s: To her waist--and lower--she! a Rajpoot, she!


s: Sang the melting music, swayed the languorous limb:


s: Shureef's drunken heart beat--Shureef's eyes waxed dim.


s: From his finger Shureef loosed an Ormuz pearl--


s: "By the Prophet," quoth he, "'tis a winsome girl!"


s: "Take this ring; and 'prithee, come and have thy pay,


s: I would hear at leisure more of such a lay."


s: Glared his eyes on her eyes, passing o'er the plain,


s: Glared at the tent-purdah--never glared again!


s: Eyes that saw a Rajpoot dance a shameful dance;


s: For the kiss she gave him was his first and last--


s: Kiss of dagger, driven to his heart, and past.


s: At her feet he wallowed, choked with wicked blood;


s: In his breast the katar quivered where it stood.


s: At the hilt his fingers vainly--wildly--try,


s: Then they stiffen feeble;--die! thou slayer, die!


s: Cut a-twain the neck-bone of the Muslim lord.


s: Underneath the starlight,--sooth, a sight of dread!


s: Like the Goddess Kali, comes she with the head,


s: Comes to where her brothers guard their murdered chief;


s: All the camp is silent, but the night is brief.


s: At his feet she flings it, flings her burden vile;


s: "Soorj! I keep my promise! Brothers, build the pile!"


s: They have built it, set it, all as Rajpoots do


s: In the lap of Neila, seated on the pile,


s: Laid his head--she radiant, like a queen the while.


s: Then the lamp is lighted, and the ghee is poured--


s: "Soorj, we burn together: O my love, my lord!"


s: In the flame and crackle dies her tender tongue,


s: Dies the Ranee, truest, all true wives among.


s: At the dawn a clamour runs from tent to tent,


s: Like the wild geese cackling when the night is spent.


s: "Shureef Khan lies headless! gone is Soorj Dehu!


s: And the wandering Nautch-girl, who has seen her, who?"


s: This but know the sentries, at the "breath of morn"


s: Forth there fared two horsemen, by the first was borne.


s: The urn of clay, the vessel that Rajpoots use to bring


s: The ashes of dead kinsmen to Gungas' holy spring.


s: Rode all that spring, as all the spring runs down


s: Into a lake, from all its hanging hills,


s: The clash and glitter of a hundred streams.


s: And that swart king--as royal in his heart


s: That he might fully, of his knowledge, learn


s: The purpose of the lords of Christendom,


s: And when their war and what their armament,


s: Took thought to cross the seas to Lombardy.


s: Wherefore, with wise and trustful Amirs twain,


s: All habited in garbs that merchants use,


s: With trader's band and gipsire on the breasts


s: That best loved mail and dagger, Saladin


s: With cities rich; nor richer one than thee,


s: Marble Milano! from whose gate at dawn--


s: With ear that little recked the matin-bell,


s: But a keen eye to measure wall and foss--


s: The Soldan rode; and all day long he rode


s: And gaze of vineyard-workers, wotting not


s: No gleam of gate, or ramp, or rising spire,


s: Nor Tessin's sparkle underneath the stars


s: Ladies and lords, with horses, hawks, and hounds:


s: Cap-plumes and tresses fluttered by the wind


s: Of merry race for home. "Go!" said the king


s: "And pray these gentles of their courtesy


s: How many leagues to Pavia, and the gates


s: What hour they close them?" Then the Saracen


s: Set spur, and being joined to him that seemed


s: First of the hunt, he told the message--they


s: Checking the jangling bits, and chiding down


s: The unfinished laugh to listen--but by this


s: Came up the king, his bonnet in his hand,


s: Theirs doffed to him: "Sir Trader," Torel said


s: "They shut the Pavian gate at even-song,


s: And even-song is sung." Then turning half,


s: Muttered, "Pardie, the man is worshipful,


s: A stranger too!" "Fair lord!" quoth Saladin,


s: "Please you to stead some weary travellers,


s: Saying where we may lodge, the town so far


s: And night so near" "Of my heart, willingly,"


s: To send my knave an errand--he shall ride


s: And bring you into lodgment--oh! no thanks,


s: Our Lady keep you!" then with whispered hest


s: He called their guide and sped them. Being gone.


s: With ready zeal and loosened bridle-chains,


s: Rode for his hunting-palace, where they set


s: And hung the house with guest-lights, and anon


s: Welcomed the wondering strangers, thereto led


s: Stamped current with God's image for a man


s: Chief among men, truthful, and just, and free.


s: Then he, "Well met again, fair sirs! Our knave


s: Hath found you shelter better than the worst:


s: Please you to leave your selles, and being bathed,


s: Grace our poor supper here." Then Saladin,


s: Whose sword had yielded ere his courtesy,


s: Answered, "Great thanks, Sir Knight, and this much blame,


s: You spoil us for our trade! two bonnets doffed,


s: And travellers' questions holding you afield,


s: For those you give us this." "Sir! not your meed,


s: Nor worthy of your breeding; but in sooth


s: He led them to fair chambers decked with all


s: Makes tired men glad; lights, and the marble bath,


s: And flasks that sparkled, liquid amethyst,


s: And grapes, not dry as yet from evening dew.


s: Thereafter at the supper-board they sat;


s: Nor lacked it, though its guest was reared a king,


s: Pastel, pasticcio--all set forth on gold;


s: And gracious talk and pleasant courtesies,


s: Till there was none but held the stranger-sir,


s: For all his chapman's dress of cramasie,


s: Goodlier than silks could make him. Presently


s: "I go myself," said Torel, "with a score


s: Of better knights--the flower of Pavia--


s: To try our steel against King Saladin's.


s: Sirs! ye have seen the countries of the Sun,


s: Know you the Soldan?" Answer gave the king,


s: "The Soldan we have seen--'twill push him hard


s: If, which I nothing doubt, you Pavian lords


s: Are Cyprus merchants making trade to France--


s: Dull sons of Peace." "By Mary!" Torel cried,


s: "But for thy word, I ne'er heard speech so fit


s: To lead the war, nor saw a hand that sat


s: But sure I hold you sleepless!" Then himself


s: Playing the chamberlain, with torches borne,


s: Led them to restful beds, commending them


s: To sleep and God, Who hears--Allah or God--


s: When good men do his creatures charities.


s: At dawn the cock, and neigh of saddled steeds,


s: Broke the king's dreams of battle--not their own,


s: But goodly jennets from Torello's stalls,


s: Up, with a gracious radiance like the sun,


s: To bid them speed. Beside him in the court


s: Had been a crown. Mutual good-morrow given,


s: Thanks said and stayed, the lady prayed her guest


s: Marking her good-will, not his worthiness;


s: Are silk I spun--my lord wears ever such--


s: A housewife's gift! but those ye love are far;


s: Wear it as given for them." Then Saladin--


s: "A precious gift, Madonna, past my thanks;


s: And--but thou shalt not hear a 'no' from me--


s: Out of redemption--this but bankrupts us."


s: "Nay, sir,--God shield you!" said the knight and dame.


s: Of those three Christian cattle they bestrode--


s: That never yet was princelier-natured man,


s: Nor gentler lady;--and that time should see


s: For a king's lodging quittance royal repaid.


s: Ashore the war-steeds champed the burnished bit;


s: Afloat the galleys tugged the mooring-chain:


s: The town was out; the Lombard armourers--


s: And whetting axes for the heathen heads--


s: Cooled in the crowd that filled the squares and street:


s: To speed God's soldiers. At the none that day


s: Leading his lady;--sorrow's hueless rose


s: Grew on her cheek, and thrice the destrier


s: Struck fire, impatient, from the pavement-squares,


s: Or ere she spoke, tears in her lifted eyes,


s: "Goest thou, lord of mine?" "Madonna, yes!"


s: Said Torel, "for my soul's weal and the Lord


s: Ride I to-day: my good name and my house


s: It may be they shall slay me, and because,


s: Being so young, so fair, and so reputed,


s: The noblest will entreat thee--wait for me,


s: Widow or wife, a year, and month, and day;


s: Then if thy kinsmen press thee to a choice,


s: Nor link thy blooming beauty with the grave


s: Against thine heart." "Good my lord!" answered she,


s: "Hardly my heart sustains to let thee go;


s: Thy memory it can keep, and keep it will,


s: Live, or----" "Sweet, comfort thee! San Pietro speed!


s: I shall come home: if not, and worthy knees


s: Bend for this hand, whereof none worthy lives,


s: Least he who lays his last kiss thus upon it,


s: Look thee, I free it----" "Nay!" she said, "but I,


s: A petulant slave that hugs her golden chain,


s: Give that gift back, and with it this poor ring:


s: Set it upon thy sword-hand, and in fight


s: Then she, with pretty action, drawing on


s: The great steel glove--and through the helmet bars


s: Took her last kiss;--then let the chafing steed


s: Well wotting of their quest, awaited it,


s: And held the Crescent up against the Cross,


s: Clashed with keen Damasc, many a weary month


s: Won nothing nearer to Christ's sepulchre;


s: Nay, but gave ground. At last, in Acre pent,


s: On their loose files, enfeebled by the war,


s: The deadly Pest: day after day they died,


s: Pikeman and knight-at-arms; day after day


s: Held off the heathen:--held them off a space;


s: Then, over-weakened, yielded, and gave up


s: Fell all those purple lords--Christendom's stars,


s: Now low as sinking Hesper: with them fell


s: Starved of sweet light, and set to shameful tasks;


s: And that great load at heart to know the days


s: Fast flying, and to live accounted dead.


s: One joy his gaolers left him,--his good hawk;


s: The brave, gay bird that crossed the seas with him:


s: In a feigned anger checking at his hand,


s: The good gray falcon made his master cheer.


s: With shawled and turbaned Amirs, and his hawks--


s: Lebanon-bred, and mewed as princes lodge--


s: Flew foul, forgot their feather, hung at wrist,


s: And slighted call. The Soldan, quick in wrath,


s: Bade slay the cravens, scourge the falconer,


s: And seek some wight who knew the heart of hawks,


s: To keep it hot and true. Then spake a Sheikh--


s: Far-seen herein." "Give word that he be brought,"


s: If he hath skill, it shall go well for him."


s: Thus by the winding path of circumstance


s: One palace held, as prisoner and prince,


s: Nay and unwitting, though they met and spake


s: Of that goshawk and this--signors in serge,


s: And chapmen crowned, who knows?--till on a time


s: Some trick of face, the manner of some smile,


s: Some gleam of sunset from the glad day gone,


s: Caught the king's eye, and held it. "Nazarene!


s: What native art thou?" asked he. "Lombard I,


s: A man of Pavia." "And thy name?" "Torel,


s: Now best uncalled." "Come hither, Christian!"


s: The Soldan said, and led the way, by court


s: Rich with king's robes: therefrom he reached a gown,


s: And "Know'st thou this?" he asked. "High lord! I might


s: Elsewhere," quoth Torel, "here 'twere mad to say


s: Who shared our board." "Nay, but that gown is this,


s: Then Torel, sore amazed, "Great lord, I blush,


s: Lodged sorrily." "It's Master's Master thou!"


s: What wares the Cyprus traders keep at home;


s: Come forth and take thy place, Saladin's friend,"


s: With gracious mien the Soldan led his slave;


s: And while the dark eyes glittered, seated him


s: First of the full divan. "Orient lords,"


s: So spake he,--"let the one who loves his king


s: Honour this Frank, whose house sheltered your king;


s: He is my brother:" then the night-black beards


s: Swept the stone floor in ready reverence,


s: And a great feast was set, the Soldan's friend


s: Shining the bright star of the banqueters.


s: All which, and the abounding grace and love


s: The heart of Torel from its Lombard home


s: And there came one who said, "Oh, Lord of lords,


s: That galley of the Genovese which sailed


s: With Frankish prisoners is gone down at sea."


s: "Gone down!" cried Torel. "Ay! what recks it, friend,


s: "One galley less to ship-stuffed Genoa!"


