@3He is the "Pardoner," and his Scripture hath— "Paradise is for them that check their wrath, And pardon sins; so Allah doth with souls; He loveth best him who himself controls."@1 Know ye of Hassan's slave? Hassan the son Of Ali. In the camp at Ras-al-hadd He made a banquet unto sheikhs and lords, Rich dressed and joyous; and a slave bore round, Smoking with new-cooked pillaw, Badhan's dish Carved from rock-crystal, with the feet in gold, And garnets round the rim; but the boy slipped Against the tent-rope, and the precious dish Broke into shards of beauty on the board, Scalding the son of Ali. One guest cried, "Dog! wert thou mine, for this thing thou shouldst howl!" Another, "Wretch! thou meritest to die." And yet another, "Hassan! give me leave To smite away this swine's head with my sword!" Even Hassan's self was moved; but the boy fell Face to the earth and cried, My "lord! 'tis writ, @3'Paradise is for them that check their wrath.'@1" "'Tis writ so," Hassan said; "I am not wroth." "My lord!" the boy sobbed on, "also 'tis writ, @3'Pardon the trespasser."'@1 Hassan replied, "'Tis written—I remember—I forgive." "Now is the blessing of the Most High God On thee, dear Master!" cried the happy slave, "For He—'tis writ—@3'loves the beneficent.'@1" "Yea! I remember, and I thank thee, slave," Quoth Hassan;—"better is one noble verse Fetched from 'the Book,' than gold and crystal brought From Yaman's hills. Lords! he hath marred the dish, But mended fault with wisdom. See, my slave! I give thee freedom, and this purse to buy The robe and turban of a Muslim freed." @3Al Ghâfir! pardon us, as we Forgive a brother's injury@1. | Discover our Poem Explanations and Poet Analyses!Other Poems of Interest...SPOON RIVER ANTHOLOGY: PAULINE BARRETT by EDGAR LEE MASTERS THE CATS' MONTH by WILLIAM CARLOS WILLIAMS THE BALLAD OF PROSE AND RHYME by HENRY AUSTIN DOBSON FALSTAFF'S SONG by EDMUND CLARENCE STEDMAN |