The Anderson intelligencer. [volume] (Anderson Court House, S.C.) 1860-1914, 1900-07-04
An AIQ1lon NIGHTS TQ|e.
Translated and adapted by Sir Ed
win Arnold.

+ I'LL ANNnlusa tiyitV sViVs ].
!. Translated and adapted by Sir Ed T.
+ win Arnold. !.
From the beginning and in all ages
pcople of every sort have loved stories
about animals and especially when the
creatures themselves converse. What
else makes the secret and most attract
i've charm of Mr.. Rudyard Kipling's
Jungle Books and what else causes one
of our poets with such impatient faith
to eXclaim:
shall not ask Jean Jacques Rousseau
II birds confabulate or no?
SchehereZadc herself In '"The Thou
sand and One Nights" does not hesi-
tate to interrupt the flow Of her roman
tic and fantastic tales with some re-
markable stories about animals, though
these seldom or never are given in the
current versions Of the book. On the
one hundred and forty-sixth night Of
the immortal work she says to the sui
tan and to her sister Donyazade, "If
you have admired the history Of King
Omar-el el-Neman, how much would you
not like to hear the birds and beasts
discourseY' "By Allah," cries the sui
tan, "that would be delightful" and SO
the inexhaustible raconteuse Of 'The
Thousand and One Nights" tells an en-
tanning story of the wilderness which
is perhaps as old as anything in "Lok-
man" or "Esop" and may have given
to La Fontaine himself ideas, although
by channels unknown to the great
Frenchman will shorten one curious
apologize Of the kind here chiefly by
drawing from the translation which
DR.. Mardrus has made Of It In French
out Of the arabic text. Thus runs the
antique Arab fable:
It came TO me, 0 lord Of fortune, how
once on time q peacock and peahen
were living in peace and happiness on
beautiful island In lake apart from
all troubles, and the island was cover.
ed with fruit trees and blossoms, and
they were very happy. But one day
there flew thither a wild goose In great
trepiGat!cr. With finsteying wings and
wild cries. to which the two birds bade
kindly welcome and asked the cause Of
its fright.
"Ah," whimpered the goose, 81 am
still sick with terror. I have seen q
man, an Ibn-Adam! Allah deliver us
all from the Ibn-AdamW
''Calm thyself," the peahen said. "Be
1bn-Adam ever SO terrible he cannot
disturb us here, protected as we are by
the water"
"Most beautiful lady," the goose re-
sponded, 'tyou do not know Ibn-Adam.
He can make the f]sh come to him out
Of the sen and the hawks and. eagles
fall down from the air. Feeble, con-
temptible, ugly as he Is, he can tame
the huge elephant himself and take his
big white tusks away to make cups
and ornaments. But will tell you
what have seen and why dread the
Ibn-Adam.
II was still flying from the evil vision
had seen Of q man, not daring to stop
Tor food or drink, when saw at the
entrance Of cavern young lien with
a red name, OF lordly demeanor, who
also observed me and bade me ap-
proach. asking my name. % prince
Of lions.' sa.d, e &c: wiiid goose, OF
the race OF BIRDS. why dos$ thou
tremble so, wild gooseY he inquired.
Then related how had dreamed Of
or seen q living man and was astonish-
ed when he replied: T also have dream
ed about the thing you call Ibn-Adam
and have heard my father say that It is \
creature to be distrusted. But have
never seen one and have no fear Of
them.'
Then snake: 'n!: Oh, sss.trst ssss ryt SON or the
sultan of all animals, what glory to
tnee 1t thou couldst rid the earth OF the
plague Of mani How would all crea.
lures OF the earth ana air and water
praise and thank thy valory Thus did
encourage and fatter the young Hon
until he had resolved to go forth with
me and to find and slays this common
enemy. : sss
so the young lion paced forth from
MS cave, f1ercely iashing hia back witt, !
MS tall, I following behind. We had
NOT gone far In company befcra ys saw.
Cloud ne z.aes Z; Z: Inc 1nic1ut. winch.
drifting dway, disclosed xo tis =. -. =. !!
"0It sua0ls.Gg bsJdIa rolling IN the
sand from side ~ sids, his four feet 30
"At sight cf skig MP yosine non ssas |
somewhat astcaishad, aince he had
wandered little outside his cavern and
Knew nothing oe the world, but re cali.
ed the ass to him ana said, eThou
senseieas object, what art th0u and |
why dost thon In 60 fooltsh q manner |
soil and bray The beaat replied, sNo.
pie master. am thy slave, an ass, ana |
nave de6 hither to escape Ibn. ADAM
me man, my easter The young lion |
SAD With a laugh, sThon art long back-
Gu ana lusty. why shouldst thon fear
.nat feeble thing, a man r Epake the !!
S.onkey, ~. grayely shaking his head:a
,fr1nce OF the forest, 1t is clear thou