the help of God, and certain it is that by His aid we shall gain the victory over them, because in former times there have been very tyrannical kings, but by the help of God we have always prevailed over them. Ofttimes there has been proof of this." The king said, "State the circumstances." The chief of the mosquitoes said, “Among men Nimrod was a king of the highest dignity." He was exceedingly arrogant and perverse, and in his pomp and dignity and splendour took thought of no man. But a gnat of our race, who was very small and frail of body, destroyed this king so great. Notwithstanding his dignity and might, his power did not avail him anything." The king replied, "You speak truly."

The wasp said, "At the time when a man fully furnished with arms, with sword, javelin, spear, knife, and arrow in hand, is accoutred (for battle)—if at that time a wasp belonging to us goes and stings him, and pierces him with a sting (only) equal to the point of a needle, then how wretched does his state become. His body swells up, his hands and feet grow languid; he cannot move, nor does he even take any heed of his shield and sword.” The king said, “It is true.”

The fly said, "When a king of men sits upon his throne in great pomp and splendour, and his doorkeepers and guards are standing all around him with the utmost devotion and willingness, so that no pain or annoyance may reach him-if at that time a fly comes out of his kitchen, or his necessary, and, with its body all covered with filth, goes and sits upon his person or clothes and teases him, he can never find the power to escape from it." The king said, "It is true."

The mosquito said, "If any man is seated in society or (in private) behind his screen, or with the mosquito-curtains hung up, and one of our tribe goes and gets into his clothes and bites him, then how restless does he become, and what a rage he gets into! But he can do nothing to us; he can only thump his own head, and give slaps to his own cheeks."

The king said, "You all speak truly; but in the presence of the King of the Jins there is no mention of these things. There the dispute is about justice and equity, and manners, and morals, and discretion, and eloquence, and fluency. Is there any one among you who has ability in these matters?" On hearing this speech of the king, they were all silent, and, hanging down their heads, said nothing.

After that a sage among the flies came out from the congregation, and, standing before the king, said, “With the help of God, I will go upon this business, and there, acting as ally of the animals, I will dispute with the men." The king and all the assembly said, "May God aid you in the matter you have undertaken, and make you victorious over the enemy." In fine, having given to him all provisions for the journey, he dismissed him. This sage having departed thence, attended in the presence of the King of the Jins, where animals of all sorts and kinds were present.

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CHAPTER XIV.

On the matters of the Fourth Messenger.

HEN the fourth messenger went into the presence of the phoenix, the king of the birds of prey, and made known the circumstances, he also gave orders for all the birds of his species to attend. In accordance with the order, vultures, phoenices, hawks, falcons, kites, owls, parrots, and, in fine, all carnivorous birds having claws and beaks instantly presented themselves. The phoenix related to them the facts of the animals' dispute. After that he said to his wazír, the shunkár, (black-eyed falcon,) "Is there any one of these birds who is fit for this business, whom we may send there, that he may go and confront the men, and be an ally of his own race in this conflict?" The wazír said, "There is no one but the owl who has ability for this business." The king asked what the reason was that no one besides him was fit for the business.

The wazír said, "Because all birds of prey are afraid of men, and fly from them; and besides, they do not understand their language. But the owl dwells near their villages, and often, indeed, in their old houses which have become ruinous. His continence and contentment are such as no other animal possesses. By day he fasts and weeps in fear of God, and at night also he is absorbed in devotion and in arousing the heedless. He laments over former kings who are dead, and repeats this verse, appropriate to their condition, (Arabic,) 'We have left behind the gardens and foun

tains, the houses and cultivated lands, and all the good things through which we lived in pleasure, and now other people have become the possessors of them.'" 1

The phoenix said to the owl, "What do you say about this which the shunkár has settled for you?" He replied, "The shunkár speaks truth; but still I cannot go there, because all men nourish animosity against me, and consider the sight of me unlucky, and they cast abuse upon poor innocent me, who never did them any harm. If they should see me there at the time of the argument they will become still more inimical, and through this animosity the day of battle will again arrive. It is better that you should not send me there." The phoenix then asked the owl, who among the animals (present) was best fitted for the business; and he replied, “Kings and nobles among men are very fond of hawks, falcons, and charghs,2 and with great fondness seat them on their hands. If the king should send one of them there, it would be better." The king, looking towards the assemblage of hawks, said, "What is advisable in your opinion?" The hawk said, "The owl speaks truth. But men do not distinguish us because we have any affinity with them, nor because there is any great knowledge or gentle manners in us through which they should have affection for us. They show a liking for us merely for their own benefit; for they tear away our prey from us, and apply it to their own use. Night and day they are engaged in amusement and pleasure. Those matters which God has made incumbent on them, such as to perform their devotions, and to have a dread of the account and books of the day of judgment, for these matters they never show any inclination."

The phoenix said to him, "In your opinion whom is it advisable to send ?" He said, "My opinion is, that the parrot should be sent there, because among men, kings and

1 Kurán, Súrat xliv. v. 24-27.

2

Chargh- a bird of the hawk kind.

nobles, everybody, small or great, male or female, learned or ignorant, is fond of him, and talks with him. Whatever he says, they attend and listen to." The king asked the parrot what he thought was advisable. He replied, “I am ready. I will go there, and, on the side of the animals, will contend with the men; but I hope that the king, and all this congregation, will unite and render me assistance." The phoenix inquired what he wished. He replied, " My object is that the king should pray to God for me, that I may prevail over the enemy." The king, in compliance with his request, prayed to God for help, and all the congregation said, Amen.

The owl said, "O king! if prayer is not accepted, then trouble and labour are in vain, and unless prayer is attended with all the requisites, no result follows." The king asked what the conditions were for the acceptance of prayer, and told him to state them. The owl said, "For the acceptance of prayer, sincerity of purpose and purity of heart are necessary. Like as a person prays to God when in the deepest distress, so should one fix the mind upon God at the time of prayer. And before offering our (special) prayers, the regular form of prayer should be repeated, abstinence should be observed, and we should show some kindness to the poor and needy, and then, whatever our state of grief and sorrow may be, we should represent it to the Divine Majesty." All said, "He speaks the truth; in prayer these things are requisite."

The king said to all the congregation, "Ye know that men have so practised violence and oppression over the animals that those poor wretches have at their hands been rendered exceedingly miserable; to such a degree, indeed, that, notwithstanding our being so far away, they have come to seek refuge with us. And we ourselves, notwithstanding that we have greater strength and vigour than man, and soar to the skies, still we have fled from their tyranny, and have come to hide ourselves in the hills and rivers. Our brother the