Gibran Stories Omnibus

and plains are the most barren I
have known. I have searched all day for a grain of some sort, and there
is none to be found.”
      Said the second ant, “I too have found nothing, though I have
visited every nook and glade. This is, I believe, what my people call
the soft, moving land where nothing grows.”
      Then the third ant raised his head and said, “My friends, we are
standing now on the nose of the Supreme Ant, the mighty and infinite
Ant, whose body is so great that we cannot see it, whose shadow is so
vast that we cannot trace it, whose voice is so loud that we cannot
hear it; and He is omnipresent.”
      When the third ant spoke thus the other ants looked at each other
and laughed.
      At that moment the man moved and in his sleep raised his hand and
scratched his nose, and the three ants were crushed.

THE GRAVE-DIGGER
         
      Once, as I was burying one of my dead selves, the grave-digger came
by and said to me, “Of all those who come here to bury, you alone I
like.”
      Said I, “You please me exceedingly, but why do you like me?”
      “Because,” said he, “They come weeping and go weeping-you only come
laughing and go laughing.”

ON THE STEPS OF THE TEMPLE
         
      Yestereve, on the marble steps of the Temple, I saw a woman sitting
between two men. One side of her face was pale, the other was blushing.

THE BLESSED CITY
         
      In my youth I was told that in a certain city every one lived
according to the Scriptures.
      And I said, “I will seek that city and the blessedness thereof.” And
it was far. And I made great provision for my journey. And after forty
days I beheld the city and on the forty-first day I entered into it.
      And lo! the whole company of the inhabitants had each but a single
eye and but one hand. And I was astonished and said to myself, “Shall
they of this so holy city have but one eye and one hand?”
      then I saw that they too were astonished, for they were marvelling
greatly at my two hands and my two eyes. And as they were speaking
together I inquired of them saying, “Is this indeed the Blessed City,
where each man lives according to the Scriptures?” And they said, “Yes,
this is that city.”
      “And what,” said I, “hath befallen you, and where are your right
eyes and your right hands?”
      And all the people were moved. And they said, “Come thou and see.”
      And they took me to the temple in the midst of the city. and in the
temple I saw a heap of hands and eyes. All withered. Then said I,
“Alas! what conqueror hath committed this cruelty upon you?”
      And there went a murmur amongst them. And one of their elders stood
forth and said, “This doing is of ourselves. God hath made us
conquerors over the evil that was in us.”
      And he led me to a high altar, and all the people followed. And he
showed me above the altar an inscription graven, and I read:
      “If thy right eye offend thee, pluck it out and cast it from thee;
for it is profitable for thee that one of thy members should perish,
and not that the whole body should be cast into hell. And if thy right
hand offend thee, cut it off and cast it from thee; for it is
profitable for thee that one of thy members should perish, and not that
thy whole body should be cast into hell.” Then I understood. And I
turned about to all the people and cried, “Hath no man or woman among
you two eyes or two hands?”
      And they answered me saying, “No, not one. There is none whole save
such as are yet too young to read the Scripture and to understand its
commandment.”
      And when we had come out of the temple, I straightway left that
Blessed City; for I was not too young, and I could read the scripture.

THE GOOD GOD AND THE EVIL GOD
         
      The Good God and the Evil God met on the mountain top.
      The Good God said, “Good day to you, brother.”
      The Evil God did not answer.
      And the Good God said, “You are in a bad humour today.”
      “Yes,” said the Evil God, “for of late I have been often mistaken
for you, called by your name, and treated as if I were you, and it
ill-pleases me.”
      And the Good God said, “But I too have been mistaken for you and
called by your name.”
      The Evil God