"_The third of these heroes, the blind Arabah._"--Gibbon.
And one brought pearls and one brought passion-flowers
To blind Arabah as he lay in dreams,
And one brought visions of the after hours.
And he beheld the rainbow-rolling streams
Of Eden on harmonious sands of gold,
And battlements, builded of prismatic beams.
He was not sightless now, nor weak, nor old;
For lo! the dark-eyed girls of Paradise
Rained on him gifts and kisses.
And 'tis told
How blind Arabah rose with unsealed eyes,
With seeing eyes; he who to Allah gave
All that he had; which happened in this wise:--
"Who's this that lies upon the mosque's cold pave?"--
"A blind man, whom an angel's hand shall lead."--
"A beggar, richer than the rich who have."--
"Behold the lesson, such as Sufis feed
The soul upon!--O faith, blind-praying, see,
Out of thyself how God repays indeed,
Ten-thousandfold, one generosity!"...
All Baghdad knew how, at the hour of prayer,
A slave beneath each shoulder, it was he,
Old, blind Arabah, whom a suppliant there,
Footsore and hungry, met and asked for bread.
"Alas! my son, God's poor are everywhere,"--
Hoar as a Koreish priest, Arabah said;--
"Richer than thou am I though poor indeed!
Take thou my slaves and sell, and buy thee bread."--
Thrust him his slaves and said, "Great is thy need.
Refuse, and I renounce them!"--And the wall
Struck with his staff, saying, "This now shall lead."
--While from the mosque rang the muezzin's call,
"God is most mighty! Allah seeth all!"