shark. Therefore I say Night-blooming Cereus, and the star flower sweet, The honeysuckle, and the eglantine,
And the ringed vinous tree that yields red wine, Together with all intertwining flowers,
Are plants most fit to ramble o'er each other,
And form the bower of all-precious Love, Shrouding the sun with fragrant bloom and leaves From jealous interception of Love's gaze. —
This is Love's cabin in the light of day — — But oh ! compare it not with the black night, Delay, thou sun, and give me instant night —
Its soft, mysterious, and secret hours ;
The whitest clouds are pillows to bright stars,
Ah ! therefore shroud thine eyes.
Joseph — — Madam, for shame ! Phraxanor
Henceforth, I'll never knit with glossed bone, But interlace my fingers among thine,
And ravel them, and interlace again,
So that no work that's done content the eye, That I may never weary in my work.
Joseph —
Would that my lord were come !
Phraxanor — Thy hair shall be The silken trophy of the spirit of Love,
Where I will lap, fair chains, my wreathed arms.
Joseph —
What's to be done ? Madam, give way, I pray you.
Phraxanor —
Beware ! you'll crack my lace.
Joseph — — You will be hurt. Phraxanor
Oh ! for some savage strength !
178 JOSEPH AND POTIPHARS WIFE.
Joseph — — Away ! Away ! Phraxanor
So, you are loose —Ipray you kill me —do! Joseph —
Let me pass out at door.
Phraxanor — I have a mind
You shall at once walk with those honest limbs
Into your grave.
Joseph — — Are you a lady, madam ? Phraxanor
Iwas so, but Iam a dragon now :
My nostrils are stuffed full of splenetive fire ;
My tongue is turned into a furious sting,
With which I'll strike you — Ha ! be sure I will.
Joseph —
Madam, I did desire you no offense.
Phraxanor —
Death and perdition, no !
Joseph — Your love is lost on me, And I refused your offer ; which was wise.
Phraxanor —
Oh ! was itso ? have you so much scorn left? Unload it in my lap — let me have all,
That I may hate with cause. Malice is proud, Nor yields to trifles — nay, despise me more.
Joseph —
I ne'er despised the lady of my lord, — Only her vice.
Phraxanor — My lord — my lord — canst thou Not mouth that word distinctly from my lady ? My lord ! — He surely shall be paid full home That honors lords above a lady's love.
Thou hast no lord but me, —Iam thy lord : And thou shalt find too, — fool that was To stoop my stateliness to such calf Because he bore about panther's hide.
That not blood which fainteth in thy veins, But only infant milk. Thou minion
Bought up for drudgery with idle gold,
How dar'st thou look or wink thy traitorous eye, Much less to think, when command thy will Oh, impudence to scorn noble dame
Were't not that royalty has kissed my hand I'd surely strike thee.
!
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a
KING SOLOMON AND THE HOOPOES. 179
Joseph — Madam ! be temperate. Phraxanoi
Who bade thee speak, impudent slave ? beware ! I'll have thee whipped. — Oh! I am mad to think That ever I should bring myself to scorn
For such a stubborn minion as thou art.
Ha ! — thou mere shadow — wretched atomy ! — Filled full of nothing — making a brave show, Like to a robe blown with the boastful wind — Thou worse than ice, for that melts to the sun — Disgrace to Egypt and her feverish air ;
Thou shalt not stay in Egypt.
Joseph — — I grieve at that.
Phraxanor
I
and since I see
— There is no spirit of life in all this show,
am changed. Thou shalt stay here
Only a cheat unto the sanguine eye,
Thou shalt be given to the leech's hands
To study causes on thy bloodless heart
Why men should be like geese. — A pretty pass I've brought my dauntless spirit to. These knees, That ne'er did bend but to pluck suitors up,
And put them out of hope— Oh !
These feet by common accident have trod
On better necks than e'er bowed to the king ; And must I tie them in a band of list
Before a slave like thee ?
KING SOLOMON AND THE HOOPOES. By How. ROBERT CURZON.
