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Burton, Richard Francis

"The Arabian Nights"

The sight and sounds brought
solace to my sprite, and I walked among the trees, and I smelt the
breath of the flowers on the breeze and heard the birdies sing their
melodies hymning the One, the Almighty, in sweetest litanies, and I
looked upon the apple whose hue is parcel red and parcel yellow, as
said the poet:
Apple whose hue combines in union mellow
My fair's red cheek, her hapless lover's yellow.
Then I looked upon the pear whose taste surpasseth sherbet and
sugar, and the apricot whose beauty striketh the eye with
admiration, as if she were a polished ruby.
Then I went out of the place and locked the door as it was before.
When it was the morrow I opened the second door, and entering found
myself in a spacious plain set with tall date palms and watered by a
running stream whose banks were shrubbed with bushes of rose and
jasmine, while privet and eglantine, oxeye, violet and lily,
narcissus, origane, and the winter gilliflower carpeted the borders.
And the breath of the breeze swept over these sweet-smelling growths
diffusing their delicious odors right and left, perfuming the world
and filling my soul with delight.


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