Gibran Stories Omnibus

formless elements new and eternal forms-it is I, the solitary one,
who would rebel against this restless madman.
      Seventh Self: How strange that you all would rebel against this man,
because each and every one of you has a preordained fate to fulfil. Ah!
could I but be like one of you, a self with a determined lot! But I
have none, I am the do-nothing self, the one who sits in the dumb,
empty nowhere and nowhen, while you are busy re-creating life. Is it
you or I, neighbours, who should rebel?
      When the seventh self thus spake the other six selves looked with
pity upon him but said nothing more; and as the night grew deeper one
after the other went to sleep enfolded with a new and happy submission.
      But the seventh self remained watching and gazing at nothingness,
which is behind all things.

WAR
         
      One night a feast was held in the palace, and there came a man and
prostrated himself before the prince, and all the feasters looked upon
him; and they saw that one of his eyes was out and that the empty
socket bled. And the prince inquired of him, “What has befallen you?”
And the man replied, “O prince, I am by profession a thief, and this
night, because there was no moon, I went to rob the money-changer's
shop, and as I climbed in through the window I made a mistake and
entered the weaver's shop, and in the dark I ran into the weaver's loom
and my eye was plucked out. And now, O prince, I ask for justice upon
the weaver.”
      Then the prince sent for the weaver and he came, and it was decreed
that one of his eyes should be plucked out.
      “O prince,” said the weaver, “the decree is just. It is right that
one of my eyes be taken. And yet, alas! both are necessary to me in
order that I may see the two sides of the cloth that I weave. But I
have a neighbour, a cobbler, who has also two eyes, and in his trade
both eyes are not necessary.”
      Then the prince sent for the cobbler. And he came. And they took out
one of the cobbler's two eyes.
      And justice was satisfied.

THE FOX
         
      A fox looked at his shadow at sunrise and said, “I will have a camel
for lunch today.” And all morning he went about looking for camels. But
at noon he saw his shadow again-and he said, “A mouse will do.”

THE WISE KING
         
      Once there ruled in the distant city of Wirani a king who was both
mighty and wise. And he was feared for his might and loved for his
wisdom.
      Now, in the heart of that city was a well, whose water was cool and
crystalline, from which all the inhabitants drank, even the king and
his courtiers; for there was no other well.
      One night when all were asleep, a witch entered the city, and poured
seven drops of strange liquid into the well, and said, “From this hour
he who drinks this water shall become mad.”
      Next morning all the inhabitants, save the king and his lord
chamberlain, drank from the well and became mad, even as the witch had
foretold.
      And during that day the people in the narrow streets and in the
market places did naught but whisper to one another, “The king is mad.
Our king and his lord chamberlain have lost their reason. Surely we
cannot be ruled by a mad king. We must dethrone him.”
      That evening the king ordered a golden goblet to be filled from the
well. And when it was brought to him he drank deeply, and gave it to
his lord chamberlain to drink.
      And there was great rejoicing in that distant city of Wirani,
because its king and its lord chamberlain had regained their reason.

AMBITION
         
      Three men met at a tavern table. One was a weaver, another a
carpenter and the third a ploughman.
      Said the weaver, “I sold a fine linen shroud today for two pieces of
gold. Let us have all the wine we want.”
      “And I,” said the carpenter, “I sold my best coffin. We will have a
great roast with the wine.”
      “I only dug a grave,” said the ploughman, “but my patron paid me
double. Let us have honey cakes too.”
      And all that evening the tavern was busy, for they called often for
wine and meat and cakes. And they were merry.
      And the host rubbed his hands and smiled at his wife; for his guests
were spending freely.
      When they left the moon was high, and they walked along the road