Iḵẖwanu-ṣ-safā, or Brothers of purity / translated from the Hindūstānī of Ikrām 'Alī, by John Platts; carried through tne press by Edward B. Eastwick.

  • Ikhwān al-Ṣafāʼ.
Date:
1875
Catalogue details

Licence: Public Domain Mark

Credit: Iḵẖwanu-ṣ-safā, or Brothers of purity / translated from the Hindūstānī of Ikrām 'Alī, by John Platts; carried through tne press by Edward B. Eastwick. Source: Wellcome Collection.

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    King. The asses said:—“ When we fall into their clutches they load our hacks with bricks, stones, iron, wood, and many other heavy burdens. With what labour and trouble we move along ! while their hands hold sticks and whips, with which they beat us on our posteriors. Were the King to behold us at such a moment, he would be moved with sorrow and pity for us! Where, then, are their affection and kindness, such as this man has imagined?” Next the ox spake, saying:—“ When we fall into their hands we are yoked to the plough, tightly bound to mills and oil-presses, with muzzles on our mouths and blinds on our eyes, while they hold whips and sticks with which they keep beating us on our faces and posteriors.” The ram then said:—“ What misfortunes do not befal us on our coming into their power ! To provide their own little ones with milk, they separate our lambs from their dams, and, binding them hand and foot, carry them to the slaughter-house, turning a deaf ear to all the cries and supplications of these op¬ pressed ones for mercy! There, after starving them, they slaughter them, skin them, embowel them, split open their skulls, cut open their livers, and then take them to butchers’ shops, and cut them in pieces, and spit them, and bake them in ovens. We witness all these horrible barbarities, and hold our peace, not uttering a sound of complaint.”