St. Tammany farmer. [volume] (Covington, La.) 1874-current, 1903-08-08
IN A PERSIAN LIBRARY.
Apt and Witty Anecdotes Old 10 the
World Buried In It's
Volumes.

/ Volumes.
The student of the Persian language
such as l am, in the course Of his pleas
ant rambles among the literature o
the children of the land of 'sThe Liol
and the Sum-" has many pleasant sur
prises. He will find stories, some Q
them old as the world, apt, clever, an
instinct with character, which he WI
be able to compare with English vel
sions among the fairy tales. Buried il
a book in the Persian language, it h
can get beyond the characters, he vii
find the following anecdotes, which
have greatly amused me, says writel
in st. James Gazette.
A certain king asked an astrologer
SLOW many years remain to me9
The wise man replied: "Ten." The king
became very Respondent and betool
himself, as one stricken with sick
ness, to his bed. His vizier, who pos
sessed great wisdom, sent for the seer
and in the kings presence asked him:
'.How many years have you to live?
He replied: Twenty" The vizier or.
dered that he should that very hour
be executed in the kings presence
The king was satisfied and commended
the sagacity Of his minister, and no
longer attached any Importance to the
astrologer's saying.
One day certain tyrannical king
came alone without the city walls and
saw a man sitting unde tree. The
king asked: 1.-THE ruler of this king
dom; is he>a tyrant or a just man"'
The stranger replied: "A very great
tyrant." The king said to the stranger:
I'D you know me?" He said: 'sNo."
II am the sultan of this kingdom" the
monarch replied. The man was over
come with fear, and asked: .Do you
know me?" The king said: "No." He
replied: 81 am the son of merchant
and every month I suffer three days
madness. This unfortunately happens
to be the day before the three days"
The king laughed land had nothing at
all further to say"
One day certain man said to him
self that Everything in the earth and
in the heavens exists for me. For me
many great things has God created"
In the middle of his soliloquy a gnat
settled on his nose and said: $50 much
pride in thee is not fitting in that thou
shouldst imagine that all things in the
earth and skies are created for thee.
Rather art thou created for me. Dost
thou not recognize that thou art only
the instrument of my uplifting?''
The sultan, Alexander the Great (the
Two-Horned), upon certain occasion
passed by mailman and said: "Oh.
mailman, for some mark of my favor
express thou a wish" He replied:
1.-THE flies trouble me; speak that they
do SO no more" The monarch said:
'Oh, mailman, make thy petition some
thing which it is in my power to com.
mand." The mailman said: eff thou
.anst not control a fly, what petition
hall make ?''
There IS story of certain poet who |
zane before great man and praised |
lin very ornately. The rich man was
7ery pleased, and said: Ready money |
have not; nevertheless there is in
ny granaries very much corn. # you
'ome tomorrow will give you some"
The poet went to his own house and on
he morrow presented himself to his
patron. The rich man asked him: "Why
ave you come ?" He said: "Yester-
lay you promised to give me-corn. For
his reason am come" The rich man
aid: "A most wonderful fool thou
TT. What you said to me gave me plea
ure. What I have said to you equally
LEASED you. Why then should I give
GU corn?" The poet was covered with
hame- and departed.
Yet another and a short one, which
rings this brief selection from a store
ouse to a close: A king and his son
'ent hunting, and owing to the heat
the day Invested themselves Of their
eavy cloaks, and threw them ON the
houlders Of jester in attendance.
he king smiling said: "Oh, jester,
hou hast now the burden Of an ass" [
e replied: "Not SO, O king, but Of
wo asses"
With the Persians the writing of po-
try and beautiful and witty sayings !,
described as threading Of pearls. % /
hese are but as seed pearls by the I
bore. We have been privileged to en-. |
y some of the mbre lustrous Jewels 8
ken from the great ocean of oriental {
terature, but how much remains un- {
kplored, and what untold treasures I
E buried in it's depths. {
- 1t