I THE MAKING OF MAN When the Lord would fashion men, Spake He in the Angels' hearing, "Lo! Our will is there shall be On the earth a creature bearing Rule and royalty. To-day We will shape a man from clay." Spake the Angels, "Wilt Thou make Man, who must forget his Maker, Working evil, shedding blood, Of Thy precepts the forsaker? But Thou knowest all, and we Celebrate Thy majesty." Answered Allah, " Yea, I know What ye know not of this making; Gabriel! Michael! Israfil ! Go down to the earth, and, taking Seven clods of colors seven, Bring them unto Me in Heaven." Then those holy Angels three Spread their pinions and descended; Seeking clods of diverse clay, That all colors might be blended; Yellow, tawny, dun, black, brown, White and red, as men are known. But the Earth spake, sore afraid, That the dread Creator make not Therefore, empty-handed came Saying, "Lord! Thy Earth imploreth Spake the Lord to Azrael, Go thou, who of wing art surest. Tell my Earth this shall be well; Bring those clods which thou procurest From her bosom, unto Me; Shape them as I order thee." Thus 'tis written how the Lord All save Iblis; and this story SIR EDWIN ARNOLD MERCY'S REPLY 23 2 MERCY'S REPLY AN ARABIAN ALLEGORY The earth was made, yet still, though full of light That rolled away the anarch of old Night, And spoke as God can speak alone, 66 Shall We make man?" Then stern-eyed Justice cried, "Oh, make him not, for he, in his vain pride, And base ingratitude to Thee, the great First Cause, Then Truth, "Yes, make him not! his impious foot In that else tearless Paradise, Gazed up and cried, amid her sterner peers, 66 Make him, O God! I will watch o'er his head In all the troublous paths that he may tread!" Then God looked down upon the earth again, And as man started up from Eden's plain, He said (while Mercy, rising, blessed and smiled), Now, ruler of thy planet, go, And with thy brother gently deal below!" ANONYMOUS 3 THE FIRST SUNSET SEEN BY ADAM Thus Adam cried when first he saw The setting of the sun: "Ah me! perhaps 'tis through my sin, That grievous sin I've done. The world grows dark and now returns To its chaotic state; This is the death decreed by Heaven Throughout that night he sat and prayed, As sat and prayed his bride; Eve weeping at his side. But when at dawn he saw again The precious light of day, With grateful heart he then exclaimed, "This is but Nature's way!" THE TALMUD Translation by Rabbi Isidore Myers 4 THE LEGEND OF THE DEAD LAMBS Death, though already in the world, as yet THE LEGEND OF THE DEAD LAMBS 25 Till many a meaner meal had slowly given Meanwhile, on lesser victims he began To test his power; and, in a cold spring night, Adam, who was upon the march that morn, Saw the two frozen lambkins lying dead, 66 Since the lambs cannot move, methinks 'twere best That I should carry them." So on his breast Dead lambs to carry. Adam took the four, Till eventide. That was a sorrowful day. |