There, where the Garden of Irem lies,
Are the roots of the Tree of Paradise,
And happy are they who sit below,

When into this world of Strife and Death

The blossoms are shaken by Allah's breath.

THE BIRTH OF THE HORSE.

FROM THE ARABIC.

THE South Wind blows from Paradise

A wind of fire and force;

And yet his proudest merit is

That he begat the Horse.

When Allah's breath created first

The noble Arab steed,

To the South Wind He spake: From thee

A creature shall have birth,~ To be the bearer of my arms And my renown on Earth.

X

✓

The pride of all the Faithful, he

The terror of their foes:

Rider and Horse shall comrades be

In battle and repose.

Then to the perfect Horse He spake :
Fortune to thee I bring.

Fortune, as long as rolls the Earth,

Shall to thy forelock cling.

Without a pinion winged thou art,

And fleetest with thy load;
Bridled art thou without a rein,

And spurred without a goad.

Men shall bestride thee who have made
Their fame, their service, mine;

And, when they pray upon their way,
Their prayers shall count as thine.

The worship which thy master speaks
Thou sharest silently;

By mutual fate he rises up,

Or falls to Earth with thee.

THE WISDOM OF ALI.

AN ARAB LEGEND.

THE Prophet once, sitting in calm debate,

Said: "I am Wisdom's fortress; but the gate
Thereof is Ali."

Wherefore, some who heard,

With unbelieving jealousy were stirred;

And, that they might on him confusion bring,
Ten of the boldest joined to prove the thing.
"Let us in turn to Ali go," they said,
"And ask if Wisdom should be sought instead
Of earthly riches; then, if he reply
To each of us, in thought, accordantly,

And yet to none, in speech or phrase, the same,
His shall the honor be, and ours the shame."

Now, when the first his bold demand did make, These were the words which Ali straightway spake :

"Wisdom is the inheritance of those

Whom Allah favors; riches, of his foes."

Unto the second he said 66

: Thyself must be

Guard to thy wealth; but Wisdom guardeth thee."

Unto the third: "By Wisdom wealth is won;

But riches purchased wisdom yet for none."

Unto the fourth

:

66

Thy goods the thief may take; But into Wisdom's house he cannot break."

Unto the fifth: "Thy goods decrease the more
Thou giv'st; but use enlarges Wisdom's store."

Unto the sixth: "Wealth tempts to evil ways;
But the desire of Wisdom is God's praise."

Unto the seventh: "Divide thy wealth, each part
Becomes a pittance. Give with open heart
Thy wisdom, and each separate gift shall be
All that thou hast, yet not impoverish thee."

Unto the eighth: "Wealth cannot keep itself;
But Wisdom is the steward even of pelf."