s: "Good my liege!" Torel said, "it bore a scroll


s: Inscribed to Pavia, saying that I lived;


s: For in a year, a month, and day, not come,


s: I bade them hold me dead; and dead I am,


s: Perchance constrained." "Certes," spake Saladin,


s: "A noble dame--the like not won, once lost--


s: How many days remain?" "Ten days, my prince,


s: And twelvescore leagues between my heart and me:


s: "Lo! I am loath to lose thee--wilt thou swear


s: Or come ill speeding?" "Yea, I swear, my king,


s: Out of true love," quoth Torel, "heartfully."


s: Then Saladin, "Take here my signet-seal;


s: Upon its sight; and cleave the seas, and go


s: And clip thy dame, and say the Trader sends


s: Passed were the year, and month, and day; and passed


s: Out of all hearts but one Sir Torel's name,


s: Long given for dead by ransomed Pavians:


s: For Pavia, thoughtless of her Eastern graves,


s: Made peals from half a hundred campaniles


s: Of Santo Pietro, from the nones to noon,


s: Boomed with bronze throats the happy tidings out;


s: Till the great tenor, overswelled with sound,


s: Leading his swinkèd ringers down the stairs,


s: Came blinking into sunlight--all his keys


s: Jingling their little peal about his belt--


s: Whom, as he tarried, locking up the porch,


s: A foreign signor, browned with southern suns,


s: Turbaned and slippered, as the Muslims use,


s: Plucked by the cope. "Friend," quoth he--'twas a tongue


s: "Why are your belfries busy--is it peace


s: Of Pavian lieges?" "Truly, no liege thou!"


s: Her fore-betrothed,--Sir Torel's widow she,


s: That died i' the chain?" "To-night!" the stranger said


s: And you shall see a goodly Christian feast


s: If so you pass their gates at even-song,


s: But folded o'er his face the Eastern hood,


s: Lest idle eyes should mark how idle words


s: Had struck him home. "So quite forgot!--so soon!--


s: And this the square wherein I gave the joust,


s: And that the loggia, where I fed the poor;


s: And yon my palace, where--oh, fair! oh, false!--


s: Clean out of heart, with twice six flying moons,


s: The heart that beat on mine as it would break,


s: That faltered forty oaths. Forced! forced!--not false--


s: Well! I will sit, wife, at thy wedding-feast,


s: And let mine eyes give my fond faith the lie."


s: So in the stream of gallant guests that flowed


s: Feastward at eve, went Torel; passed with them


s: The outer gates, crossed the great courts with them,


s: A stranger in the walls that called him lord.


s: Cressets and coloured lamps made the way bright,


s: And rose-leaves strewed to where within the doors


s: The master of the feast, the bridegroom, stood,


s: A-glitter from his forehead to his foot,


s: Speaking fair welcomes. He, a courtly lord,


s: Marking the Eastern guest, bespoke him sweet,


s: Prayed place for him, and bade them set his seat


s: And wine went free as wit, and music died--


s: Nor ate nor drank, nor spoke nor smiled; but gazed


s: On the pale bride, pale as her crown of pearls,


s: Who sate so cold and still, and sad of cheer,


s: Read the thoughts right that held her eyelids down,


s: Then to a little page who bore the wine,


s: He spake, "Go tell thy lady thus from me:


s: A wedding-guest, the bride, out of her grace,


s: In token that she knows her guest's good-will,


s: Wherefrom he drinking she in turn doth drink;


s: So is our use." The little page made speed


s: And told the message. Then that lady pale--


s: Lifted her troubled eyes and smiled consent


s: On the swart stranger. By her side, untouched,


s: Stood the brimmed gold; "Bear this," she said, "and pray


s: From off his finger--never loosed before--


s: The ring she gave him on the parting day;


s: And ere he drank, behind his veil of beard


s: Dropped in the cup the ruby, quaffed, and sent.--


s: Then she, with sad smile, set her lips to drink,


s: And--something in the Cyprus touching them,


s: Glanced--gazed--the ring!--her ring!--Jove! how she eyes


s: The wistful eyes of Torel!--how, heartsure,


s: Under all guise knowing her lord returned,


s: She springs to meet him coming!--telling all


s: The storm of questions! stilled, when Torel spake


s: His name, and, known of all, claimed the Bride Wife,


s: Maugre the wasted feast, and woful groom.


s: All hearts but his were light to see Torel;


s: The bridal-veil away. Something therein--


s: A lady's dagger--small, and bright, and fine--


s: Clashed out upon the marble. "Wherefore that?"


s: Asked Torel; answered she, "I knew you true;


s: And I could live, so long as I might wait;


s: But they--they pressed me hard! my days of grace


s: Faithful to death, if so thou hadst not come."


s: With snow and rose-leaves cooled the drink,


s: Went droning on with _ghain_ and _kaf_.--


s: Set down the cup and snatched his sword.


s: "Keep this same sherbet, slave," he said,


s: She kissed his feet, she laughed and wept.


s: They drew him forth, he whined for grace:


s: Flashed the fierce sword--rolled the lord's head;


s: Come forth, oh, Snake! come forth, oh, glittering Snake!


s: Oh, dread Lord Snake! come forth and spread thy hood,


s: And drink the milk and suck the eggs; and show


s: Great Uncle Snake! creep forth and dance to-day!


s: This music is the music snakes love best;


s: Ah, wise Lord Nâg! thou comest!--Fear thou not!


s: We make salaam to thee, the Serpent-King,


s: Dance, dreadful King! whose kisses strike men dead;


s: Dance this side, mighty Snake! the milk is here!


s: Thou fool! this nautch shall cost thee dear;


s: Wrench forth his fangs! this piping clear,


s: Sang with light strains and brightsome brow


s: "What is the bliss that is best on earth?


s: Lovers' light whispers and tender mirth;


s: Bright gleams the sun on the Green Sea's isle,


s: But a brighter light has a woman's smile:


s: To freshen the cheeks which love made pale;


s: This is why bloometh the scented flower,


s: To gladden with grace love's secret bower:


s: When the Day of Wrath and Mercy cometh, none shall doubt it come;


s: Quick and Dead shall be divided fourfold:--on this side and that.


s: The "Companions of the Right Hand" (ah! how joyful they will be!)


s: But those souls attaining Allah, oh! the Gardens of good cheer


s: Lightly lying on soft couches, beautiful with 'broidered gold,


s: Bright, desirable; and rich flesh of what birds they relish best.


s: Never in that Garden hear they speech of folly, sin, or dread,


s: Only PEACE; "_SALAMUN_" only; that one word for ever said.


s: PEACE! PEACE! PEACE!--and the "Companions of the Right Hand" (ah!


s: Shaded, fed, by flowing waters; near to fruits that never cloy,


s: Hanging ever ripe for plucking; and at hand the tender joy,


s: Of those Maids of Heaven--the Hûris. Lo! to these we gave a birth


s: Ever virginal and stainless, howsooften they embrace,


s: Like the grace and bliss the Black-eyed keep for you in Paradise;


s: Sweet, on the daisies of your English grave


s: I lay this little wreath of Indian flowers,


s: Fragrant for me because the scent they have


s: Breathes of the memory of our wedded hours;


s: For others scentless; and for you, in heaven,


s: Too pale and faded, dear dead wife! to wear,


s: Save that they mean--what makes all fault forgiven--


s: That he who brings them lays his heart, too, there.


s: His belly is stuffed with the fire and the wind,


s: It's forty koss from Lahore to the ford,


s: Now the swords and the spears are still,


s: With a lakh of silver borne at his heel.


s: Down from his eyrie they tempted my Bird,


s: And clipped his wings that he could not fly.


s: "Runjeet Dehu! come forth from thy hold"--


s: Snort, black Sheitan! till nostrils crack,


s: Struck the spurs till they spirted blood,


s: "The reading of this Mahábhárata destroys all sin and


s: produces virtue; so much so, that the pronunciation of a


s: single shloka is sufficient to wipe away much guilt. This


s: Mahábhárata contains the history of the gods, of the Rishis


s: in heaven and those on earth, of the Gandharvas and the


s: Rákshasas. It also contains the life and actions of the one


s: God, holy, immutable, and true,--who is Krishna, who is the


s: creator and the ruler of this universe; who is seeking the


s: welfare of his creation by means of his incomparable and


s: indestructible power; whose actions are celebrated by all


s: sages; who has bound human beings in a chain, of which one


s: end is life and the other death; on whom the Rishis


s: meditate, and a knowledge of whom imparts unalloyed


s: happiness to their hearts, and for whose gratification and


s: favour all the daily devotions are performed by all


s: worshippers. If a man reads the Mahábhárata and has faith in


s: its doctrines, he is free from all sin, and ascends to


s: In order to explain the portion of this Indian epic, here for the


s: The "great war of Bhârat" has its first scenes in Hastinapur, an


s: ancient and vanished city, formerly situated about sixty miles


s: "highly arrayed, amid vast crowds," and Arjuna especially


s: approves of him) the fortunate archer who can strike the eye of a


s: Kauravas that they are invited back again, for safety's sake, to


s: Hastinapura, and settle near it in the city of Indraprastha, now


s: invaders, nor parrots to eat up the grain."


s: The Pandava king, having subdued all enemies, now performs the


s: _Rajasuya_, or ceremony of supremacy,--and here again occur


s: gambler, has loaded the "coupun," so as to win every throw. Mr.


s: Wheeler's excellent summary again says:--


s: "Then Yudhishthira and Sakuni sat down to play, and whatever


s: Yudhishthira laid as stakes Duryodhana laid something of


s: equal value; but Yudhishthira lost every game. He first lost


s: a very beautiful pearl; next a thousand bags each containing


s: a thousand pieces of gold; next a great piece of gold so


s: pure that it was as soft as wax; next a chariot set with


s: war-elephants with golden howdahs set with diamonds; next a


s: lakh of slaves all dressed in rich garments; next a lakh of


s: beautiful slave-girls, adorned from head to foot with golden


s: ornaments; next all the remainder of his goods; next all his


s: cattle; and then the whole of his Râj, excepting only the


s: lands which had been granted to the Brahmans."


s: After all these evidences of prowess and the help afforded in the


s: glitters, indeed, with kings and princes in panoply of gold and


s: engaged with a third man, and shooting Karna dead while he is


s: adventures. They come, for instance, to a land of Amazons, all of


s: preparations begin for the sacrifice of the snow-white horse.


s: "The gate of heaven opens to none alone,


s: Save thou one soul, and it shall save thine own."


s: _To Narayen, Lord of lords, be glory given,


s: To sweet Saraswati, the Queen in Heaven,


s: So shall this story its high course pursue._


s: Then Janmejaya prayed: "Thou Singer, say,


s: What wrought the princes of the Pandavas


s: "On tidings of the wreck of Vrishni's race,


s: Was minded to be done with earthly things,


s: Time endeth all; we linger, noose on neck,


s: Till the last day tightens the line, and kills.


s: Let us go forth to die, being yet alive,'


s: And Kunti's son, the great Arjuna, said:


s: 'Let us go forth to die!--Time slayeth all;


s: We will find Death, who seeketh other men.'


s: We will find Death!' and Sahadev cried: 'Yea!'


s: The princes set their faces for the Mount.


s: "But Yudhishthira--ere he left his realm,


s: Surnamed of fights, and set him over all,


s: 'This, thy son's son, shall wear the Kuru crown,


s: And Yadu's offspring, Vajra, shall be first


s: In Yadu's house. Bring up the little prince


s: Of virtuous works to guard the lads, and guide.'


s: "So ordering ere he went, the righteous king


s: Made offering of white water, heedfully,


s: All funeral rites performing; next he spread


s: A funeral feast, whereat there sate as guests


s: Those holy ones he fed with dainty meats


s: In kingliest wise, naming the name of Him


s: Who bears the bow: and--that it should be well


s: Fair broidered cloths, gardens and villages,


s: O Best of Bhârat's line!--he bowed him low


s: Before his Guru's feet,--at Kripa's feet,


s: That sage all honoured,--saying, 'Take my prince;


s: Fixed is my mind to quit all earthly state.'


