Flowers from a Persian Garden and Other Papers | Page 8

II
STORIES FROM THE "GULISTÁN."
The _Gulistán_ consists of short tales and anecdotes, to which are
appended comments in prose and verse, and is divided into eight
chapters, or sections: (1) the Morals of Kings; (2) the Morals of
Dervishes; (3) the Excellence of Contentment; (4) the Advantages of
Taciturnity; (5) Love and Youth; (6) Imbecility and Old Age; (7) the
Effects of Education; (8) Rules for the Conduct of Life. In culling some
of the choicest flowers of this perennial Garden, the particular order
observed by Saádí need not be regarded here; it is preferable to pick
here a flower and there a flower, as fancy may direct.
* * * * *

It may happen, says our author, that the prudent counsel of an
enlightened sage does not succeed; and it may chance that an unskilful
boy inadvertently hits the mark with his arrow: A Persian king, while
on a pleasure excursion with a number of his courtiers at Nassála
Shíráz, appointed an archery competition for the amusement of himself
and his friends. He caused a gold ring, set with a valuable gem, to be
fixed on the dome of Asád, and it was announced that whosoever
should send an arrow through the ring should obtain it as a reward of
his skill. The four hundred skilled archers forming the royal
body-guard each shot at the ring without success. It chanced that a boy
on a neighbouring house-top was at the same time diverting himself
with a little bow, when one of his arrows, shot at random, went through
the ring. The boy, having obtained the prize, immediately burned his
bow, shrewdly observing that he did so in order that the reputation of
this feat should never be impaired.
The advantage of abstinence, or rather, great moderation in eating and
drinking, is thus curiously illustrated: Two dervishes travelled together;
one was a robust man, who regularly ate three meals every day, the
other was infirm of body, and accustomed to fast frequently for two
days in succession. On their reaching the gate of a certain town, they
were arrested on suspicion of being spies, and both lodged, without
food, in the same prison, the door of which was then securely locked.
Several days after, the unlucky dervishes were found to be quite
innocent of the crime imputed to them, and on opening the door of the
prison the strong man was discovered to be dead, and the infirm man
still alive. At this circumstance the officers of justice marvelled; but a
philosopher observed, that had the contrary happened it would have
been more wonderful, since the one who died had been a great eater,
and consequently was unable to endure the want of food, while the
other, being accustomed to abstinence, had survived.
Of Núshírván the Just (whom the Greeks called Chosroe), of the
Sassanian dynasty of Persian kings--sixth century--Saádí relates that on
one occasion, while at his hunting-seat, he was having some game
dressed, and ordered a servant to procure some salt from a
neighbouring village, at the same time charging him strictly to pay the

full price for it, otherwise the exaction might become a custom. His
courtiers were surprised at this order, and asked the king what possible
harm could ensue from such a trifle. The good king replied:
"Oppression was brought into the world from small beginnings, which
every new comer increased, until it has reached the present degree of
enormity." Upon this Saádí remarks: "If the monarch were to eat a
single apple from the garden of a peasant, the servant would pull up the
tree by the roots; and if the king order five eggs to be taken by force,
his soldiers will spit a thousand fowls. The iniquitous tyrant remaineth
not, but the curses of mankind rest on him for ever."
Only those who have experienced danger can rightly appreciate the
advantages of safety, and according as a man has become acquainted
with adversity does he recognise the value of prosperity--a sentiment
which Saádí illustrates by the story of a boy who was in a vessel at sea
for the first time, in which were also the king and his officers of state.
The lad was in great fear of being drowned, and made a loud outcry, in
spite of every effort of those around him to soothe him into tranquility.
As his lamentations annoyed the king, a sage who was of the company
offered to quiet the terrified youth, with his majesty's permission,
which being granted, he caused the boy to be plunged several times in
the sea and then drawn up into the ship, after which the youth retired to
a corner and remained perfectly quiet. The king inquired why the lad
had been subjected to such roughness, to which