[Robert Cur2ow, son of the Baroness de la Zouche, was born in 1810, and educated at Christ Church, Oxford. Entering the diplomatic service, he became private secretary to Lord Stratford de Redcliffe ; in this capacity he obtained access to the monasteries and religious houses of the Levant, and collected many valuable manuscripts and books. " Visits to the Monasteries in the Levant " appeared in 1848. This was followed by "Armenia; a Residence at Erzeroum," published in 1864. He died in August, 1873. ]
In the days of King Solomon, the son of David, who, by the virtue of his cabalistic seal, reigned supreme over genii as
Iam mad
—
180 SOLOMON AND THE HOOPOES.
well as men, and who could speak the languages of animals of all kinds, all created beings were subservient to his will. Now, when the king wanted to travel, he made use, for his conveyance, of a carpet of a square form. This carpet had the property of extending itself to a sufficient size to carry a whole army, with the tents and baggage ; but at other times it could be reduced so as to be only large enough for the sup port of the royal throne, and of those ministers whose duty it was to attend upon the person of the sovereign. Four genii of the air then took the four corners of the carpet, and carried it with its contents wherever King Solomon desired. Once the king was on a journey in the air, carried upon his throne of ivory over the various nations of the earth. The rays of the sun poured down upon his head, and he had nothing to protect him from its heat. The fiery beams were beginning to scorch his neck and shoulders,"when he saw a flock of vul tures flying past. " O vultures ! cried King Solomon, " come and fly between me and the sun, and make a shadow with your wings to protect me, for its rays are scorching"my neck and face. " But the vultures answered, and said, We are flying to the north, and your face is turned towards the south. We desire to continue on our way; and be it known unto thee, O king ! that we will not turn back in our flight, neither will we fly above your throne to protect you from the sun, although its rays may be scorching your neck and face. " Then King Solomon lifted up his voice, and said, " Cursed be ye, O vultures ! — and because you will not obey the commands of your lord, who rules over the whole world, the feathers of your neck shall fall off ; and the heat of the sun, and the cold of the winter, and the keenness of the wind, and the beating of the rain, shall fall upon your rebellious necks, which shall not be protected with feathers, like the neck of other birds. And whereas you have hitherto fared delicately, henceforward ye shall eat carrion and feed upon offal ; and your race shall be impure till the end of the world. " And it was done unto the vultures as King Solomon had said.
Now it fell out that there was a flock of hoopoes flying past ; and the king cried out to them, and said, " O hoopoes ! come and fly between me and the sun, that I may be protected from its rays by the shadow of your wings. "" Whereupon the king of the hoopoes answered, and said, O king ! we are but little fowls, and we are not able to afford much shade ;
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but we will gather our nation together, and by our numbers we will make up for our small size. " So the hoopoes gathered together, and, flying in a cloud over the throne of the king, they sheltered him from the rays of the sun. When the jour ney was over, and King Solomon sat upon his golden throne, in his palace of ivory, whereof the doors were emerald, and the windows of diamonds, larger even than the diamond of Jemshea, he commanded that the king of hoopoes should stand before his feet.
" Now," said King Solomon, " for the service that thou and thy race have rendered, and the obedience thou hast shown to the king, thy lord and master, what shall be done unto thee, O hoopoe? — and what shall be given to the hoopoes of thy race, for a memorial and a reward ? "
Now the king of the hoopoes was confused with the great honor of standing before the feet of the king; and making his obeisance and laying his right claw upon his heart, he said, " O king, live forever ! Let a day be given to thy ser vant, to consider with his queen and his counselors what it shall be that the king shall give unto us for a reward. " And King Solomon said, "Be it so. "
And it was so.