s: Full sore of heart were they, and sore the folk


s: To hear such speech, and bitter spread the word


s: Through town and country, that the king would go;


s: And all the people cried, 'Stay with us, Lord!'


s: But Yudhishthira knew the time was come,


s: Knew that life passes and that virtue lasts,


s: Girt he for travel, with his princely kin,


s: Crest-gem and belt and ornaments he stripped


s: From off his body, and, for broidered robe


s: A rough dress donned, woven of jungle-bark;


s: The peerless--Draupadí. Lastly these six,


s: Quenching their flames in water at the close;


s: And so set forth, 'midst wailing of all folk


s: The Princess Draupadí--that lovely prize


s: Of the great gaming, Draupadí the Bright--


s: Journeying afoot; but she and all the Five


s: Rejoiced, because their way lay heavenwards.


s: "Seven were they, setting forth,--princess and king,


s: The king's four brothers, and a faithful dog.


s: And all the palace household, followed them


s: The first sad stage; and, ofttimes prayed to part,


s: Put parting off for love and pity, still


s: Sighing 'A little farther!'--till day waned;


s: Then one by one they turned, and Kripa said,


s: 'Let all turn back, Yuyutsu! These must go.'


s: So came they homewards, but the Snake-King's child,


s: Mournful to Munipoor, whilst the three queens


s: Pandu's five sons and loveliest Draupadí,


s: Tasting no meat, and journeying due east;


s: On righteousness their high hearts bent, to heaven


s: Their souls assigned; and steadfast trode their feet,


s: By faith upborne, past nullah, ran, and wood,


s: River and jheel and plain. King Yudhishthir


s: Walked foremost, Bhíma followed, after him


s: Arjuna, and the twin-born brethren next,


s: Nakula with Sahadev; in whose still steps--


s: O Best of Bhârat's offspring!--Draupadí,


s: That gem of women, paced; with soft, dark face,--


s: Beautiful, wonderful!--and lustrous eyes,


s: Clear-lined like lotus-petals; last the dog,


s: The far Lauchityan Sea, which foameth white


s: That all this while Nakula had not ceased


s: Though one should shoot a thousand thousand times.


s: Here--broad across their path--the heroes see


s: Took form of front and breast and limb, he spake.


s: Seven streams of shining splendour rayed his brow,


s: While the dread voice said: 'I am Agni, chiefs!


s: O long-armed Yudhishthira, blameless king,--


s: O brothers twin-born from a womb divine,--


s: Let this your brother give Gandiva back--


s: The matchless bow: the use for it is o'er.


s: That gem-ringed battle-discus which he whirled


s: Henceforth of this most excellent bright bow,


s: Gandiva, which I brought for Partha's aid


s: 'Cast it, dear brother!' So Arjuna threw


s: And glittering bow. Then led by Agni's light,


s: Unto the south they turned, and so south-west,


s: And afterwards right west, until they saw


s: Loud-thundering on its shores; and here--O Best!--


s: Vanished the God; while yet those heroes walked,


s: Now to the north-west bending, where long coasts


s: Shut in the sea of salt, now to the north,


s: Accomplishing all quarters, journeyed they;


s: The earth their altar of high sacrifice,


s: Which these most patient feet did pace around


s: Their senses subjugate, their spirits pure,


s: Meru, the Mountain of all mountains, rose,


s: Glared a wide waste of sand, dreadful as death.


s: "Then, as they hastened o'er the deadly waste,


s: Aiming for Meru, having thoughts at soul


s: With faltering heart and feet; and Bhíma turned


s: Why doth she fail? For never all her life


s: Wrought our sweet lady one thing wrong, I think.


s: Thou knowest, make us know, why hath she failed?'


s: "Then Yudhishthira answered: 'Yea, one thing.


s: She loved our brother better than all else,--


s: Better than heaven: that was her tender sin,


s: Fault of a faultless soul; she pays for that'


s: 'So spake the monarch, turning not his eyes,


s: Though Draupadí lay dead--striding straight on


s: For Meru, heart-full of the things of heaven,


s: Perfect and firm. But yet a little space,


s: And Sahadev fell down, which Bhíma seeing,


s: Cried once again: 'O King, great Madri's son


s: Stumbles and sinks. Why hath he sunk?--so true,


s: So brave and steadfast, and so free from pride!'


s: "'He was not free,' with countenance still fixed,


s: Quoth Yudhishthira; 'he was true and fast


s: And wise, yet wisdom made him proud; he hid


s: One little hurt of soul, but now it kills.'


s: "So saying, he strode on--Kunti's strong son--


s: And Nakula, and the hound; leaving behind


s: Weakened and grieved to see Sahadev fall--


s: His loved twin-brother--lagged and stayed; and next


s: Prone on his face he fell, that noble face


s: Which had no match for beauty in the land,--


s: Glorious and godlike Nakula! Then sighed


s: Who never erred from virtue, never broke


s: Was matched for goodly perfectness of form


s: Or gracious feature,--Nakula has fallen!'


s: "But Yudhishthira, holding fixed his eyes,--


s: That changeless, faithful, all-wise king,--replied:


s: 'Yea, but he erred. The godlike form he wore


s: Beguiled him to believe none like to him,


s: Unlovely to be slighted. Self-love slays


s: Weeping to see them fall; and that stout son


s: That prince, who drove through crimson waves of war,


s: In old days, with his chariot-steeds of milk,


s: He, the arch-hero, sank! Beholding this,--


s: The yielding of that soul unconquerable,


s: Fearless, divine, from Sákra's self derived,


s: This man was surely perfect. Never once,


s: Not even in slumber when the lips are loosed,


s: Spake he one word that was not true as truth.


s: Ah, heart of gold, why art thou broke? O King!


s: Not pausing: 'Once he lied, a lordly lie!


s: He bragged--our brother--that a single day


s: All those his enemies,--which could not be.


s: Yet from a great heart sprang the unmeasured speech.


s: Howbeit, a finished hero should not shame


s: If he will faultless fight and blameless die:


s: "So the king still went on. But Bhíma next


s: Fainted, and stayed upon the way, and sank;


s: Yet, sinking cried, behind the steadfast prince:


s: 'More than was well the goodly things of earth


s: Pleased thee, my pleasant brother! Light the offence,


s: And large thy virtue; but the o'er-fed flesh


s: Plumed itself over spirit. Pritha's son,


s: For this thou failest, who so near didst gain.'


s: "Thenceforth alone the long-armed monarch strode,


s: Not looking back,--nay! not for Bhíma's sake,--


s: But walking with his face set for the Mount:


s: And the hound followed him,--only the hound.


s: "After the deathly sands, the Mount! and lo!


s: Sákra shone forth,--the God, filling the earth


s: And heavens with thunder of his chariot-wheels.


s: 'Ascend,' he said, 'with me, Pritha's great son!'


s: But Yudhishthira answered, sore at heart


s: For those his kinsfolk, fallen on the way:


s: 'O Thousand-eyed, O Lord of all the Gods,


s: Give that my brothers come with me, who fell!


s: She too, the dear and kind and queenly,--she


s: Whose perfect virtue Paradise must crown,--


s: Grant her to come with us! Dost thou grant this?'


s: "The God replied: 'In heaven thou shalt see


s: Thy kinsmen and the queen--these will attain--


s: With Krishna. Grieve no longer for thy dead,


s: Thou chief of men! their mortal covering stripped,


s: They have their places; but to thee the gods


s: Allot an unknown grace: thou shalt go up


s: Living and in thy form to the immortal homes.'


s: "But the king answered: 'O thou Wisest One,


s: Who know'st what was, and is, and is to be,


s: Still one more grace! This hound hath ate with me,


s: Followed me, loved me: must I leave him now?'


s: "'Monarch,' spake Indra, 'thou art now as We,--


s: Deathless, divine; thou art become a god;


s: And all the joys of heaven are thine for aye:


s: What hath a beast with these? Leave here thy hound.'


s: "Yet Yudhishthira answered: 'O Most High,


s: Nay, let me lose such glory: for its sake


s: I would not leave one living thing I loved.'


s: "Then sternly Indra spake: 'He is unclean,


s: The Krodhavasha's hand destroys the fruits


s: Bethink thee, Dharmaraj, quit now this beast!


s: That which is seemly is not hard of heart.'


s: "Still he replied: ''Tis written that to spurn


s: A twice-born; wherefore, not for Swarga's bliss


s: Quit I, Mahendra, this poor clinging dog,--


s: So wistful, fawning for my faithfulness,


s: Who among men was called steadfast and just.'


s: "Quoth Indra: 'Nay! the altar-flame is foul


s: The ascending smoke aside, and all the fruits


s: Of offering, and the merit of the prayer


s: Of him whom a hound toucheth. Leave it here!


s: He that will enter heaven must enter pure.


s: Why didst thou quit thy brethren on the way,


s: Quit Krishna, quit the dear-loved Draupadí,


s: Attaining, firm and glorious, to this Mount


s: Through perfect deeds, to linger for a brute?


s: Hath Yudhishthira vanquished self, to melt


s: With one poor passion at the door of bliss?


s: Stay'st thou for this, who didst not stay for them,--


s: ''Tis known that none can hurt or help the dead.


s: They, the delightful ones, who sank and died,


s: Following my footsteps, could not live again


s: Though I had turned,--therefore I did not turn;


s: But could help profit, I had turned to help.


s: There be four sins, O Sákra, grievous sins:


s: The third is spoiling Brahmans' goods by force,


s: The fourth is injuring an ancient friend.


s: These four I deem not direr than the sin,


s: If one, in coming forth from woe to weal,


s: "Straight as he spake, brightly great Indra smiled;


s: Vanished the hound;--and in its stead stood there


s: The Lord of Death and Justice, Dharma's self!


s: Sweet were the words which fell from those dread lips,


s: Precious the lovely praise: 'O thou true king,


s: Thou that dost bring to harvest the good seed


s: Of Pandu's righteousness; thou that hast ruth


s: As he before, on all which lives!--O Son,


s: I tried thee in the Dwaita wood, what time


s: The Yaksha smote them, bringing water; then


s: Thou prayedst for Nakula's life--tender and just--


s: Hear thou my word! Because thou didst not mount


s: This car divine, lest the poor hound be shent


s: Who looked to thee, lo! there is none in heaven


s: Shall sit above thee, King!--Bhârata's son,


s: Living and in thy form. Justice and Love


s: Welcome thee, Monarch! thou shalt throne with us!'


s: "Thereat those mightiest Gods, in glorious train,


s: Spirits and Angels,--bore the king aloft,


s: The thundering chariot first, and after it


s: They glide at will,--at will they know and see,


s: At wish their wills are wrought; for these are pure,


s: Passionless, hallowed, perfect, free of earth,


s: Soared upward; and a sweet light filled the sky


s: And fell on earth, cast by his face and form,


s: Transfigured as he rose; and there was heard


s: The voice of Narad,--it is he who sings,


s: Sitting in heaven, the deeds that good men do


s: In all the quarters,--Narad, chief of bards,


s: So cried he: 'Thou art risen, unmatched king,


s: Whose greatness is above all royal saints.


s: Hail, son of Pandu! like to thee is none


s: Whose fame hath filled the three wide worlds, who com'st


s: Bearing thy mortal body, which doth shine


s: Narad's loud praise; he saw the immortal gods,--


s: Dharma, Mahendra; and dead chiefs and saints,


s: Known upon earth, in blessed heaven he saw;


s: 'That region, be it of the Blest as this,


s: Where my dear brothers are, and Draupadí.


s: I cannot stay elsewhere! I see them not!'


s: Rest in the pleasures which thy deeds have gained.


s: How, being as are the Gods, canst thou live bound


s: By mortal chains? Thou art become of Us,


s: Who live above hatred and love, in bliss


s: Pinnacled, safe, supreme. Sun of thy race.


s: Thy brothers cannot reach where thou hast climbed:


s: Most glorious lord of men, let not thy peace


s: Be touched by stir of earth! Look! this is Heaven.


s: See where the saints sit, and the happy souls,


s: Siddhas and angels, and the gods who live


s: Spake Yudhishthira, 'but I will not live


s: A little space without those souls I loved.


