The Ottawa free trader. [volume] (Ottawa, Ill.) 1843-1916, 1850-06-15
The Arab King and the Poet.
Tl.a..a,sd :. ~TA. Twa wo.lds, b. Lsono.e


There ~as once sn Arab king endowed with {
nnst extraordinary memory. Il was su;hcien
for him to hear En ode however long, recited bu
cncs. for him to repeat /, rs well as the author
himself He had in bis service two persons who
protested this faculty in degrs almos, as remark
able as himself One Of his uiamelukes could re
peat without hesitation poem he had heard twice
and one Of his slaves could could repeat with the
sarne facility, verses lie had heard three times.
When poet presented himself at the palace
and solicited to offer homage TO the throne and
10 give proof OF his talents, the king was IN the
habit Of promising that if he found their verses
rev and the composition wholly original, he
would reward the author by giving the weight OF
the manuscript in gold. The poet, well assured
Of the originality Of his poem, acclaimed with
confidence, but scarcely had be concluded when
the King exclaimed @Those verses are not new 10
me; have heard them some years ngo; even
know them by heart He then repeated them
word for word 10 the great surprise OF the poet
he added: This mameluke knows them also, and
shall repeat them for you."-And the mame.use
who had heard the poem recitcd by the poet,
and the king, now repeated il, with equal accu-
racy. Il have also slave pursued the king.
who ought to remember these verses rs well rs
myself; let him be brought to me'
And the slave who had all the while been con
cealed behind the hangings, was made 10 appear.
lie had heard the poet the king and the rnipneluke
by turns recite the poem and he repeated 1t as
il had been known to him since his childhood.
The poet remained confounded unable TO ccmpre.
bend how others knew his verses as well as him
self; he believed himself to be the victim Of some
evil genius but he had no power approving his au-
thorsLp aud was obliged to withdraw, di.cUni-
fitted aud empty handed
4 famous poet named ElAsmaee, struck Iy
the disappointment of all his brother poets, sns-
rected tie kings artifice and resolved TO submit
Ia the same trial, promising 10 come ont victor.
lie composed an ode wherein he introduced with
great patience and erudItion poetic words the
most difficult 10 pronounce and retain in the Arab
language. He then dressed himself in n strange
costume, and covered his face, except the eyes
with lithaui (pice of cloth like the Arabs ofthe
desert. Thus disguised he arrived at the court of
the king, and was conducted to bis presence
"Oh brother OF the Arabs,' said the king to
him, "whence con!est thiu, and what desirest
thou ofme e.
The poet replied. May Allah increase the pow.
eF OF the king am poor poet OF thu tribe Of
-, md have composed al ode in honor Of our
sovereign, the sultan.
20! brother Of the Arabs, replied the king
"Knowest thou on what conditions thou Wit
obtain recompense y
Il am indeed ignorant Of them" said the poet
what are these conditions, oh. most powerful
king "
-. the ode Which thou art about to reci,c has
no, beef, sn'nposed by thyself, thou wilt obtain
from. me no recpmrense But lift be new. and
thou art really the au,'"AT, WI give thee tho
weight OF thy manuscript IN go
How should | dare" cried L, ASmaee, pre-
tend to be.he author Of verses writtei. ~ annth'
erI D.; not every subject know that TO H''sr q
faschood before Ris, Is one OF the vIlesE actr-s
that can be committed The verses are my own
and Ieubnit without fear TO the conditions which
you have pleased to impose--oh, angus, Sultan
he recod bic ode. The king confused, was
unable to retain a single word. lie made sign
10 BIS nameluke; bat the mameluko confessed
the Ike inability. lie caused the slave toappeaE
be was still less prepared to perform bic pat.
"Oh brother of the Arab said the king, thou
hast spoken the truth The ode is doubtless
thine; thisis the frs, time have heard il. Show
VS. thy manuscript that may give thee the pro
missed lec0mpense.
"Deign' replied the poet, ito order two ofyour
servi,ors 10 Lrng 20 the foot Of your throne ;Aai
which you ask Of me-
"What must they bring {" cried the ling. Il
not tie manuscript Of papyrus, anu doest thou not
carry 1t about thy pers0nF
No gracious Sultan. l am poor when com
posed the verses ! had no papirus and was obi
ged to engraye them on theiragmeu, Of column.
lei. me IN heritage by my father This block Or
marble Is en- the back Of my camel at your palace
gate"
Tie king was caught in his own snare-The
camel was sinking under the weight of the bro
ken column, To fulfil his promise, the king wa,
forced to drain his treasury but this lesson wa.
not lostupou him, from this time he had no long
er reco6rsc to trick 50 unworthy Of him. III
henceforward rewarded the poets according t.
their merit, with the generosity which became
sovereign.