The king said to the frog,

"What is the best course in

your opinion?" He said, "I am ready, heart and soul,' and I am the king's subject; whatever order he may give is agreeable to me. If it is decided that I am to go there, it is quite agreeable to me. I having there taken the part of my own fellows, will contend with the men. But I hope that the king will pray to God for aid and assistance to me, because the prayers of kings on behalf of their subjects are accepted." In compliance with his request, the king prayed to God, and all the congregation said, Amen. Then the frog took leave of the king, and proceeding thither, he presented himself before the King of the Jins.

1 Ba sar o chashm--lit., "with my head and eyes."

WH

CHAPTER XVI.

In description of the Sixth Messenger.

́HEN the sixth messenger went to the dragon, king of all the reptiles—i.e., chief of all the worms1 and ants— and told him all the circumstances of the animals, he as soon as he heard it, directed that all the worms should attend. Instantly all snakes, scorpions, chameleons, lizards, green lizards, spiders, lice, small ants, earthworms, and, in fine, all worms which are produced in filth, and crawl upon the leaves of trees, all came and attended before the king. In such multitudes did they assemble that no one but God could have the power to count them. When the king beheld their wonderful and extraordinary forms and shapes, he was amazed, and remained silent for a moment. Afterwards, when having attentively considered and looked upon them, he perceived that there were very many creatures small and feeble in body, and deficient in instinct and intelligence. He became serious (and asked), "What can be done with these?" He said to his minister, the serpent, "In your opinion, is there any one among them sufficiently clever to send there on the business of the dispute, so that he may confront the men? for these creatures are for the most part dumb, deaf, and blind; they have no hands or feet at all, there is neither hair nor feather visible on their bodies, they have no beaks or claws, and for the most part they are weak and feeble."

1 Kira-a worm, grub, insect.

In fine, the king felt great distress and sorrow for their state. Incontrollably he sighed in his heart, and began to weep in grief. Looking towards heaven, he preferred this prayer to God, saying, “O Creator and Provider, Thou alone takest compassion on the state of the feeble. In Thy grace and beneficence look upon the condition of these, for Thou art the most merciful of the merciful." At length, through the prayers of the king all the creatures who were there assembled began to speak with great eloquence and fluency.

CHAPTER XVII.

Report of the Locust's Speech.

WHEN the locust saw that the king showed great con

sideration and kindness to his people, ascending by the wall and attuning his voice,1 he began to sing in praise of God, with very sweet notes; and he delivered this oration with great eloquence and elocution :-" Praise and thanks are due to that True Benefactor who produced upon the earth blessings of all sorts and kinds; who by His omnipotence having brought the animals forth from the corner of nonentity into the expanse of existence, has bestowed upon them divers forms. He existed before time and place, earth and sky. He was resplendent by the light of His unity, free from the stain of subordinate existence.2 He from simple light, without the admixture of matter or form, created the active intellect; moreover, by the simple utterance of one ‘BE,' having brought it from behind the veil of nothingness, He established it in the arena of existence."

After that he said, "O king! sorrow not for the weakness and impotence of this species, because their Creator who formed them and provided sustenance (for them) is always mindful of them. Like as parents show tenderness and kindness to their offspring, so does He also exhibit compassion for the state of these (insects). For when God created the animals and devised different forms and shapes for all of

1 Sáz-karná—to attune, to make to accord.

2 i.e., He shone in His own self-existent glory, not drawing His existence from any other being.

them, He bestowed strength upon some, but kept others weak; to some He gave bulky forms and to others small bodies; but in His generosity and beneficence He has kept them all equal. To every one of them he has given suitable means for securing advantage, and weapons for the repelling of injury.

"In this blessing all are equal, no one has any superiority over another. When He gave to the elephant a bulky form, and bestowed upon him enormous strength, He also made for him two long tusks, by means of which he is preserved from the ferocity of rapacious beasts; and by his trunk he obtains benefit. If He gave to the gnat a little body, then as a substitute He granted to him two wings, exceedingly fine and light, by means of which he flies and escapes from his enemies. All, small and great, are equal in that blessing by means of which they secure advantage and remain preserved from violence.

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In like manner, he has not deprived of this blessing even this species which outwardly appear to have no hair or feathers. When God created them in this state He provided for them all the means by which they might secure benefit and remain safe from violence. If the king, having reflected, would look upon the facts respecting them, then it would be seen that those among them who are small in body and are feeble, are light and fearless in flight, so that they remain safe from every injury and are not disturbed about obtaining what is beneficial.

"Among animals in general those who are large in body and have great strength, they by means of their strength and courage keep off injury from themselves, like the elephant and lion, and other animals besides them who have large bodies and great strength. Some by fleet running and by flight remain secure from every danger, like the stag, the hare, the wild ass, &c.; and some by means of flying remain