s: Where Bhíma and my brothers are, and she,


s: And soul as sweet as are its odours. Lo!


s: Where they have gone, there will I surely go,'"


s: _To Narayen, Lord of lords, be glory given,


s: So may this story its high course pursue._


s: Then Janmejaya said: "I am fain to learn


s: How it befell with my great forefathers,


s: The Pandu chiefs and Dhritarashtra's sons,


s: Being to heaven ascended. If thou know'st,--


s: And thou know'st all, whom wise Vyâsa taught--


s: Tell me, how fared it with those mighty souls?"


s: Answered the Sage: "Hear of thy forefathers--


s: Great Yudhishthira and the Pandu lords--


s: How it befell. When thus the blameless king


s: Was entered into heaven, there he beheld


s: Amid the gods; splendidly sate that prince,


s: Peaceful and proud, the radiance of his brows


s: Far-shining like the sun's; and round him thronged


s: Spirits of light, with Sádhyas,--companies


s: Not Draupadí, nor Bhíma, nor the rest,--


s: The monarch spake: 'Keep heaven for such as these


s: If these come here! I do not wish to dwell


s: Whose deed it was that in wild fields of war


s: Brothers and friends by mutual slaughter fell,


s: While our swords smote, sharpened so wrathfully


s: By all those wrongs borne wandering in the woods:


s: But Draupadí's the deepest wrong, for he--


s: He who sits there--haled her before the court,


s: Seizing that sweet and virtuous lady--he!--


s: With grievous hand wound in her tresses. Gods,


s: Where are my brothers? Thither will I go!'


s: "Smiling, bright Narada, the Sage, replied:


s: 'Speak thou not rashly! Say not this, O King!


s: O Yudhishthira, long-armed monarch, hear!


s: Worshipful as the saints, worshipped by saints


s: And kings who lived and died in virtue's path,


s: Who yield their breath in battle. Even so


s: He that did wrong thee, knowing not thy worth,


s: Hath won before thee hither, raised to bliss


s: For lordliness, and valour free of fear.


s: Ah, well-beloved Prince! ponder thou not


s: The memory of that gaming, nor the griefs


s: Wrought in the passing shows of life by craft


s: Or wasteful war. Throne happy at the side


s: For here is Paradise, thou chief of men!


s: "Thus by such lips addressed the Pandu king


s: If he attains, attains; yet not the less


s: Impious and harmful, bringing woes to all,


s: To friends and foes. His was the crime which cost


s: Our land its warriors, horses, elephants;


s: His the black sin that set us in the field,


s: Burning for rightful vengeance. Ye are gods,


s: And just; and ye have granted heaven to him.


s: Show me the regions, therefore, where they dwell,


s: My brothers, those, the noble-souled, the loyal,


s: Who kept the sacred laws, who swerved no step


s: From virtue's path, who spake the truth, and lived


s: Foremost of warriors. Where is Kunti's son,


s: Sátyaki, Dhrishtadyumna, with their sons?


s: And where those famous chiefs who fought for me.


s: Prince of Panchála, nor his princely boys!


s: President Gods of heaven! I see not here


s: Where are those noble Maharashtra lords,


s: Rajahs and rajpoots, slain for love of me?


s: Dwell they in glory elsewhere, not yet seen?


s: If they be here, high Gods! and those with them


s: For whose sweet sakes I lived, here will I live,


s: Meek-hearted; but if such be not adjudged


s: Willing to rest without them. Ah, I burn,


s: Now in glad heaven, with grief, bethinking me


s: Of those my mother's words, what time I poured


s: Death-water for my dead at Kurkshetra,--


s: "Pour for Prince Karna, Son!" but I wist not


s: His feet were as my mother's feet, his blood


s: Her blood, my blood. O Gods! I did not know,--


s: Our battle, where _he_ stood. I crave to see


s: Surya's child, that glorious chief who fell


s: With tenderest Draupadí! Show me those souls!


s: Bliss is not blissful, just and mighty Ones!


s: Save if I rest beside them. Heaven is there


s: Where Love and Faith make heaven. Let me go!'


s: "And answer made the hearkening heavenly Ones:


s: 'Go, if it seemeth good to thee, dear Son!


s: The King of gods commands we do thy will.'"


s: So saying [the Bard went on] Dharma's own voice


s: Gave ordinance, and from the shining bands


s: To guide the king there where his kinsmen were.


s: And in his steps the king, close following.


s: Together passed they through the gates of pearl,


s: Together heard them close; then to the left


s: Hard to be traversed, rugged, entered they


s: The 'SINNERS' ROAD.' The tread of sinful feet


s: Matted the thick thorns carpeting its slope;


s: The smell of sin hung foul on them; the mire


s: About their roots was trampled filth of flesh


s: Horrid with rottenness, and splashed with gore


s: Curdling in crimson puddles; where there buzzed


s: And sucked and settled creatures of the swamp,


s: Hideous in wing and sting, gnat-clouds and flies,


s: With moths, toads, newts, and snakes red-gulleted,


s: And livid, loathsome worms, writhing in slime


s: Forth from skull-holes and scalps and tumbled bones.


s: On either hand, and 'mid its crackling boughs


s: Perched ghastly birds, or flapped amongst the flames,--


s: Vultures and kites and crows,--with brazen plumes


s: And beaks of iron; and these grisly fowl


s: Screamed to the shrieks of Prets, lean, famished ghosts,


s: Featureless, eyeless, having pin-point mouths,


s: Hungering, but hard to fill,--all swooping down


s: Whereof the limbs disparted, trunks and heads,


s: By such a path the king passed, sore afeared


s: If he had known of fear, for the air stank


s: With carrion stench, sickly to breathe; and lo!


s: Presently 'thwart the pathway foamed a flood


s: Of boiling waves, rolling down corpses. This


s: They crossed, and then the Asipatra wood


s: Spread black in sight, whereof the undergrowth


s: Was sword-blades, spitting, every blade, some wretch;


s: All around poison trees; and next to this,


s: Strewn deep with fiery sands, an awful waste,


s: Wherethrough the wicked toiled with blistering feet,


s: 'Midst rocks of brass, red hot, which scorched, and pools


s: Of bubbling pitch that gulfed them. Last the gorge


s: Of utmost Hell, with utmost horrors filled.


s: Deadly and nameless were the plagues seen there;


s: Which when the monarch reached, nigh overborne


s: By terrors and the reek of tortured flesh,


s: This hateful road, and where be they I seek,


s: Yet find not?' Answer made the heavenly One:


s: 'Hither, great King, it was commanded me


s: To bring thy steps. If thou be'st overborne,


s: To where the Gods wait. Wilt thou turn and mount?'


s: "Then (O thou Son of Bhárat!) Yudhishthir


s: Turned heavenward his face, so was he moved


s: With horror and the hanging stench, and spent


s: By toil of that black travel. But his feet


s: Scarce one stride measured, when about the place


s: Pitiful accents rang: 'Alas, sweet King!--


s: Ah, saintly Lord!--Ah, Thou that hast attained


s: Place with the Blessed, Pandu's offspring!--pause


s: Nought can harm _thee_ in all this baneful place;


s: But at thy coming there 'gan blow a breeze


s: O Pritha's son, mightiest of men! we breathe


s: Glad breath again to see thee; we have peace


s: One moment more, Bhárata's child! Go not,


s: Hell softens and our bitter pains relax.'


s: "These pleadings, wailing all around the place,


s: Heard the King Yudhishthira,--words of woe


s: His lordly mind. 'Poor souls unknown!' he sighed,


s: And hellwards turned anew; for what those were.


s: Whence such beseeching voices, and of whom,


s: That all the noxious murk was filled with forms,


s: Shadowy, in anguish, crying grace of him.


s: Wherefore he called aloud,'Who speaks with me?


s: What do ye here, and what things suffer ye?'


s: Then from the black depth piteously there came


s: Answers of whispered suffering: 'Karna I,


s: Thy Bhíma speaks!' and then a voice again,


s: A moan of music from the darkness sighed,


s: 'Draupadí cries to thee!' Thereat broke forth


s: The monarch's spirit,--knowing so the sound


s: Of each familiar voice,--'What doom is this?


s: What have my well-beloved wrought to earn


s: Death with the damned, or life loathlier than death


s: In Narak's midst? Hath Karna erred so deep,


s: Or she, the slender-waisted, sweetest, best,


s: My princess,--that Duryodhana should sit


s: Throned by Mahendra and the shining gods?


s: How should these fail of bliss, and he attain?


s: What were their sins to his, their splendid faults?


s: For if they slipped, it was in virtue's way


s: Serving good laws, performing holy rites,


s: Boundless in gifts and faithful to the death.


s: These be their well-known voices! Are ye here,


s: Souls I loved best? Dream I, belike, asleep,


s: Or rave I, maddened with accursed sights


s: For pity and for pain the king waxed wroth.


s: That soul fear could not shake, nor trials tire,


s: Burned terrible with tenderness, the while


s: His eyes searched all the gloom, his planted feet


s: Stood fast in the mid horrors. Well-nigh, then,


s: He cursed the gods; well-nigh that steadfast mind


s: Broke from its faith in virtue. But he stayed


s: Th' indignant passion, softly speaking this


s: Unto the angel: 'Go to those thou serv'st;


s: Tell them I come not thither. Say I stand


s: Here in the throat of hell, and here will bide--


s: Win ease and peace by any pains of mine.'


s: "Whereupon, nought replied the shining One,


s: But straight repaired unto the upper light,


s: Where Sákra sate above the gods, and spake


s: Before the gods the message of the king."


s: "Afterward what befell?" the prince inquired.


s: "Afterward, Princely One!" replied the Sage,


s: "At hearing and at knowing that high deed


s: (Great Yudhishthira braving hell for love),


s: Each Splendour in his place,--god Sákra chief;


s: Together rose they, and together stepped


s: Down from their thrones, treading the nether road


s: The shining van, and Dharma, Lord of laws,


s: While that celestial company came down--


s: Pure as the white stars sweeping through the sky,


s: And brighter than their brilliance--look! Hell's shades


s: Melted before them; warm gleams drowned the gloom;


s: Soft, lovely scenes rolled over the ill sights;


s: Peace calmed the cries of torment; in its bed


s: The boiling river shrank, quiet and clear;


s: Blossomed with colours; all those cruel blades,


s: And dreadful rocks, and piteous scattered wreck


s: Of writhing bodies, where the king had passed,


s: Vanished as dreams fade. Cool and fragrant went


s: A wind before their faces, as these Gods


s: Drew radiant to the presence of the king,--


s: Maruts; and Vasus eight, who shine and serve


s: Round Indra; Rudras; Aswins; and those Six


s: Immortal Lords of light beyond our light,


s: Th' Adityas; Saddhyas; Siddhas,--those were there,


s: With angels, saints, and habitants of heaven,


s: Smiling resplendent round the steadfast prince.


s: "Then spake the God of gods these gracious words


s: To Yudhishthira, standing in that place:--


s: "'King Yudhishthira! O thou long-armed Lord,


s: This is enough! All heaven is glad of thee.


s: It is enough! Come, thou most blessed one.


s: Unto thy peace, well-gained. Lay now aside


s: Thy loving wrath, and hear the speech of Heaven.


s: It is appointed that all kings see hell.


s: The reckonings for the life of men are twain:


s: Of each man's righteous deeds a tally true,


s: Who hath wrought little right, to him is paid


s: Which purges; who much right hath wrought, from him


s: The little ill by lighter pains is cleansed,


s: And then the joys. Sweet is peace after pain,


s: And bitter pain which follows peace; yet they,


s: Who sorely sin, taste of the heaven they miss,


s: And they that suffer quit their debt at last.


s: Lo! We have loved thee, laying hard on thee


s: Grievous assaults of soul, and this black road.


s: Bethink thee: by a semblance once, dear Son!


s: Drona thou didst beguile; and once, dear Son!


s: Semblance of hell hath so thy sin assoiled,


s: "Which passeth with these shadows. Even thus


s: Thy Bhíma came a little space t' account,


s: Draupadí, Krishna,--all whom thou didst love,


s: Never again to lose! Come, First of Men!


