Savannah morning news. [volume] (Savannah) 1868-1887, 1885-06-21
CHAPTER VII.

When he came to himself he heard a
sweet voice saying: "Phi sma," which in
Arabic means, "He is in heaven" He
felt a baud laid upon his heart, aud "a sec
ond voice replied "Lo, Lo, mach mouth, :"
which signifies, mo, no, he is not dead"
He opened his eyes and he saw an old
man and a young girl kneeling near him.
The man was as black as night; he had a
white beard, braided in little plaits like
the ancient Magi; be was clothed in a
robe of green silk. The young girl was of
eyes, and lips of coral. She wore gold
rings in her ears and nose. Pecopin was
no longer on the seashOre. The wind
from the internal regions had carried him
into a valley filled with rocks and strange
ly formed trees. He rose; the man and
girl looked at him kindly. He approach
ed one of the trees: the leaves contracted,
the branches drew back, the flowers,
which We're white, turned red, and the
whole tree appeared to shrink from him.
Pecopin recognized the tree of shame,
and concluded he had quilted India
and was in the famous country of Publ
feran.
The old man made a sign to him. Peco-
Pin followed him, and some moments af-
ter the three Were seated upon mat in a
cabin of palm leaves. The interior of the
cabin sparkled with precious stones. The
old man turned to Pecopin and said to
him in German: "My son, am the man
who knows everytEing-the grand EthiO-
plan lapidary, the taleb of the Arabs.
am called Zin-Eddin among non, and
EvilmerOdach among genii. | am the
first person who has penetrated in this
valley and you are the second. l have
passed my life in studying nature and
learning from her the science of matter
and impaTting to matter the secrets Of
the soul. Thanks to me and my lessons
in this valley the stones live, the plants
think, and the animals are learned.
have instructed the beasts IN the true
knowledge of medicine, unknown to man.
] have taught the pelican to bleed herself
to heal her little ones bitten by the viper
the blind serpent to eat tennel to recover
sight; the bear afflicted with cataract TO
irritate the bees until they sting his eyes.
| have brought to the eagles the 9titcs
stone to cause them TO lay their eggs
without pain. II the jay takes as medi-
cine the laurel leaf, the turtle that of the
hemlOcg, the stag dittamy, the wolf the
mandrake. the boar the ivy, the turtle
dove the Helxne herb; If the horse OPP
pressed with blood open the vein Of the
thigh; if the lizard at the time OF casting
off his skin dev0ur it TO cure the iutirmi-
ties Of old age; If the swallow heals the
blindness Of her little ones with the stone
which she brings from beyond the seas
If the weazel provide herself with rue
when fighting the black-snake, it is i,
my son, who taught each Of them. Until
now | have had only animals for disci-
pies; have waited for q man; thou art
come; be my son. I am old | shall leave
thee my cabin, my precious stones, my
valley, my science. ThQn shalt wed my
daughter, who is called Aissab and who
is beautiful. ! will teach thee to distin-
guish the ruby sandastre from the chrys.
clamps, to put the mother Of pearl into
salt, and to bring back the brightness Of
the ruby, grown dim by dipping it ia vine
gar Each day in vinegar gives a year oi
beauty. We shall pass cur lives in col
lecting diamonds and eating roots. BE
my SON."
Thanks, venerable sir" said Pecopin
81 accept gladlyD Night came; he ran
away.