Voices for the Speechless Part 42

NIGHTINGALE.

But thee no wintry skies can harm Who only needs to sing To make even January charm And every season Spring.

COWPER.

SONGSTERS.

Little feathered songsters of the air In woodlands tuneful woo and fondly pair.

SAVAGE.

MOHAMMEDANISM.

THE CATTLE.[3]

The "Chapter of the Cattle:" Heaven is whose, And whose is earth? Say Allah's, That did choose On His own might to lay the law of mercy.

He, at the Resurrection, will not lose

One of His own. What falleth, night or day, Falleth by His Almighty word alway.

Wilt thou have any other Lord than Allah, Who is not fed, but feedeth all flesh? Say!

For if He visit thee with woe, none makes The woe to cease save He; and if He takes Pleasure to send thee pleasure, He is Master Over all gifts; nor doth His thought forsake

The creatures of the field, nor fowls that fly; They are "a people" also: "These, too, I Have set," the Lord saith, "in My book of record; These shall be gathered to Me by and by."

With Him of all things secret are the keys; None other hath them, but He hath; and sees Whatever is in land, or air, or water, Each bloom that blows, each foam-bell on the seas.

E. ARNOLD: _Pearls of the Faith_.

[3] _Koran_, chap. vi.

I cannot believe that any creature was created for uncompensated misery; it would be contrary to G.o.d's mercy and justice.

MARY SOMERVILLE.

THE SPIDER AND THE DOVE.

The spider and the dove,--what thing is weak If Allah makes it strong?

The spider and the dove! if He protect, Fear thou not foeman's wrong.

From Mecca to Medina fled our Lord, The hors.e.m.e.n followed fast; Into a cave to shun their murderous rage, Mohammed, weary, pa.s.sed.

Quoth Aba Bekr, "If they see me die!"

Quoth Eba Foheir, "Away!"

The guide Abdallah said, "The sand is deep, Those footmarks will betray."

Then spake our Lord "We are not four but Five; He who protects is here.

'Come! Al-Muhaimin' now will blind their eyes; Enter, and have no fear."

The band drew nigh; one of the Koreish cried, "Search ye out yonder cleft, I see the print of sandalled feet which turn Thither, upon the left!"

But when they drew unto the cavern's mouth, Lo, at its entering in, A ring-necked desert-dove sat on her eggs; The mate cooed soft within.

And right athwart the shadow of the cave A spider's web was spread; The creature hung upon her web at watch; Unbroken was each thread;

"By Thammuz' blood," the unbelievers cried, "Our toil and time are lost; Where doves hatch, and the spider spins her snare, No foot of man hath crossed!"

Thus did a desert bird and spider guard The blessed Prophet then; For all things serve their maker and their G.o.d Better than thankless men.

_Pearls of the Faith_.

THE YOUNG DOVES.

There came before our Lord a certain one Who said, "O Prophet! as I pa.s.sed the wood I heard the voice of youngling doves which cried, While near the nest their pearl-necked mother cooed.

"Then in my cloth I tied those fledglings twain, But all the way the mother fluttered nigh; See! she hath followed hither." Spake our Lord: "Open thy knotted cloth, and stand thou by."

But when she spied her nestlings, from the palm Down flew the dove, of peril unafeared, So she might succor these. "Seest thou not,"

Our Lord said, "how the heart of this poor bird

"Grows by her love, greater than his who rides Full-face against the spear-blades? Thinkest thou Such fire divine was kindled to be quenched?

I tell ye nay! Put back upon the bough

"The nest she claimeth thus: I tell ye nay!

From Allah's self cometh this wondrous love: Yea! And I swear by Him who sent me here, He is more tender than a nursing dove,

"More pitiful to men than she to these.

Therefore fear G.o.d in whatsoe'er ye deal With the dumb peoples of the wing and hoof."

_Pearls of the Faith_.

FORGIVEN.