s: These be delivered and their quittance made.


s: Who fell beside thee fighting, have attained.


s: Come thou to see! Karna, whom thou didst mourn,--


s: That mightiest archer, master in all wars,--


s: He hath attained, shining as doth the sun;


s: Come thou and see! Grieve no more, King of Men!


s: Whose love helped them and thee, and hath its meed.


s: All thine are thine for ever. Krishna waits


s: To greet thee coming, 'companied by gods,


s: Seated in heaven, from toils and conflicts saved.


s: Son! there is golden fruit of noble deeds,


s: Of prayer, alms, sacrifice. The most just Gods


s: Keep thee thy place above the highest saints,


s: Where thou shalt sit, divine, compassed about


s: With royal souls in bliss, as Hari sits;


s: Now therefore wash thee in this holy stream,


s: Gunga's pure fount, whereof the bright waves bless


s: All the Three Worlds. It will so change thy flesh


s: To likeness of th' immortal, thou shalt leave


s: Passions and aches and tears behind thee there.'


s: "And when the awful Sákra thus had said,


s: Lo! Dharma spake,--th' embodied Lord of Right:


s: "'Bho! bho! I am well pleased! Hail to thee, Chief!


s: Worthy, and wise, and firm. Thy faith is full,


s: Thy virtue, and thy patience, and thy truth,


s: And thy self-mastery. Thrice I put thee, King!


s: The day of sacrifice,--then thou stood'st fast;


s: Next, on thy brethren's death and Draupadí's,


s: When, as a dog, I followed thee, and found


s: Thy spirit constant to the meanest friend.


s: Here was the third and sorest touchstone, Son!


s: That thou shouldst hear thy brothers cry in hell,


s: And yet abide to help them. Pritha's child,


s: We love thee! Thou art fortunate and pure,


s: Past trials now. Thou art approved, and they


s: Thou lov'st have tasted hell only a space,


s: An evil dream doth come, and Indra's beam


s: Ends it with radiance--as this vision ends.


s: It is appointed that all flesh see death,


s: And therefore thou hast borne the passing pangs,


s: Briefest for thee, and brief for those of thine,--


s: Bhíma the faithful, and the valiant twins


s: Nakla and Sahadev, and those great hearts


s: Blessed of all thy line! Bathe in this stream,--


s: It is great Gunga, flowing through Three Worlds.'


s: (Thy ancestor, O Liege!) proceeded straight


s: Unto that river's brink, which floweth pure


s: Through the Three Worlds, mighty, and sweet, and praised.


s: There, being bathed, the body of the king


s: In grace celestial, washed from soils of sin,


s: From passion, pain, and change. So, hand in hand


s: With brother-gods, glorious went Yudhishthir,


s: Of unknown music, where those heroes stood--


s: Waiting to greet him, gladdening and glad."


s: _To Narayen, Best of Lords, be glory given,


s: To great Saraswati, the Queen in Heaven;


s: "Those vanquished warriors then," Sanjaya said,


s: "Fled southwards; and, near sunset, past the tents,


s: Unyoked; abiding close in fear and rage.


s: There was a wood beyond the camp,--untrod,


s: The Princes, some among them bleeding still


s: From spear and arrow-gashes; all sore-spent,


s: Fetching faint breath, and fighting o'er again


s: In thought that battle. But there came the noise


s: Outcries of victory--whereat those chiefs


s: Sullenly rose, and yoked their steeds again,


s: Driving due east; and eastward still they drave


s: Under the night, till drouth and desperate toil


s: Stayed horse and man; then took they lair again,


s: The panting horses, and the Warriors, wroth


s: With chilled wounds, and the death-stroke of their King.


s: "Now were they come, my Prince," Sanjaya said,


s: "Unto a jungle thick with stems, whereon


s: The tangled creepers coiled; here entered they--


s: Watering their horses at a stream--and pushed


s: Deep in the thicket. Many a beast and bird


s: Sprang startled at their feet; the long grass stirred


s: With serpents creeping off; the woodland flowers


s: Shook where the pea-fowl hid, and, where frogs plunged,


s: The swamp rocked all its reeds and lotus-buds.


s: A banian-tree, with countless dropping boughs


s: Earth-rooted, spied they, and beneath its aisles


s: A pool; hereby they stayed, tethering their steeds,


s: And dipping water, made the evening prayer.


s: "But when the 'Day-maker' sank in the west


s: And Night descended--gentle, soothing Night,


s: Who comforts all, with silver splendour decked


s: Of stars and constellations, and soft folds


s: Of velvet darkness drawn--then those wild things


s: Which roam in darkness woke, wandering afoot


s: With roar, and yelp, and yell, around that place


s: In their lost battle-day of dreadful blood;


s: Till sleep fell heavy on the wearied lids


s: Of Bhoja's child and Kripa. Then these Lords--


s: To princely life and silken couches used--


s: Sought on the bare earth slumber, spent and sad,


s: There came no sleep to Drona's angry son,


s: Great Aswatthâman. As a snake lies coiled


s: And hisses, breathing, so his panting breath


s: Hissed rage and hatred round him, while he lay,


s: Chin uppermost, arm-pillowed, with fierce eyes


s: Roving the wood, and seeing sightlessly.


s: Thus chanced it that his wandering glances turned


s: Into the fig-tree's shadows, where there perched


s: A thousand crows, thick-roosting, on its limbs;


s: Some nested, some on branchlets, deep asleep,


s: Heads under wings--all fearless; nor, O Prince!


s: Had Aswatthâman more than marked the birds,


s: When, lo! there fell out of the velvet night,


s: With wide, soft, deadly, dusky wings, and eyes


s: Flame-coloured, and long claws, and dreadful beak;


s: Like a winged sprite, or great Garood himself;


s: Upon the banian's bough; hooted, but low,


s: The fury smothering in its throat;--then fell


s: With murderous beak and claws upon those crows,


s: Rending the wings from this, the legs from that,


s: From some the heads, of some ripping the crops;


s: Till, tens and scores, the fowl rained down to earth


s: Bloody and plucked, and all the ground waxed black


s: With piled crow-carcases; whilst the great owl


s: The son of Drona: 'Lo! this owl,' quoth he,


s: Are all too strong in arms by day to kill;


s: Before the King, my Father, I would "kill"


s: And "kill"--even as a foolish fly should swear


s: To quench a flame. It scorched, and I shall die


s: Men vanquish fortune and the mightiest odds.


s: If there be two ways to a wise man's wish,


s: What vengeance bids against his foes. Our foes,


s: The Pandavas, are furious, treacherous, base,


s: Halting at nothing; and how say the wise


s: In holy Shastras?--"Wounded, wearied, fed,


s: Or fasting; sleeping, waking, setting forth,


s: And so again, "At midnight when they sleep,


s: Dawn when they watch not; noon if leaders fall;


s: Eve, should they scatter; all the times and hours


s: Are times and hours fitted for killing foes."'


s: And slay them in the darkness. Being set


s: On this unlordly deed, and clear in scheme,


s: He from their slumbers roused the warriors twain,


s: Our Lord the Prophet (peace to him!) doth write--


s: Súrah the Seventeenth, intituled "Night"--


s: "Pray at the noon; pray at the sinking sun;


s: In night-time pray; but most when night is done;


s: For daybreak's prayer is surely borne on high


s: By angels, changing guard within the sky;"


s: And in another place:--"Dawn's prayer is more


s: Than the wide world, with all its treasured store."


s: Therefore the Faithful, when the growing light


s: Gives to discern a black hair from a white,


s: Haste to the mosque, and, bending Mecca-way,


s: Recite _Al-Fâtihah_ while 'tis scarce yet day:


s: "_Praise be to Allah--Lord of all that live:


s: Merciful King and Judge! To Thee we give


s: Worship and honour! Succour us, and guide


s: Where those have walked who rest Thy throne beside:


s: The way of Peace; the way of truthful speech;


s: The way of Righteousness. So we beseech._"


s: He that saith this, before the East is red,


s: For your souls' comfort by Jelal-ud-din,


s: For therein, plain and certain, shall ye see


s: How precious is the prayer at break of day


s: Shown to his creatures. Àli (whom I bless!)


s: The cousin of our Lord the Prophet (grace


s: Be his!)--uprose betimes one morn, to pace--


s: As he was wont--unto the mosque, wherein


s: Our Lord (bliss live with him!) watched to begin


s: _Al-Fâtihah_. Darkling was the sky, and strait


s: The lane between the city and mosque-gate,


s: By rough stones broken and deep pools of rain;


s: And there through toilfully, with steps of pain,


s: For those be "People of the Book,"--and some


s: Are chosen of Allah's will, who have not come


s: Knowing this good old man, and why he stirred


s: Thus early, e'er the morning mills were heard,


s: Breadth of the lane, slow-hobbling. So they went,


s: That ancient first; and in soft discontent,


s: Flared nigh, and fearing prayer might be begun;


s: Of silver hairs is much, and morning praise


s: Wended the pair; Great Àli, sad and slow,


s: Following the greybeard, while the East, a-glow,


s: Blazed with bright spears of gold athwart the blue,


s: (On whom be peace!) stood by the Mehrab-board


s: In act to bow, and _Fâtihah_ forth to say.


s: But as his lips moved, some strong hand did lay


s: To read, and thrice the sound of reading died,


s: Stayed by this unseen touch. Thereat amazed


s: Our Lord Muhammed turned, arose, and gazed;


s: And saw--alone of those within the shrine--


s: A splendid Presence, with large eyes divine


s: Beaming, and golden pinions folded down,


s: Their speed still tokened by the fluttered gown.


s: GABRIEL he knew, the spirit who doth stand


s: Chief of the Sons of Heav'n, at God's right hand:


s: "Gabriel! why stayest thou me?" the Prophet said,


s: "Since at this hour the _Fâtihah_  should be read."


s: But the bright Presence, smiling, pointed where


s: Upon the threshold shaking off his shoes


s: "Yea!" spake th' Archangel, "sacred is the sound


s: Of morning-praise, and worth the world's wide round,


s: Though earth were pearl and silver; therefore I


s: Stayed thee, Muhammed, in the act to cry,


s: Lest Àli, tarrying in the lane, should miss,


s: For his good deed, its blessing and its bliss."


s: Thereat th' Archangel vanished:--and our Lord


s: Read _Fâtihah_ forth beneath the Mehrab-board.


s: _To you, dear Wife--to whom beside so well?--


s: True Counsellor and tried, at every shift,


s: I bring my "Book of Counsels:" let it tell


s: Largeness of love by littleness of gift;_


s: _And take this growth of foreign skies from me,


s: (A scholar's thanks for gentle help in toil,)


s: Whose leaf, "though dark," like Milton's Hœmony,


s: "Bears a bright golden flower, if not in this soil."_


s: extremely remote. The _Mahábhárata_ and the textual _Veds_ are of


s: Emperor had also suggested the abridgment of the long series of


s: _This Book of Counsel read, and you shall see,


s: Fair speech and Sanskrit lore, and Policy._


s: Daily live as if Death's fingers twined already in thy hair!


s: "Truly, richer than all riches, better than the best of gain,


s: Wisdom is; unbought, secure--once won, none loseth her again.


s: "One wise son makes glad his father, forty fools avail him not:


s: "That which will not be, will not be--and what is to be, will be:


s: "Nay! but faint not, idly sighing, 'Destiny is mightiest,'


s: Sesamum holds oil in plenty, but it yieldeth none unpressed."


s: "Ah! it is the Coward's babble, 'Fortune taketh, Fortune gave;'


s: "Two-fold is the life we live in--Fate and Will together run:


s: Two wheels bear life's chariot onward--Will it move on only one?"


s: "Look! the clay dries into iron, but the potter moulds the clay:


s: Destiny to-day is master--Man was master yesterday."


s: "Labours spent on the unworthy, of reward the labourer balk;


s: Like the parrot, teach the heron twenty words, he will not talk."


