05

AN ORIENTAL LEGEND

1. A king, grown old in glory and renown,

With wisdom wished his happy reign to crown.

Feeling the years turn white upon his head,

He thought upon his end, and thus he said:

“Three sons I have, strong types of sturdy youth,

Bred in all honour, manliness, and truth;

Honest and brave are they, I know it well;

But traits there are in all that none may tell.

I´11 test them, therefore; for I fain would know

Which one shall rule the best when I must go.”

2. Thereon he sent a slave to call his sons

Into his presence. Strong and manly ones

They surely were, to glad a father´s sight,

And mind him of his spring-time´s manly might.

To whom the king: “My sons, the time draws near

When I, your sire, shall be no longer here,

And I would know which of you I may trust

To wield the sceptre when my hands are dust;

And to that end I make you this request,

Which of my three sons loves his father best？”

3. Then spake the eldest: “Sire, my love for thee

Is deeper, broader, greater than the sea,

Vast as it is, that wets thy kingdom´s shore.

Such is my love for thee, my sire, and more.”

The second then: “My father and my king,

There is not any yet created thing

In the whole universe , below, above,

To mark the scope and measure of my love.”

The youngest simply said: “I cannot tell

Thee more than this, I love my father well.”

4. The king dismissed them with a tender word,

And sat and pondered well what he had heard;

Then called his minister, and to him spake:

“My lord, a pilgrimage I fain would make

To far-famed Mecca . That I may atone

For sins unpardoned, I will go alone,

Barefooted and bareheaded; and if I

By Allah shall be called upon to die

While on this pilgrimage, ´tis my command

That my three sons together rule the land.”

5. A year went by, and yellow were the leaves,

The ripened grain was gathered into sheaves,

And all made ready for the harvest sport,

When through the kingdom—city, camp, and court,

Seaport and hamlet—the sad news was sped,

That the wise ruler and just king was dead.

Loved as a monarch tender, brave, and true,

His people mourned him deeply as his due.

His sons were told the words the king had said,

And reigned together in their father´s stead.

6. The calendar had marked another year,

And on the drooping stalk the full-grown ear

Through golden husk and silken tassel showed,

When wearily along the dusty road

A beggar slowly moved towards the town.

Outside the open gate he sat him down

And rested. Suddenly his thoughts were bent

Upon a man near by, with garments rent,

Who sighed, and wept, and beat upon his breast,

And ever made this moan, “I loved him best.”

7. “Friend, ” said the beggar, “tell, if I may know,

What is the cause and secret of thy woe.

Allah hath certain cure for every ill;

Thine may He soften!” For a moment still

The other sat; then, with fresh tears, he said:

“Great is my loss. I mourn the king that´s dead.

Ah! never more shall men see such a one.

He was my father, I his oldest son.”

And then he beat once more upon his breast,

And rent his clothes, and cried, “I loved him best.”

8. The beggar sighed. “Such love must Allah prize.

Thy brothers？ mourn they also in this wise？”

“Not so, ” the mourner said. “The next in age

His grief with other thoughts did soon assuage ;

With horse and hounds his hours are spent in sport,

To the great shame and sorrow of the court.

The youngest bears the pains and cares of state;

Works out our father´s plans; to low and great

Meteth out justice with impartial hand,

And is beloved and honoured in the land.”

9. The beggar left the son on grief intent,

And straightway to the court his footsteps bent;

Cast of his beggar´s clothes before the throne

And, clad in purple, proudly claimed his own;

Cried, in a voice that made the arches ring,

“Hear ye, my people! As I am your king,

My power, my crown, my sceptre, and my throne

Go to my youngest son, and him alone! —

Son of my heart, I fold thee to my breast;

Who doth his father´s work loves him the best.”

WORD SPELLING

WORD EXERCISE

1. Give the meaning and explain the connection between pound （various uses）, ponderous, and ponder .

2. Make sentences showing the uses of the words tract and trace, in various meanings, and give other words from the same root.

3. Show the various uses of the words sire and sir, and their connection with senior .