grow; better that the bitter water man will not drink did not well forth. 'Better that the loutish son who does not maintain the good name of his jather should never come down from his father's loins; if he falls into his mother's womb, better that 95
he be not born. Best is the fortunate son when he maintains his father's good name. 'Better that there should be no falsehood in the world; better that the truth should live thrice thirty years and ten. May your life be full thrice thirty years and ten; may God bring you no evil, may your felicity be perpetual. O my Khan!' Again Dede Korkut declaimed; let us see, my Khan, what he declaimed. 'The deer as it wanders knows the pasturelands of the earth. The wild ass knows the meadows of the blue-green land. The camel knows the tracks of all the different roads. The fox knows the scents of seven valleys. The lark knows that the caravan moves off by night. The mother knows who sired the son. The horse knows the heavy man and the light man. The mule knows the weariness of the heavy loads. The sufferer knows where the pains are. The brain knows the ache of the heedless head. The bard roams from land to land, from prince to prince, carrying his arm-long lute; the bard knows the generous man and the stingy man. Let him who plays and recites before you be a bard. May God ward off the ill-chance that comes raging, O my Khan.' Yet again did Dede Korkut declaim; let us see, my Khan, what he declaimed, 'When / open my mouth and give praise, the God above us is beautiful, Muhammad the Friend of God, the Prince of the Faith, is beautiful. Abu Bakr the Veracious, who prayed at the right hand of Muhammad, is beautiful. The Sura of the Tidings, which begins the last portion, is beautiful. The Sura Ya Sin, when recited correctly, syllable by syllable, is beautiful. Ali, who wielded the sword and gave victory to the Faith, is beautiful. Hasan and Huseyn, the sons of Ali, two brothers together, the choice gifts of the Prophet, who were martyred on the plain of Kerbela at the hands of the Yezidis, are 96
beautiful. The Koran, the knowledge of God, which was written and set in order and came down from heaven, is beautiful. Othman son ofAffan, Prince of Scholars, who wrote down the Koran and set it in order, and who then, when the Ulema had learned it, burned it and cut it, is beautiful. Built in the lowlands, God's house of Mecca is beautiful. The pilgrim, who has faithfully discharged his duty when he reaches Mecca safely and returns in good health, is beautiful. Friday on the Day of Reckoning is beautiful. The sermon that is delivered on Friday is beautiful. The congregation that gives ear and listens is beautiful. The wise man who calls from the minaret is beautiful. The lawful wife when she kneels and sits is beautiful. The father when his temples go grey is beautiful. The mother who gives her white milk in full measure is beautiful. The black camel-stallion when he approaches and takes the road is beautiful. The dear brother is beautiful. The marriage-bower