s: "Of the day's impending dangers, Sickness, Death, and Misery,


s: "Give to poor men, son of Kûnti--on the wealthy waste not wealth;


s: "Trust not water, trust not weapons; trust not clawed nor horned


s: Neither give thy soul to women, nor thy life to Sons of Kings."


s: "Look! the Moon, the silver roamer, from whose splendour darkness


s: All his grandeur, all his glory, vanish in the Dragon's jaw;


s: What is written on the forehead, that will be, and nothing more."


s: "Avarice begetteth anger; blind desires from her begin;


s: A right fruitful mother is she of a countless spawn of sin."


s: "Be second and not first!--the share's the same


s: If all go well. If not, the Head's to blame."


s: "In good-fortune not elated, in ill-fortune not dismayed,


s: Ever eloquent in council, never in the fight affrayed,


s: Proudly emulous of honour, steadfastly on wisdom set;


s: These six virtues in the nature of a noble soul are met.


s: Whoso hath them, gem and glory of the three wide worlds is he;


s: Happy mother she that bore him, she who nursed him on her knee."


s: "Small things wax exceeding mighty, being cunningly combined;


s: "Keep wealth for want, but spend it for thy wife,


s: And wife, and wealth, and all, to guard thy life."


s: "Death, that must come, comes nobly when we give


s: Our wealth, and life, and all, to make men live."


s: "Floating on his fearless pinions, lost amid the noonday skies,


s: Even thence the Eagle's vision kens the carcass where it lies;


s: But the hour that comes to all things comes unto the Lord of Air,


s: Bar thy door not to the stranger, be he friend or be he foe,


s: "Pity them that crave thy pity: who art thou to stint thy hoard,


s: When the holy moon shines equal on the leper and the lord?"


s: When thy gate is roughly fastened, and the asker turns away,


s: In the house the husband ruleth; men the Brahman "master" call;


s: Agni is the Twice-born's Master--but the guest is lord of all.


s: "In the land where no wise men are, men of little wit are lords;


s: Comes as truly, comes as duly, to the battle as the board--


s: Stands before the king to succour, follows to the pile to sigh--


s: He is friend, and he is kinsman; less would make the name a lie."


s: "Stars gleam, lamps flicker, friends foretell of fate;


s: The fated sees, knows, hears them--all too late."


s: Shun them! 'tis a draught of poison hidden under harmless milk;


s: "In years, or moons, or half-moons three,


s: "Noble hearts are golden vases--close the bond true metals make;


s: Easily the smith may weld them, harder far it is to break.


s: Evil hearts are earthen vessels--at a touch they crack a-twain,


s: And what craftsman's ready cunning can unite the shards again?"


s: "Over-love of home were weakness; wheresoe'er the hero come,


s: Stalwart arm and steadfast spirit find or make for him a home.


s: Little recks the awless lion where his hunting jungles lie--


s: When he enters them be certain that a royal prey shall die."


s: "Very feeble folk are poor folk; money lost takes wit away:


s: "All existence is not equal, and all living is not life;


s: And the craven-hearted eater of another's leavings lives,


s: And the wretched captive, waiting for the word of doom, survives;


s: And life cometh to them only on the happy day of death."


s: "Golden gift, serene Contentment! have thou that, and all is had;


s: "All is known, digested, tested; nothing new is left to learn


s: "True Religion!--'tis not blindly prating what the gurus prate,


s: But to love, as God hath loved them, all things, be they small or


s: And true bliss is when a sane mind doth a healthy body fill;


s: And true knowledge is the knowing what is good and what is ill."


s: "When the miser hides his treasure in the earth, he doeth well;


s: For he opens up a passage that his soul may sink to hell."


s: "He whose coins are kept for counting, not to barter nor to give,


s: Valour, never yet forgetful of sweet Mercy's pleading prayer;


s: Wealth, and scorn of wealth to spend it--oh! but these be virtues


s: "Sentences of studied wisdom, nought avail they unapplied;


s: His, who for the vague to-morrow barters not the sure to-day--


s: Master of himself, and sternly steadfast to the rightful way:


s: Very mindful of past service, valiant, faithful, true of heart--


s: "Be not haughty, being wealthy; droop not, having lost thine all;


s: "For thy bread be not o'er thoughtful--Heav'n for all hath taken


s: When the babe is born, the sweet milk to the mother's breast is


s: "Though for good ends, waste not on wealth a minute;


s: Mud may be wiped, but wise men plunge not in it."


s: "Ah! the gleaming, glancing arrows of a lovely woman's eye!


s: Feathered with her jetty lashes, perilous they pass thee by:


s: "Beautiful the Koil seemeth for the sweetness of his song,


s: Beautiful the world esteemeth pious souls for patience strong;


s: Homely features lack not favour when true wisdom they reveal,


s: "Friend! gracious word!--the heart to tell is ill able


s: "Looking down on lives below them, men of little store are great;


s: "As a bride, unwisely wedded, shuns the cold caress of eld,


s: "Seeing how the soorma wasteth, seeing how the ant-hill grows,


s: "Drops of water falling, falling, falling, brim the chatty o'er;


s: Wisdom comes in little lessons--little gains make largest store."


s: "Robes were none, nor oil of unction, when the King of Beasts was


s: 'Twas his own fierce roar proclaimed him, rolling all the kingdom


s: "At the work-time, asking wages--is it like a faithful herd?


s: "Many prayers for him are uttered whereon many a life relies;


s: 'Tis but one poor fool the fewer when the greedy jack-daw dies."


s: "Give thy Dog the merest mouthful, and he crouches at thy feet,


s: Wags his tail, and fawns, and grovels, in his eagerness to eat;


s: Bid the Elephant be feeding, and the best of fodder bring;


s: Gravely--after much entreaty--condescends that mighty king."


s: "Wise, modest, constant, ever close at hand,


s: Such servant by a Monarch's throne may stand."


s: "Pitiful, who fearing failure, therefore no beginning makes,


s: Why forswear a daily dinner for the chance of stomach-aches?"


s: "Nearest to the King is dearest, be thy merit low or high;


s: "Pearls are dull in leaden settings, but the setter is to blame;


s: "Not disparagement nor slander kills the spirit of the brave;


s: "Wisdom from the mouth of children be it overpast of none;


s: What man scorns to walk by lamplight in the absence of the sun?"


s: 'Ho! ye elephants, to this work must your mightinesses come.'"


s: "Mighty natures war with mighty: when the raging tempests blow,


s: "Narrow-necked to let out little, big of belly to keep much,


s: As a flagon is--the Vizier of a Sultan should be such."


s: "He who thinks a minute little, like a fool misuses more;


s: He who counts a cowry nothing, being wealthy, will be poor."


s: "Brahmans, soldiers, these and kinsmen--of the three set none in


s: For the Brahman, though you rack him, yields no treasure small or


s: But a servant old in service, worse than any one is thought,


s: "Never tires the fire of burning, never wearies Death of slaying,


s: "From false friends that breed thee strife,


s: "Raise an evil soul to honour, and his evil bents remain;


s: Bind a cur's tail ne'er so straightly, yet it curleth up again."


s: "Safe within the husk of silence guard the seed of counsel so


s: "Even as one who grasps a serpent, drowning in the bitter sea,


s: Death to hold and death to loosen--such is life's perplexity."


s: "Woman's love rewards the worthless--kings of knaves exalters be;


s: "Many a knave wins fair opinions standing in fair company,


s: As the sooty soorma pleases, lighted by a brilliant eye."


s: "Where the azure lotus blossoms, there the alligators hide;


s: In the sandal-tree are serpents. Pain and pleasure live allied."


s: "Rich the sandal--yet no part is but a vile thing habits there;


s: "As a bracelet of crystal, once broke, is not mended


s: So the favour of princes, once altered, is ended."


s: "All men scorn the soulless coward who his manhood doth forget:


s: On a lifeless heap of ashes fearlessly the foot is set."


s: And men may draw, at scathe and scorning."


s: "Serving narrow-minded masters dwarfs high natures to their size:


s: "When the faithful wife, embracing tenderly her husband dead,


s: Mounts the blazing pyre beside him, as it were a bridal-bed;


s: "Counsel unto six ears spoken, unto all is notified


s: When a King holds consultation, let it be with one beside."


s: "Sick men are for skilful leeches--prodigals for poisoning--


s: Fools for teachers--and the man who keeps a secret, for a King."


s: "With gift, craft, promise, cause thy foe to yield;


s: When these have failed thee, challenge him afield."


s: "The subtle wash of waves do smoothly pass,


s: But lay the tree as lowly as the grass."


s: "Ten true bowmen on a rampart fifty's onset may sustain;


s: Fortalices keep a country more than armies in the plain."


s: "Hard it is to conquer nature: if a dog were made a King,


s: 'Mid the coronation trumpets he would gnaw his sandal-string."


s: "Though base be the Herald, nor hinder nor let,


s: The sword may be whet, and the battle set,


s: "Better few and chosen fighters than of shaven-crowns a host,


s: "Kind is kin, howe'er a stranger--kin unkind is stranger shown;


s: Sores hurt, though the body breeds them--drugs relieve, though


s: "Betel-nut is bitter, hot, sweet, spicy, binding, alkaline--


s: A demulcent--an astringent--foe to evils intestine;


s: Giving to the breath a fragrance--to the lips a crimson red;


s: A detergent, and a kindler of Love's flame that lieth dead.


s: "He is brave whose tongue is silent of the trophies of his sword;


s: "Merciless, or money-loving, deaf to counsel, false of faith,


s: Thoughtless, spiritless, or careless, changing course with every


s: Or the man who scorns his rival--if a prince should choose a foe,


s: Each ends each, but none of other surer conquerors can be


s: Than Impolicy of Fortune--of Misfortune Policy."


s: "Wisdom answers all who ask her, but a fool she cannot aid;


s: Blind men in the faithful mirror see not their reflection made."


s: "Where the Gods are, or thy Gúrú--in the face of Pain and Age,


s: Cattle, Brahmans, Kings, and Children--reverently curb thy rage."


s: "Oh, my Prince! on eight occasions prodigality is none--


s: In the solemn sacrificing, at the wedding of a son,


s: When the glittering treasure given makes the proud invader bleed,


s: Or when kinsmen are to succour, or a worthy work to end,


s: Or to do a loved one honour, or to welcome back a friend."


s: "Truth, munificence, and valour, are the virtues of a King;


s: Royalty, devoid of either, sinks to a rejected thing."


s: "Hold thy vantage!--alligators on the land make none afraid;


s: And the lion's but a jackal who hath left his forest-shade."


s: "The people are the lotus-leaves, their monarch is the sun--


s: When he doth sink beneath the waves they vanish every one.


s: When he doth rise they rise again with bud and blossom rife,


s: To bask awhile in his warm smile, who is their lord and life."


s: "All the cows bring forth are cattle--only now and then is born


s: "When the soldier in the battle lays his life down for his king,


s: Unto Swarga's perfect glory such a deed his soul shall bring."


s: "'Tis the fool who, meeting trouble, straightway Destiny reviles,


s: 'What-will-be-will-be,' he perished, by the fishermen beset."


s: "That which will not be will not be, and what is to be will be:


s: Why not drink this easy physic, antidote of misery?"


s: "Whoso trusts, for service rendered, or fair words, an enemy,


s: Wakes from folly like one falling in his slumber from a tree."


s: "Fellow be with kindly foemen, rather than with friends unkind;


s: Friend and foeman are distinguished not by title but by mind."


s: "Whoso setting duty highest, speaks at need unwelcome things,


s: Disregarding fear and favour, such an one may succour kings."


s: "Seven foemen of all foemen, very hard to vanquish be:


s: "For the man with many kinsmen answers by them all attacks;


s: As the bambu, in the bambus safely sheltered, scorns the axe."


s: "Whoso hath the gift of giving wisely, equitably, well;


s: Whoso, learning all men's secrets, unto none his own will tell:


s: Whoso, ever cold and courtly, utters nothing that offends,


s: Such an one may rule his fellows unto Earth's extremest ends."


s: "Cheating them that truly trust you, 'tis a clumsy villany!


