Читать книгу COMMODUS & THE WOOING OF MALKATOON (Illustrated) - Lew Wallace - Страница 9

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"Thereupon

He rode away, clad all in hunter's garb,

And all unarmed, save at his belt a sword,

And at his back a shield—into the East

He rode bareheaded, and under a sky

Thrice plated with molten brass of noon,

Nor once looked back. Into the Wilderness,

The far and purple-curtained distances,

Where Nature holds her everlasting courts,

With beasts of prey and hordes of savage men

To keep their portals, questionless he passed

In leading of his faith.

"And to a land

Of lions come at last, of all he met,

Even the women at the black-tent doors,

He asked if lately they had lost a lamb?

And where the tawny thunder-makers kept

Their dread abodes? Or if they knew the cliffs

Whence through the many-folded turbaning

Of sun-touched clouds the nesting eagles launched

Themselves upon their prey? For he had heard

From Allah that 'twas beautiful to love

All helpless things, and shield them from their foes,

And therefore was he come.

"And all the men

Who heard him laughed; the women, pitying,

Were moved to tears, and gave him of their stores,

And at his going blessed him. And in time

He came to know the trails the maned brutes

Affected most, and lay in wait to see

With what of trophies of their craft they took

Their homeward ways. Or on some barefaced rock,

The sky above him like a stainless blue

Pavilion, prone and patient he would watch

The winged Sultans of the aerial world

As forth they issued screaming to the sun,

Which at the call seemed, comrade-like, to stand

And wait for them. And well he came to know,

When from their forays provident they flew,

The victim in their talons. If a bird,

He whistled to his horse, and followed them

With loosened rein. And where they thought their nests

Securest in their envelopes of cloud

And dizzy height, he thither boldly climbed

And gave them battle.

"Thus into a year

The months slow-melting fell, and he became

A hero; so that, went he here or there,

All living things remarked him. Did men see

A troop of eagles circling in the sky

They smiled, and said, 'Our Othman this way comes.'

And mothers, from their midnight slumbers roused

By lions, closer clasped their little ones,

And calmed them,whispering—'Hush! and sleep again!'

For gallop, gallop goes the gray-black steed,

While Allah swings the moon-lamp overhead.

And Othman, strong-armed, rides, and riding cries,

'Be still, O baby-hearts, be still, and sleep,

For I am here.'

"And 'gainst the friendly folk

Who loved him so there one day chanced to come

A horde of camel-drivers, skurrying

From parched Oasian orchards in the South.

To them sweet water was of more account

Than blood of women. Then from far and wide

The harried residents to Othman drew

For guidance, and he led them never knight

More truly. And the battle done and won,

In league and gratefully, as warriors should,

They flung the clashing of their steel-bossed shields

Into the upper deeps, with rhythmic stops

For outcry. 'Hear, O Allah !'—thus they said—

'The Wilderness hath travailed, and to-day

A Tribe is born to Thee. Thy palm is large,

And hollowed roomfully, and lined with gifts

For all who couch their asking in the form

Of humble prayer.' Thus Kara5 Othman saith; And, as there is no fervid friend like him Of helpless things, who—who shall better speak To us of Thee, or better serve the Tribe, So in its new birth blind? Then live the Sheik— Sheik Othman ! Live the Tribe!'