But the king of the hoopoes flew away; and he went to his queen, who was a dainty hen, and he told her what had happened, and desired her advice as to what they should ask of the king for a reward ; and he called together his council, and they sat upon a tree, and they each of them desired a different thing. Some wished for a long tail ; some wished for blue and green feathers ; some wished to be as large as ostriches ; some wished for one thing, and some for another ; and they debated till the going down of the sun, but they could not agree together. Then the queen took the king of the hoopoes apart and said to him, "My dear lord and hus band, listen to my words ; and as we have preserved the head of King Solomon, let us ask for crowns of gold on our heads, that we may be superior to all other birds. "
And the words of the queen and the princesses, her daugh ters, prevailed ; and the king of the hoopoes presented him self before the throne of Solomon, and desired of him that all hoopoes should wear golden crowns upon their heads. Then Solomon said, " Hast thou considered well what it is that thou desirest? " And the hoopoe said, "I have considered well,
182 SOLOMON AND THE HOOPOES.
and we desire to"have golden crowns upon our heads. " So Solomon replied, Crowns of gold shall ye have : but, behold, thou art a foolish bird ; and when the evil days shall come upon thee, and thou seest the folly of thy heart, return here to me, and I will give thee help. " So the king of the hoopoes left the presence of King Solomon with a golden crown upon his head, and all the hoopoes had golden crowns ; and they were exceeding proud and haughty. Moreover, they went down by the lakes and the pools, and walked by the margin of the water, that they might admire themselves, as it were, in a glass. And the queen of the hoopoes gave herself airs, and sat upon a twig ; and she refused to speak to the merops, her cousins, and the other birds who had been her friends, because they were but vulgar birds, and she wore a crown of gold upon her head.
Now there was a certain fowler who set traps for birds ; and he put a piece of a broken mirror into his trap, and a hoopoe that went in to admire itself was caught. And the fowler looked at it, and saw the shining crown upon its head ; so he wrung off its head, and took the crown to Issachar, the son of Jacob, the worker in metal, and he asked him what it was. So Issachar, the son of Jacob, said, "It is a crown of brass," and he gave the fowler a quarter of a shekel for it, and desired him, if he found any more, to bring them to him, and to tell no man thereof. So the fowler caught some more hoopoes, and sold their crowns to Issachar, the son of Jacob ; until one day he met another man who was a jeweler, and he showed him several of the hoopoes' crowns. Whereupon the jeweler told him that they were of pure gold, and he gave the fowler a talent of gold for four of them.
Now when the value of these crowns was known, the fame of them got abroad, and in all the land of Israel was heard the twang of bows and the whirling of slings ; bird lime was made in every town, and the price of traps rose in the mar ket, so that the fortunes of the trapmakers increased. Not a hoopoe could show its head but it was slain or taken captive, and the days of the hoopoes were numbered. Then their minds were filled with sorrow and dismay, and before long few were left to bewail their cruel destiny.
At last, flying by stealth through the most unfrequented places, the unhappy king of the hoopoes went to the court of King Solomon, and stood again before the steps of the golden
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throne, and with tears and groans related the misfortunes which had happened to his race.
So King Solomon looked kindly upon the king of the hoopoes, and said unto him: "Behold, did I not warn thee of thy folly, in desiring to have crowns of gold ? Vanity and pride have been thy ruin. But now, that a memorial may remain of the service which thou didst render unto me, your crowns of gold shall be changed into crowns of feathers, that ye may walk unharmed upon the earth. " Now, when the fowlers saw that the hoopoes no longer wore crowns of gold upon their heads, they ceased from the persecution of their race ; and from that time forth the family of the hoopoes have nourished and increased, and have continued in peace even to the present day.
GONE IN THE WIND. By FRIEDRICH RUCKERT. (Translated by James Clarence Mangan. )
[Friedbicb Ruckert, German poet and Orientalist, was born at Schwein- furt, May 16, 1788, and was professor of Oriental languages at Erlangen 1826- 1841, and at Berlin 1841-1848. After resigning his position at the latter place, he lived at Neusses, near Coburg, and there died January 31, 1866. He recast in German verse several of the famous books of the East, among them the " AbuSeid" of Hariri and the "Nal and Damajanti" from the Mahabharata. His original poems include: " Geharnischte Sonnette " ("Mailed Sonnets," 1814), inspired by the national movement of 1813, and "Liebesfruhling "
("Love's Spring," 1822).