CHAPTER II.

Describing the pains taken by the King of the Fins for the settlement of the dispute between the Men and the Animals.

WH

HEN the King had heard this account of the animals, he became intent in his heart upon the settlement of the dispute, and gave orders that the judges and lawyers, and all the grandees and nobles of the Jins, should attend. Immediately, in accordance with the order, they all attended the royal court. Then he said to the men-" The animals have fully set forth their account and complaint of your tyrannywhat answer have you now to give to it?" A person from among them made his obeisance, and thus began to make his statement- O Asylum of the world! These all are our slaves, and we are their masters. It is proper for us to exercise lordly authority over them, and to exact from them whatever service we may require. Whoever among them has consented to obey us is accepted by God, and whoever has turned away from our authority, has, as it were, turned away from God."

66

The King said, "A claim without evidence is not listened to in a court of justice—mention some title-deed or proof." He said, “Our claim is established by many rationaland traditional proofs. He said—“ What are these proofs ?" Then he proceeded to say "With what perfection1 has God Almighty formed our persons, and made every member (thereof) in 1 Lit. "purity."

exact conformity to what was needed-a graceful form, an upright stature-sense and wisdom, by means of which we can distinguish between good and bad, and by which even we learn and declare the facts of the skies. Who besides us possesses these excellent gifts? From this it is proved that we are the masters, they the slaves."

The King asked the animals, saying, "What have you now to say to this?" They humbly represented that the claim was not established by this evidence. He said-" Do you not know that propriety of deportment is a property of kings, and that ugliness and a crouching carriage are the marks of slaves?" Then one of them replied-" May God Almighty grant unto the King His divine favour, and preserve him from the dangers of the world.1 My statement is, that the Creator did not make men after this form and fashion with the intent that they should call themselves our masters; neither did He create us after this shape, and with this carriage, that we should be their slaves. He is wise; no work of His is devoid of wisdom; He bestowed upon every one that form which He deemed suitable."

1 "Frowns of fortune."

CHAPTER III.

In description of the varieties of Forms and Statures.

"TH

'HE account of it is this: When God Almighty created men, they were stark naked-there was nothing on their bodies through which they might live in security from the cold and heat. They used to eat the fruits of the forest, and cover their bodies with leaves of the trees. Consequently He made their stature upright and tall, so that they might gather the fruits and leaves of the trees, and eat them at their ease, and take possession of them. Our food is grass; consequently He made our stature bowed, that we might graze at ease, and feel no kind of inconvenience."

The King answered-"God Almighty says, 'We have made man exceedingly graceful.' What reply do you give to this?" He humbly said-" Asylum of the world! In addition to the manifest meanings of the Divine Word, there are numerous interpretations which are known only to men of science. The explanation of this must be sought from the learned." Accordingly a wise doctor, in obedience to the King's command, set forth the meaning of this verse as follows:-" When God Almighty created Adam, it was a happy hour and an auspicious moment-the stars were shining in their respective glorious constellations, and the matter of the elements was ready and prepared for the production of agreeable forms. Consequently man's person was 1 Kurán, Súrat xciii. v. 4.

made fair, his stature erect, his hands and feet excellent, and (all) of the most perfect elegance." Yet one more signification is apparent in this verse, (Arabic)—“ God Almighty created man in the happy medium1-He did not make him very tall nor very short."2

The King said this amount of symmetry and suitability of the members suffices (to establish) pre-eminence. The animals represented, "This is the case with us also. God Almighty gave us every one of our members in the happy proportions that were suitable; in this pre-eminence we and they are equal." The men replied, "Where is this suitability of members among you? Your figures are exceedingly disgusting, your stature clumsy, your hands and feet ugly. There is belonging to you the camel, of large form, long neck, and small tail. And there is the elephant, whose form is very large and heavy, two long tusks stick out from his mouth, his ears are very broad and his eyes very small. Bulls and buffaloes have large tails, thick horns, and no upper teeth. The horns of the dumba (sheep) are heavy and its buttocks fat. There is the goat, who has a great beard and no buttocks. The hare is small in size, but has great ears. In this way there are many carnivorous and graminivorous beasts, and birds whose form and stature are clumsy, one member having no conformity to the others."

Upon hearing this speech one animal began to say, “Alas! thou hast not at all comprehended the Divine art. We are (His) creatures, the beauty and perfection of our members comes from Him; therefore to find faults in us is in fact to set forth His deficiencies. Dost thou not know that God Almighty in His wisdom created each individual thing for some special good? No one, however, knows this mystery, with the exception of Himself and men of science."

That man said, "If thou art a sage among the animals, 2 Kurán, Súrat lxxxii. v. 7.

1 Hadd i itidál.

then do thou make known what advantage there is in making the camel's neck long." He said, "Because his legs were long, and therefore if his neck had been short, it would have been difficult for him to graze the grass. Hence he made his neck long that he might graze at ease, and raise himself up from the ground by the strength of that neck, and be able to carry his lips over his whole body and rub himself. In the same way He has made the elephant's trunk long instead of his neck, and (He has made) his ears large that he may drive away the flies and mosquitoes, so that none may be able to get into his eyes or mouth; for in consequence of his tusks, his mouth always remains open, and does not shut. And his tusks are long in order that he may defend himself against the ferocity of rapacious animals. And the hare's ears are long because his body is very tender and his skin fine-he can wrap round him those ears in cold weather, and spread them out in warm.

"In fine, God Almighty has bestowed upon every animal such members as He deemed suitable. And thus He has spoken by the mouth of the holy Moses, saying, ‘God bestowed an individuality1 upon every thing, and after that He prescribed their respective courses.' The meaning of which is, that He gave to every one such members as were appropriate, and showed them the path of rectitude.

"What you consider beauty, and boast about, and (when) in your vanity, you consider 'We are the masters, they are the slaves'—this is (all) a mistake. Beauty, in every species, is that which makes (its members) agreeable to their fellows, and through which they show affection to each other; and

1 Khilkat-lit. " creation, form, figure;" or, as here rendered, individuality.

2 Sales' translation of the Arabic is, "Our Lord is He who giveth all things: He hath created them and directeth them (by His providence)." -Kurán, Súrat xx. v. 52.