s: "Courtesy may cover malice; on their _heads_ the woodmen bring,


s: While it seems to lave and kiss it, undermines the hanging root."


s: "Weep not! Life the hired nurse is, holding us a little space;


s: Death, the mother who doth take us back into our proper place."


s: Whereunto this earth was witness, whereof all her record rings."


s: "For the body, daily wasting, is not seen to waste away,


s: Until wasted; as in water set a jar of unbaked clay."


s: "And day after day man goeth near and nearer to his fate,


s: As step after step the victim thither where its slayers wait."


s: "Halt, traveller! rest i' the shade: then up and leave it!


s: Stay, Soul! take fill of love; nor losing, grieve it!"


s: "If thine own house, this rotting frame, doth wither,


s: Thinking another's lasting--goest thou thither?"


s: "As the downward-running rivers never turn and never stay,


s: "Bethinking him of darkness grim, and death's unshunnèd pain,


s: A man strong-souled relaxes hold, like leather soaked in rain."


s: "An 'twere not so, would sorrow cease with years?


s: Wisdom sees right what want of knowledge fears."


s: "Seek not the wild, sad heart! thy passions haunt it;


s: Play hermit in thy house with heart undaunted;


s: A governed heart, thinking no thought but good,


s: "Away with those that preach to us the washing off of sin--


s: Thine own self is the stream for thee to make ablutions in:


s: In self-restraint it rises pure--flows clear in tide of truth,


s: By widening banks of wisdom, in waves of peace and truth."


s: "Bathe there, thou son of Pandu! with reverence and rite,


s: For never yet was water wet could wash the spirit white."


s: "Thunder for nothing, like December's cloud,


s: Passes unmarked: strike hard, but speak not loud."


s: By _Angus & Robertson_, and are to be solde


s: brain, and that he devised but a feigned


s: object to fit a feigned affection, herein


s: The wise world saith I not unlock'd my heart


s: When I of thee and thy dear love did write,


s: And would each word of mine to false convert,


s: It saith thou wert but shadow born of nought,


s: While, Fashion's fool, my strain'd invention sought


s: To better them who best did please the time.


s: But wherefore say they so, and do dear wrong


s: To thee, whose worth was my sole argument,


s: To me, whose verse 'twas truth alone made strong


s: By that the breast must feel, not brain invent?


s: They who this doubt never such beauty knew,


s: They say a man ne'er bore such love to man,


s: Or, if he did, 'twere but a cause for shame;


s: But, speaking so, they their own measure scan,


s: And blot their censure with self-blaming blame.


s: For, thou being Beauty's best, the best of me


s: Worshipp'd but Beauty's self and Beauty's worth;


s: Unmix'd with gross compounding of my earth.


s: And thou wert best of Truth, the first in grace


s: Then should I not love thee and give thee place


s: In love of Beauty, whate'er shape 'tis in,


s: There's nought of Truth, if it must think of sin.


s: Look, when the rose to deep vermilion hue


s: Adds that sweet odour gracious Nature gives,


s: When his proud glory gladdens every view,


s: And no base worm within his beauties lives,


s: Nor ask more of it than that it should lend


s: His lovely gaze for ravish'd eye to see,


s: And on the blessed air his fragrance spend.


s: We ask not that the star which lights the heaven


s: Should be or male or female to our sense,


s: Suffic'd in this, that it empearls the even,


s: Then might'st not thou, who wert both rose and star,


s: Some hold it strange that love like thine and mine


s: 'Twixt two in state so sunder'd should be bred,


s: That he who did all worths in him combine,


s: Birth, beauty, wit, wealth, me thus honourèd,


s: Me, the poor motley, maim'd by Fortune's spite,


s: Sear'd and o'erworn with tyranny of time,


s: Whose wit was but the wit to learn to write


s: When thou, my Muse, inspir'dst my pupil rhyme.


s: Thou wert the wide world's pride, but I his scorn;


s: His pattern thou, I his poor toy and tool;


s: Whence therefore should that tender love be born


s: 'Twixt Fortune's minion thee, and me her fool?


s: O know they not that all such outward things


s: Hold lowest count in the soul's reckonings?


s: Hadst thou been such as, boasting of their birth,


s: Pass by the humbler-born with proud disdain,


s: Whereby some sire that state for them did gain;


s: Had riches' dross so reign'd in thy respect,


s: That riches' lack were deem'd by thee disgrace;


s: Of thy rare parts had 't been the rude effect,


s: That cruel pride held gentle pity's place;


s: Then would'st thou ne'er have look'd on lowly me,


s: To find what merit there thou might'st approve,


s: Nor would my heart, grown warm for haughty thee,


s: But all thy gifts were made more rich, more rare,


s: By inward sweetness kind beyond compare.


s: Why, thou being changeless, changeful did I write,


s: Trusting thy truth, yet doubting thy defect,


s: Now all-triumphant, now confounded quite,


s: Sad-suited all, or proud in purple deck'd?


s: Wherein was none like thee, thou like to none;


s: Swear that thy heart within my heart did lie


s: Past all removal till the world were done?


s: E'en so; but though, when clouds the region hold,


s: Masking with envious murk the sun's bright face,


s: Our o'ergloom'd spirits shudder 'neath the cold,


s: He merits not the blame of that disgrace:


s: Himself is still the same, still warm, still bright,


s: Though clouds between hide both the warmth and light.


s: Yet, being so chill'd, do we not chide the sun,


s: Say 'tis his will makes the world drear and dun,


s: And takes the golden glory from the day?


s: The envious rack we rather should reproach,


s: That comes betwixt us in despite of him,


s: Rebellious powers, that on his reign encroach,


s: And, black themselves, his brightness joy to dim.


s: So when the troubling mischiefs of the time,


s: Stole moments of thy favour, then my rhyme


s: Slander'd thy love and slurr'd thy constancy.


s: Yet the sun's self unstain'd and bright remains,


s: And my heart knew thy stains were not thy stains.


s: If wrongfully I moan'd thy 'pretty wrongs',


s: When I was 'sometime absent from thy heart',


s: No man doth Nature make whose trust doth ever


s: Unveering with all winds point still the same;


s: None is so whole in health he knows no fever


s: To shake the firm composure of his frame.


s: My love so wholly thine, thy worth so dear,


s: Made each thine absence so distract my breast,


s: That in his turmoil faith sometime to fear


s: Converted, doubting most when most 'twas blest.


s: Because mine own heart lone without thee seem'd,


s: Me absent from thy heart I falsely deem'd.


s: I writ how once I wander'd from thy side,


s: Serving the strong suggestions of my blood,


s: Only to prove from worse things vainly tried


s: How far more precious grew thy sum of good.


s: That thy dear love fail'd then my steps to stay,


s: That idle hours were idly given to sense,


s: O let love grant excuse; my sensual part


s: Dwelt ever far from pure untainted thee;


s: Nor, us'd or check'd, could be thine injury.


s: It stole but earth; my soul did with thee stay.


s: If that my sensual deed had stol'n from thee


s: Aught that were part of thy most precious love,


s: Or made to swerve the loving soul of me,


s: That to thy service it should duller prove;


s: Had't made to me thy grace less gracious seem,


s: Thy worth less worth, thy love a smaller prize,


s: Which still grew richer in thy servant's eyes;


s: Then were it fault too foul to find excuse,


s: And all I writ of thee were vows untrue;


s: My verse were nought but idle poet's use,


s: Conceit's worn weeds lac'd o'er with wording new.


s: But 'twas not so; though true my love before,


s: 'Twas thenceforth purg'd, and priz'd thee all the more.


s: Wherefore should I mine own heart not unfold,


s: And his true workings to the world disclose?


s: Which me, as I show'd others, human shows?


s: And on the stage life's self did strive to set,


s: Creating thousand shadows that should pass


s: For very substance when men's eyes they met;


s: If there I imag'd love, hate, doubt, and trust,


s: Might not one say: 'This man within him must


s: Have learn'd from Nature what he shap'd in art'?


s: Who doth them all within him living feel.


s: Whence came it that I knew in others' case


s: How bitter-sweet and tyrant-slave is love,


s: How quick to jealous doubt it yieldeth place,


s: If mine own self did ne'er his power prove?


s: Whence knew I the deep sense that in the soul


s: Is thrill'd and thrall'd by perfect beauty's sight,


s: Since so my heart laid bare what it contain'd


s: And nought of thine or mine our loving stain'd,


s: That I should hide it from misprising eyes,


s: No shame or scruple might my judgement see


s: To tell of that true love I bore to thee.


s: In these poems of Mr. Jones' it is that which gives them a unique


s: Mr. Jones' work has already won for him the approbation of many


s: literary people, his poems having appeared from time to time in


s: Our eyes, though sometimes dimmed with tears,


s: Whose high-priest tends with loving care,


s: Our tongues most gladly sing thy praise,


s: Who trod, perchance, this hallowed spot,


s: These gloomy woods whose blackness stands


s: That prowled, or crouched upon their prey;


s: Sent forth a vicious roar that fairly shook


s: Has danced his 'War dance' and his 'Feast,'


s: Long locks with eaglets' plumes bedecked;


s: Thus has time passed with naught more said;


s: The bard has slept, dreamed many a dream,


s: Some ghastly, frowning storm-beat shore,--


s: Though slowly, yet quite surely ebb away.


s: And green-bay-tree-like proudly flourished;


s: Next Greece, the fairest nymph that trod


s: On some young, swift-winged morn of June.


s: That thou mightest know the worldly way,


s: There is nothing so sweet as our life in our dreams,


s: For a thing in our dreams is all that it seems,


s: And the songs are so sweet that we sing.


s: Ah! the sun shines the brightest, and stars twinkle lightest


s: There is nothing so gay as the life in our dreams,


s: With its joy and its laughter and mirth;


s: For the pleasure that teems is far greater, one deems,


s: There are homes are our natal, and nothing is fatal


s: There is nothing so bright as the life in our dreams,


s: There the music's wild screams and the wine in its streams


s: Are both lost in the song and the dance.


s: Oh! our joy is the sweetest and life is completest,


s: There is nothing serene as the life in our dreams,


s: In the groves by the streams and the moon's silver beams,


s: Where the swain oft his maid gently wooes.


s: There the swains are the rarest and maids are the fairest,


s: For the sun that shone at the dawn of spring,


s: For the flowers which bloom and the birds that sing,


s: For the verdant robe of the gray old earth,


s: For her coffers filled with their countless worth,


s: For the flocks which feed on a thousand hills,


s: For the rippling streams which turn the mills,


s: For the lowing herds in the lovely vale,


s: For the songs of gladness on the gale,--


s: From the Gulf and the Lakes to the Oceans' banks,--


s: For the farmer reaping his whitened fields,


s: For the bounty which the rich soil yields,


s: For the cooling dews and refreshing rains,


s: For the sun which ripens the golden grains,


s: For the beaded wheat and the fattened swine,


s: For the stallèd ox and the fruitful vine,


s: For the kid and the lambkin frisk and blithe,


s: For the swan which floats near the river-banks,--


s: For the pumpkin sweet and the yellow yam,


s: For the corn and beans and the sugared ham,


s: For the plum and the peach and the apple red,


s: For the dear old press where the wine is tread,


s: For the cock which crows at the breaking dawn,


s: And the proud old "turk" of the farmer's barn,


s: For the fish which swim in the babbling brooks,


s: For the game which hide in the shady nooks,--


s: From the Gulf and the Lakes to the Oceans' banks,--


s: For the sturdy oaks and the stately pines,


s: For the lead and the coal from the deep, dark mines,


s: For the diamond bright and the yellow gold,


s: For the river boat and the flying train,


s: For the fleecy sail of the rolling main,


s: For the velvet sponge and the glossy pearl,


s: For the flag of peace which we now unfurl,--


s: For the peace and plenty together share,


s: For the Hand which guides us from above,


s: For the blessed home with its children gay,


s: For the bearing toils and the sharing cares,


s: We lift up our hearts in our songs and our prayers,--


s: These subtle rhymes of each sweet line--


s: Thou most majestic Queen of sculptural art,


s: What learnèd architect designed thy throne?


