Flowers from a Persian Garden and Other Papers | Page 2

Caxton's Dictes and preface to _Kal��la wa Dimna_--Difference between Devotee and Learned Man--To get rid of Troublesome Visitors--Fable of the Nightingale and the Ant--Aphorisms of Sa��d��--Conclusion
ORIENTAL WIT AND HUMOUR.
I Man a Laughing Animal--Antiquity of Popular Jests--'Night and Day'--The Plain-featured Bride--The House of Condolence--The Blind Man's Wife--Two Witty Persian Ladies--Woman's Counsel--The Turkish Jester: in the Pulpit; the Cauldron; the Beggar; the Drunken Governor; the Robber; the Hot Broth--Muslim Preachers and Misers
II The Two Deaf Men and the Traveller--The Deaf Persian and the Horseman--Lazy Servants--Chinese Humour: The Rich Man and the Smiths; How to keep Plants alive; Criticising a Portrait--The Persian Courtier and his old Friend--The Scribe--The Schoolmaster and the Wit--The Persian and his Cat--A List of Blockheads--The Arab and his Camel--A Witty Baghd��d��--The Unlucky Slippers
III The Young Merchant of Baghd��d; or, the Wiles of Woman
IV Ashaab the Covetous--The Stingy Merchant and the Hungry Bedouin--The Sect of Samradians--The Story-teller and the King--Royal Gifts to Poets--The Persian Poet and the Impostor--'Stealing Poetry'--The Rich Man and the Poor Poet
V Unlucky Omens--The Old Man's Prayer--The Old Woman in the Mosque--The Weeping Turkmans--The Ten Foolish Peasants--The Wakeful Servant--The Three Dervishes--The Oilman's Parrot--The Moghul and his Parrot--The Persian Shopkeeper and the Prime Minister--Hebrew Faceti?
TALES OF A PARROT.
I General Plan of Eastern Story-books--The _T��t�� N��ma_, or Parrot-Book--The Frame-story--The Stolen Images--The Woman carved out of Wood--The Man whose Mare was kicked by a Merchant's Horse
II The Emperor's Dream--The Golden Apparition--The Four Treasure-seekers
III The Singing Ass: the Foolish Thieves: the Faggot-maker and the Magic Bowl
IV The Goldsmith who lost his Life through Covetousness--The King who died of Love for a Merchant's Daughter--The Discovery of Music--The Seven Requisites of a Perfect Woman
V The Princess of Rome and her Son--The Seven Vaz��rs
VI The Tree of Life--Legend of R��j�� Ras��l��--Conclusion
_ADDITIONAL NOTE:_ The Magic Bowl, etc.
RABBINICAL LEGENDS, TALES, FABLES, AND APHORISMS.
I INTRODUCTORY: Authors, Traducers, and Moral Teachings of Talmud
II LEGENDS OF SOME BIBLICAL CHARACTERS: Adam and Eve--Cain and Abel--The Planting of the Vine--Luminous Jewels--Abraham's Arrival in Egypt--The Infamous Citizens of Sodom--Abraham and Ishmael's Wives--Joseph and Potiphar's Wife--Joseph and his Brethren--Jacob's Sorrow--Moses and Pharaoh
III LEGENDS OF DAVID AND SOLOMON, etc.
IV MORAL AND ENTERTAINING TALES: Rabbi Jochonan and the Poor Woman--A Safe Investment--The Jewels--The Capon-carver
V MORAL TALES, TABLES, AND PARABLES: The Dutiful Son--An Ingenious Will--Origin of Beast-Fables--The Fox and the Bear--The Fox in the Garden--The Desolate Island--The Man and his Three Friends--The Garments--Solomon's Choice--Bride and Bridegroom--Abraham and the Idols--The Vanity of Ambition--The Seven Stages of Human Life
VI WISE SAYINGS OF THE RABBIS
_ADDITIONAL NOTES:_ Adam and the Oil of Mercy Muslim Legend of Adam's Punishment, Pardon, Death, and Burial Moses and the Poor Woodcutter Precocious Sagacity of Solomon Solomon and the Serpent's Prey The Capon-carver The Fox and the Bear The Desolate Island Other Rabbinical Legends and Tales
AN ARABIAN TALE OF LOVE.
_ADDITIONAL NOTES:_ 'Wamik and Asra' Another Famous Arabian Lover
APOCRYPHAL LIFE OF ESOP.
_ADDITIONAL NOTE:_ Drinking the Sea Dry
IGNORANCE OF THE CLERGY IN THE MIDDLE AGES.
THE BEARDS OF OUR FATHERS.
INDEX.

FLOWERS FROM A PERSIAN GARDEN.

I
SKETCH OF THE LIFE OF THE PERSIAN POET SAADI--CHARACTER OF HIS WRITINGS--THE "GULIST��N"--PREFACES TO BOOKS--PREFACE TO THE "GULIST��N"--EASTERN POETS IN PRAISE OF SPRINGTIDE.
It is remarkable how very little the average general reader knows regarding the great Persian poet Sa��d�� and his writings. His name is perhaps more or less familiar to casual readers from its being appended to one or two of his aphorisms which are sometimes reproduced in odd corners of popular periodicals; but who he was, when he lived, and what he wrote, are questions which would probably puzzle not a few, even of those who consider themselves as "well read," to answer without first recurring to some encyclop?dia. Yet Sa��d�� was assuredly one of the most gifted men of genius the world has ever known: a man of large and comprehensive intellect; an original and profound thinker; an acute observer of men and manners; and his works remain the imperishable monument of his genius, learning, and industry.
Maslahu 'd-D��n Shaykh Sa��d�� was born, towards the close of the twelfth century, at Sh��r��z, the famous capital of Fars, concerning which city the Persians have the saying that "if Muhammed had tasted the pleasures of Sh��r��z, he would have begged Allah to make him immortal there." In accordance with the usual practice in Persia, he assumed as his takhallus, or poetical name,[1] Sa��d��, from his patron Atabag Sa��d bin Zing��, sovereign of Fars, who encouraged men of learning in his principality. Sa��d�� is said to have lived upwards of a hundred years, thirty of which were passed in the acquisition of knowledge, thirty more in travelling through different countries, and the rest of his life he spent in retirement and acts of devotion. He died, in his native city, about the year 1291.
[1] One reason, doubtless, for Persian and Turkish poets adopting a takhallus is the custom of the poet introducing his name into every