Savannah courier. (Savannah, Tenn.) 1885-1979, 1901-09-06
THIS is the quaint legend that


heard half-recited, half-chanted
by an old Arab, one evening when l
had joined small group which sur
rounded him:
ut is not only the birds, but also the
flowers which have wings. In the kingdom
of the sun lived sultan great and just,
beloved of God, who blessed him in his
children, and dropped from Heaven the
souls of three houris, the self-same day
that his favorite sultana brought into the
world three daughters so alike that their
own mother was not able to distinguish
them from each other. She placed upon
their cradles three different flowers. pink
for the elder, Leila; white for the younger,
Nedji; blue for the third, Hadje. They
grew like the palm tree tall, and blossomed
like the lotos. Each had green eyes, not
of sad green like the leaves of the fig
tree, but of deep green like the waves of
the sea. The leaves fell from the tree of
life II times before they had felt the flower
of love. They seemed to wait the coming
of the mysterious friend, as the first star
of the evening.
"One day some unbellevers entered the
country of the prophet with their chief,
who was Christian. blond and pale as the
snow of his country, and with eyes the
at his audience with the grand sultan,
they trembed, and all three loved him, for
their hearts were as one. Love Is fire In
Asia, where perfumes change to poison,
but 1t Is ice in Europe. where the sky Is
covered with clouds and the rose without
perfume. But the avaricious Frank had
come to conquer gold, net women, and soon
left, bearing away his riches-as If gold,
a ray from earth, was worth more than
frnn
weep at his departure, but said He is the
lover of our soul, and we must go to him.
After embracing their brother, they went
In the night from their gilded palace, alone,
saying: We are going to the Icy country
TO find again our master But It was too
far from the land of the faithful to that
OF the accursed, and when they had
walked for long time, they stopped and
said to each other
'' 1T is here that we must die!'
And they died with hands Joined, as
when they came into the world. But an
angel saw them in that hour, and cried to
Mahomet:
All powerful master, the three houris
have died while seeking their beloved
THE prophet felt tear in his eyes as he
looked at them, then he said:
But they may be flowers-Leila pink,
Medic white, and Hadje blue, like the
flowers of their cradle, and may have wings
like the birds, that they may yet seek their
beloved, as they sought him when they
were women. And the wind will be their
servant; II will carry them upon its breath
each springtime, from land to land, so
that they may find again the one whom
they seek: they will blossom everywhere.
even to the last day OF the world, where
they will find him, when Allah will Judge
all souls
"The three flowers blossomod upon the
mountain, and the word of Mahomet has
been accomplished ever since.
ut is not only the birds, but the flowers
also which have wings"
He drew from his bosom three
small flowers as large as violets-
pink, white and blue, as he had told.
They were the three sisters. Then
the Arabs knelt, and their prayers
commenced.
''If you please, sir" said voice be-
hind me, at the moment | was going.
/ turned and found myself in the
presence of an Englishman, tall, ele-
CANT, handsome and distinguished.
"Sir," said he to me, with bow, 81
am Lord M. / have been listen
ing to the Arabs story, and noticed
that YOU wrote down his words. We
do not understand the language, and
my lady, who noticed his gestures,
would be most happy to have the
translation. l pray you to excuse
this request, which may seem little
bold, and count upon your charity
to obtain this favor"
His courtesy was too genuine to
permit me to hesitate, besides his re-
quest was for a lady. | answered
that I was quite at my lady's orders,
and would be charmed to render SO
slight service.
"Will YOU, then, do us the favor to
come and take tea with us this even
inc. at the consulate where we are
staying"
That evening, in the consulate,
was duly presented to Lady M. She
appeared very pale and nervous, and
bad the reserved air of the women
Of her country, but without the af-
fectation of prudery, which made
Rvron so angry. Her eyes were low
cred without ceasing; but this
seemed natural, for she was not over
1s wears of age. She received me po'
I;telv and let her husband remind me
~ the translation promised. read
n slowly, trying only to put into my
voice that kind of indefinable melan'
oholv note which had accompanied
tbe chant Of the raconteur
when I had finished, the young
woman, instead of taking part in the
nsuai reflections, remained seated as
~ lost in thought. A little aston