s: Who traced thy stately form in head and heart,


s: And sent the sculptor forth to carve the stone?


s: O speak, fair Queen, for thou art not alone;


s: That softly floats in one melodious tone,


s: In odes to Indiana's silent victors slain.


s: Thy court well marks the conquest of the West,


s: A mecca where the pilgrims quietly rest:


s: Each dame's content--content each sportive child;


s: Nor haunt the footprints of thy daring sons,


s: Whose noble spheres are widening all the while,


s: Like as some brilliant star its orbit runs


s: And sheds on earth its light down from a thousand suns.


s: Each wall adorned with battered coats of mail,


s: Choice relics of some bloody fields or duels,


s: I see the scouts go forth upon the trail,


s: And soldiers charging over battlements--


s: The weeping mother sends to God her wail;


s: While passion's rage the mortal heart laments,


s: The dove of peace is caged in direst banishments.


s: Brings hope, and joy is ringing everywhere


s: Beneath the "starry banner of the free,"


s: That shields her children from the tyrant's snare.


s: The peasant turns him to his lowly fare,


s: The rich pursues wild phantoms at his ease,


s: The rustic plies his long-forsaken share,


s: And lo! the dove is cooing, "Peace, sweet peace;"


s: For Mars has snatched his bolts from out the rosy East.


s: And when the last familiar scene has gone,


s: And brightest dawn has kissed the sable night,


s: Then thou shalt smile on faces yet unborn,


s: For Might shall fall and on his throne sit Right,


s: When bloody wars and petty strifes have ceased;


s: Then thou shalt don thy spotless robe of white,


s: "My brother, sheath thy sword; the end of life is peace."


s: To a violet that faded on my coat at Natchez, Miss. March


s: Thy sweet though short-lived life is o'er,


s: 'Twas vain! aye, vain! the selfish strife


s: Decreed that thou should blow and fade,--


s: With time and tide's cold ebb and flow--


s: Thrice hail the still unconquered King of Song!


s: That reareth his throne in temple of the heart;


s: And smiteth chords of passion full and strong


s: Till music sweet allures the sorrowing throng!


s: Maketh every mellow note in cadence flow,


s: To recompense the world of all its wrong.


s: Although the earth is full of cares and throes


s: That tempt the crimson stream of life to cloy,


s: Thou mak'st glad hearts and trip'st "fantastic toes,"


s: And fillest weary souls with mirth and joy--


s: The soul-entrancing cadence of thy strings


s: Proclaims thee Song's unconquered "King of kings"!


s: And thus thou keepest the Master's will,


s: For in your souls shines forth the light


s: On through your toils, and cares, still pray,


s: We'll get our harp, our robe, our crown,


s: Through my brain these thoughts are thronging,


s: 'Round my soul their ghosts are thronging,


s: Streets, Louisville, Ky., Wednesday evening, October 16th,


s: Ay! I've heard cock-robin-redbreast chirping on a sunny day,


s: And the skylark soaring skywards, merrily sing his festal lay;


s: As the ever ringing cadence of sweet Lula Johnson's song!


s: But no song of merry woodland, neither hill, nor dale, nor dell,


s: Has ever smote my bosom, nor has made my spirit swell,


s: Like the soul-inspiring music that so softly glides along


s: Oh! so softly and so gently in sweet Lula Johnson's song!


s: Oh! my soul has caught the music, as it softly floats along--


s: Ah! the soul-entrancing music of sweet Lula Johnson's song!


s: If my feet shall ever falter, it shall cheer me on my way;


s: Ay, sustain and give me comfort,--make my feeble spirit gay.


s: It will sweeten all our bitters, which now seem so very long,


s: If we have it soft and gentle, as sweet Lula Johnson's song.


s: In the lonely hours of midnight, when fair Luna 'gins to pale,


s: I have heard her songs a-ringing, floating softly on the gale.


s: While my body's lying silent and my soul is seeking rest--


s: The sweetest singer once thou wast, but art no more;


s: An elf thou wast of what thou now shalt be,


s: Where thou art in realms of that celestial shore;


s: There thou shalt sing through all eternity.


s: Thrice blessed singer, wrapped in heavenly bliss,


s: Of earth's poor souls thy fortune who can tell?


s: Perchance thy splendid lot be solely this:


s: To change thy lute with the angel Israfel!


s: Thee tyrant earth once held, imprisoned soul,


s: That suffered tortures of relentless strife,


s: Fair heaven now holds within her sheltered fold,


s: And gives thee robe and harp--eternal life!


s: I'd sweetly sing, "Good Night, Good Night!"


s: After years of patient study and historical research, I have


s: made the following deductions of parts played by the


s: Ethiopian in the annals of history, under the caption, "An


s: Ode to Ethiopia." It is true that questions will rise


s: regarding the racial identity of some of my characters, in


s: view of historical statements which place them with the


s: Caucasian race; yet I firmly believe, were impartial history


s: written, my claims would be justified. However, Time, the


s: great Arbiter, will finally decide the equity of my claims.


s: Thou Sovran Queen of Afric's sunny strands,


s: I smite my lyre to sing thy praise unsung;


s: In strains far sweeter than seraphic bands,


s: A lay deep in my bosom's core is sprung.


s: Fair Queen, although my years as yet be young,


s: Deep thoughts and musings of thy history old,


s: Where odes and fiery epics long have hung,


s: And strike sweet Lydian measures on my harp of gold.


s: Therefore, my song floats softly up to thee,


s: Full soft as those sweet zephyrs of the spring,


s: Of which it was and is and still must be,


s: The sweetest of aeolian strains that ring!


s: I breathe it on the soft sea winds which bring


s: Their cooling treasures from the rolling deep;


s: They 'fresh my brow and make my sad heart sing


s: And ever lure my drowsy eyes from sleep,


s: And bid thy vesper chorist strictest vigil keep.


s: Of all the nations that have trod the earth,


s: Thou wast the first of real enlightened birth,


s: In valleys fertile, sunny climates mild,


s: Thou sternly taught the "chosen" Hebrew race--


s: Who came to plead man's all unworthy case,


s: And drained His sacred heart, earth's vilest sin efface!


s: Long ere the Grecian oped his classic lids


s: Or mould' true beauty with artistic hands,


s: Thou reared upon thy plains the lofty pyramids,


s: With sphinx and obelisks 'decked thy burning sands.


s: Aye! Queen, thou then wast hailed in all the lands


s: Long ere vain Babel 'fused the human tongue


s: In dialects rude of wild barbaric bands;


s: Thou soared to Wisdom's realm, her sceptre wrung,


s: And reigned the wisest queen the nations all among.


s: Thou first taught man the mystic sciences probe,


s: Thou, too, inscribed the belt around the globe,


s: And made deep tracings on its hoary face.


s: Well fixed each angle, arc, and line in place,


s: Then soared thou far into the "milky way,"


s: Far in the bright, celestial span of space,


s: Where orbs and planets all their homage pay


s: Unto the sun, the ever reigning "King of Day."


s: Once in great splendor did thy Pharaohs rule


s: They laid foundations of the mundane school,


s: And taught the art of governmental lore.


s: Taught Romans tactics never known before,


s: And filled their hearts with ever-cowering awe,


s: And bowed their haughty heads to thy majestic law.


s: Then pen of arrogant, vain Caucasian sage,


s: Has thee full robbed of thy immortal glory,


s: And smeared thy name on History's sacred page!


s: Forsooth, the Book, once closed for many an age,


s: Is opened by thy sons--though fraught with pain--


s: The curtain's drawn; they rise upon the stage;


s: And their valiant deeds and blood shall wash the stain


s: As clean as April showers wash the dusty plain.


s: Thy sturdy warriors and thy gallant knights,


s: Who charge into the thickest of the fray,


s: And die for country and their free-born rights,--


s: For orphans, widows and their little mites.


s: Thus, Attucks brave, without a moment's pause,


s: (While reeled the Nation in her darkest plights)


s: Full bared his breast in Freedom's holy cause,


s: First fell and tore the code of Tyranny's cruel laws!


s: I'll bid a gentler, subtler strain awake,


s: And sing of fights with Jackson on the Gulf


s: And Perry's hard-fought battle on the Lake!


s: Of fights in fen and moor and hoary brake,


s: On Lookout Mountain and the rolling main--


s: Through searing blasts of bleak December's flake,


s: And drenching torrents of fair April's rain:


s: Their valiant deeds are springing ever up amain!


s: They fought, the Union from State's Rights to free;


s: At Vicksburg, Wagner, and Port Hudson lent


s: Their aid; their deeds at Pillow and Olustee


s: Rose surge on surge like ocean billows rent!


s: The praises of the gallant Ninth and Tenth


s: Will ever rise and soft float to the sky--


s: They bagged Old Bull in Rocky Mountain tent;


s: Then stormed the Spanish block-housed Hills on high,


s: And bade the tyrant Spaniard's heaving heart to die!


s: "High time, my Haitian islet must be free!"


s: Great Touissant thus his declaration tacks;


s: Then drives proud Frenchmen into the yawning sea--


s: "The bravest whites, by bravest of the blacks."


s: Pours shot and shell into the tyrants' backs--


s: They save her throne and Freedom on them smiles,


s: True heroes, and the Fathers of their sunlit Isles!


s: Thy sons have triumphed in the Halls of State;


s: Hamilton and Douglas were the first to gain,


s: With lightning eye and tongue of thunder great,


s: The civic lead of thy illustrious train.


s: Next Bruce and Revels, senatorial twain;


s: John Lynch and Small emit a brilliant light,


s: And Langston, Pinchback, Cheatham all remain;


s: Liang Williams, Lyons, Terrell stand for "Civic Right."


s: In science's realm with Banneker we start,


s: "Dan Williams here first stitched the human heart!"


s: Close by the names of Curtis, Boyd, and Hall.


s: But others list'd and heard Invention's call,


s: In all its sweetness of the days of yore,


s: And Woods, the greatest foreman of them all,


s: Shouts on his voyage with Black and Baltimore:


s: "We come! we come! good Dame, thy region to explore!"


s: "I, too," said 'Monia Lewis, "can make a man!"


s: Then mould' his form with most artistic ease--


s: But all aeolian strains Blind Tom could scan,


s: And play as softly as the South Sea breeze


s: Good Douglas gently wakes the violin's song,


s: And White leads home the zephyrs from the seas;


s: While Coleridge-Taylor with an art more strong


s: Full finds the key-note of Dame Nature's vesper song!


s: If shady nooks in Poesy's realm they choose,


s: Or barks to drift the smooth, prosaic stream,


s: There Phillis held communion with the Muse,


s: And Chesnutt woke the "Colonel" from his dream!


s: Max Barber, Thompson, Knox and Fortune beam;


s: Great Braithwaite scales the classic mountain heights,


s: And Cooper, like a beacon light, will gleam;


s: While Dunbar, sun-like, sheds his holy lights


s: In dazzling splendor on his solar satellites!


s: These brilliant names shall never fade away:


s: They shall remain till dawns that direful Day,


s: Deft Tanner, artist, ever blazing flame,


s: With Pickens, Bruce and Locke of classic dell,


s: Old Truth and Harper, Yates and Ruffin came,


s: And Walker, Terrell, Williams, known so well


s: Long ere Marie had taught the hoary world to spell!


s: The learned Scarborough writes the classic Greek;


s: Dean Miller thinks in calculations cold;


s: While Cogman writes the annals of the meek,


s: But all shall read in letters gilded gold:


s: "Who teaches head and heart and hands, has won


s: The priceless boon, the guerdon of the goal,


s: The portion due thy most illustrious son,


s: Tuskegee's seer and sage, the noble Washington!"


s: Thy songs inspire and cheer the human soul,


s: Still plodding forth in search of Beulah's vale;


s: Lead wondering lambs into the Master's fold,


s: When Flora Burgeon's notes far float the gale!


s: Though Patti Brown we loud applaud and hail,


s: And Hackley's voice is heard in every land,--


s: That leads the chorus, as they singing stand


s: As Miriam stood, to sing thee to the "Promised Land!"


s: I see the Prophet's mandate to the land,