Flowers from a Persian Garden and Other Papers | Page 2

Fair Cup-bearer--'January and
May'--Why an Old Man did not Marry--The Dervish who became
King--Muezzin and Preacher who had bad voices--Witty Slave--Witty
Kází--Astrologer and his Faithless Wife--Objectionable Neighbour
III On Taciturnity: Parallels from Caxton's Dictes and preface to
_Kalíla wa Dimna_--Difference between Devotee and Learned
Man--To get rid of Troublesome Visitors--Fable of the Nightingale and
the Ant--Aphorisms of Saádí--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 Baghdádí--The Unlucky Slippers
III The Young Merchant of Baghdád; 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 Facetiæ
TALES OF A PARROT.
I General Plan of Eastern Story-books--The _Tútí Náma_, 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 Vazírs
VI The Tree of Life--Legend of Rájá Rasálú--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
"GULISTÁN"--PREFACES TO BOOKS--PREFACE TO THE
"GULISTÁN"--EASTERN POETS IN PRAISE OF SPRINGTIDE.
It is remarkable how very little the average general reader knows
regarding the great Persian poet Saádí 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 encyclopædia. Yet Saádí 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-Dín Shaykh Saádí was born, towards the close of the
twelfth century, at Shíráz, the famous capital of Fars, concerning which
city the Persians have the saying that "if Muhammed had tasted the
pleasures of Shíráz, 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] Saádí, from his patron Atabag Saád
bin Zingí, sovereign of Fars, who encouraged men of learning in his
principality. Saádí is said to have lived upwards of a