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111
THE CAKE OF MITHRIDATES
Quenched is the fire on autumn's hearth,
The ingle vacant, hushed the song;
But the resolved, consistent earth,
And nature, tolerant and strong,
The ingle vacant, hushed the song;
But the resolved, consistent earth,
And nature, tolerant and strong,
Serenely wait the ordered change
Of times and tides. Ten thousand years
Of day and night, the scope and range
Of liberal seasons; smiles and tears
Of times and tides. Ten thousand years
Of day and night, the scope and range
Of liberal seasons; smiles and tears
Of June and April; brumal storm,
Autumnal calm, and flower and fruit:
These are the rich content, the form
Of nature's mind; these constitute
Autumnal calm, and flower and fruit:
These are the rich content, the form
Of nature's mind; these constitute
The academe and discipline,
The joust and knightly exercise,
The culture of the earth wherein
The earth's profound composure lies.
The joust and knightly exercise,
The culture of the earth wherein
The earth's profound composure lies.
112
The wisdom of the earth excels
The craft and skill of every age.
Witness the tale the Persian tells
Of Mithridates, king and mage:—
The craft and skill of every age.
Witness the tale the Persian tells
Of Mithridates, king and mage:—
The whole divan extolled his powers:
They said the soil revered him so,
That, if he planted sawdust, flowers
Of every hue would promptly grow.
They said the soil revered him so,
That, if he planted sawdust, flowers
Of every hue would promptly grow.
“So be it!” quoth the King of kings:
“Bring hither sweepings of the street,
Chaff, sawdust, money, jewels, rings,
And fifty grains of summer wheat”.
“Bring hither sweepings of the street,
Chaff, sawdust, money, jewels, rings,
And fifty grains of summer wheat”.
He sowed them in a fertile bed,
And set a guard about the plot
Both day and night: “Although”, he said,
“The earth is honest, men are not”.
And set a guard about the plot
Both day and night: “Although”, he said,
“The earth is honest, men are not”.
The wheat betimes began to grow.
In shame as in a mordant steeped,
The viziers, sulking in a row,
Beheld at length the harvest reaped.
In shame as in a mordant steeped,
The viziers, sulking in a row,
Beheld at length the harvest reaped.
113
Said then the King, “A sheaf! Proceed:
Thresh, winnow, grind it, bolt and bake,
And bring with all convenient speed
Of leavened bread a goodly cake.
Thresh, winnow, grind it, bolt and bake,
And bring with all convenient speed
Of leavened bread a goodly cake.
“For you, my worthy viziers—come!
The marvellous crops you promised me?”
The whole perturbed divan, as dumb
As oysters, felt indeed at sea.
The marvellous crops you promised me?”
The whole perturbed divan, as dumb
As oysters, felt indeed at sea.
“Ha!” cried the King, “when shall we laugh
At prodigies great nature grants
Almighty monarchs? Fruit of chaff,
Where is it? Where, my sawdust-plants?
At prodigies great nature grants
Almighty monarchs? Fruit of chaff,
Where is it? Where, my sawdust-plants?
“The vine and vintage of my gold?
My silver-bushes, where are they?
My coin should yield a hundred-fold
By nature's lavish usury!
My silver-bushes, where are they?
My coin should yield a hundred-fold
By nature's lavish usury!
“My fragrant banks of posied rings
Where diamonds blossom, show me; show
In arbours where the bulbul sings
A branch of budding rubies glow.
Where diamonds blossom, show me; show
In arbours where the bulbul sings
A branch of budding rubies glow.
114
“My jewel-orchards, money-shrubs?
Perhaps they're sprouting underground?
My cash, at least, among the grubs—
My cash and gems! Let them be found!
Perhaps they're sprouting underground?
My cash, at least, among the grubs—
My cash and gems! Let them be found!
“Dig, viziers, dig!” The viziers dug:
Among the deep roots of the grain,
With here an earthworm, there a slug
They found the treasure, sowed in vain.
Among the deep roots of the grain,
With here an earthworm, there a slug
They found the treasure, sowed in vain.
And all the sweepings of the streets,
The chaff, the rubbish? Like a jest
Forgiven, forgotten! So discreet
Is nature's kindly alkahest.
The chaff, the rubbish? Like a jest
Forgiven, forgotten! So discreet
Is nature's kindly alkahest.
Then every vizier lost his nerve,
Expecting death, a prompt despatch.
But Mithridates said, “Observe
How great the soil is: bulbuls hatch
Expecting death, a prompt despatch.
But Mithridates said, “Observe
How great the soil is: bulbuls hatch
“The cuckoo's eggs, whereas the earth
Ignores the costliest stone to feed
With chosen fare and bring to birth
The soul of any honest seed.
Ignores the costliest stone to feed
With chosen fare and bring to birth
The soul of any honest seed.
115
“The earth is true and harbours not
Imposture: all your flattering lies
Are buried in this garden-plot;
Be genuine if you would be wise”.
Imposture: all your flattering lies
Are buried in this garden-plot;
Be genuine if you would be wise”.
With that the baker, breathing spice,
Produced the cake hot from the fire,
And every vizier ate a slice
Resolving to be less a liar.
Produced the cake hot from the fire,
And every vizier ate a slice
Resolving to be less a liar.
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