The Birmingham age-herald., 1909-09-12

ably the stories came from various coun- tries, India, Persia, Arabia and China and are of various dates. The editions which have been published In various lah- guages would fill many Libraries and wha' has been written about them many oth- CTS. It has been claimed that they 'are more widely diffused and read than almost any other product of the human mind. Yet the name of the author Of single one of them has not survived. 'Sindoao the Sailor" Is one of the best known ano most characteristic of the tales. It Is curious to compare the story of the Cy- clops in Sindbad's third voyage with 8 similar story in the Odyssey. Was Homer indebted to Sindbad or Sindbad to Ho- mer?
 "HE fiery golden arrows Of the sun
 rained down their burning shower
 ! upon "Bagdad's towers of fretted gold and high-walled gardens green and old" as Hindbad. the porter easing his heavy burden from his shoulders sat down to rest in these shadow Of large house, whose cool, white walls, pierced here and there by little latticed windows and supporting in other places inolosed balconies. reared themselves beside the dusty street. 10 LILO ll6lb OA N--S
 stretched the walls of garden over which could be seen peeping the tops or graceful palms and acaoias' orange al- mond, pomegrarate and olive trees' anu behind which many spicy shrub ana Ira grant flower distilled their ooors. mere was the sound of fountain falling into its marble basin and the murmur or a Yivulet stealing beside the smooth lawns and beneath the arching trees From the garden came the song of nightingales and from the house bursts of joyous min strelsy. From the little window aooVe bis head was waited to Hindbads nos trils the appetzing smell of baked meats and he rightly judged that feast was going on inside.
 By the gateway lounged two servants, appareled in fine dress, and of one of them the porter asked who lived in that house. How" replied one of the ser wants, do you live in Bagdad and not, know that this is the house of Sindbad the Sailor, the famous traveller who has sailed around the world?" Hindbad lifted up his eyes to heaven and cried out loud ly, Almighty Creatoreof all things, what a difference thou hast made between Sind bad and Hindbad! I can scarcely get coarse barley bread for myself and my family, while Sindbad has great riches and lives life of constant pleasure. What has he done to deserve such lot, and what have done to deserve such a fate as miner" At that a servant came out of the house and asked if he was the man who called himself Hindbad and had lust murmured against fate.
 On the porter replying that he was that unhappy man, the servant took him by the arm, and, leading him through the garden, introduced him into great hall, the arched roof of which. supported upon light and airy columns, was richly carved and splendidly ornamented with ara besques of gold, purple, red, green and blue. The walls of different sorts of costly marbles were blazoned with texts from the Koran, done in gold, and hung with rich silken tapestries sprinlled with precious stones. One side of the hall opened upon an arcade, so that the guests as they sat at dinner might see the beauties of the garden and be refreshed by the light breezes that wandered amid the trees and over the beds of flowers
 At a great table was seated numerous company all dressed in much splendor of silks of China and rare fabrics of India. The broad sashes wound around their waists blazed with jewels and precious stones gleamed in their turbans. Some had strings of pearls or emeralds around their necks and the hilts of their curved scimitars of blue Damascus steel were crusted with diamonds and rubies.
 Upon the table. heaped in dishes of sil- yer and gold richly chased and of the most exquisite design, were all sorts oi good things to eat; savory roast kid stuffed with pistachio nuts, outlets of an. telope steak swimming in oil, roast pheas- ants, cartridges and quail, pyramids oi the most delicious fruits, and, in jewele6 goblets of the dearest crystal, sherbets cooled with snows brought from the dis. tant mountains At the upper end of tho table, upon a magnificent divan. sat an old man of benign aspect, whose long white beard flowed down upon his bosom. and behind stood a number of attendants all ready to wait upon him.
 Hindbad became frightened at being in the presence of such splendid company and trembled as he made his salutation Sindbad the Sailor, for it was he who sal at the head of the table, gravely made the porter welcome to the banquet and bade him take a seat beside him and partake of the feast while the musicians burst ou into a merry note which the birds and tn, fountain answered from the fragrant gar den For that was in the golden prim of good Haroun Alraschid," when sucl things happened not once only but for 100 glorious days and for 1OO1 equally gor geous nights.
 {. Through the open window Sindbad ha, heard the cry of the porter as he lifted u his voice in protest against the decrees o fate, and now, when the feast was a length over, he turned to him and said: " wish to hear again what you have beel saying in the street" My lord.'' replie Hindbad, 'I confess that the heat an, weariness put me out of humor an caused me to utter words for which
 crave pardon" God is God and Mahome is His prophet" said Sindbad. Do nc think that I would be so unjust as to b angry at such complaint. But I mus correct you as regards myself. Do no suppose that I have acquired withou much toll and suffering the wealth an ease which I now possess. Yes, gentle men," he added. looking toward hi xuests, T endured for years more of mis