Penny Dreadfuls, 1900 · page 103 of 142
Rubaiyat of Omar Khayyam, and the Salaman and Absal of Jami — page 103: what you’re looking at
What you’re looking at
This is a page of running prose poetry from what appears to be a Victorian narrative poem titled "Salámán and Absál" (page 77). The text depicts a dramatic scene in which a famished man swallows food before a perfumed pastry and swears an oath to a figure called Khalifah, invoking Baghdad. Another character, Harún, dismisses him harshly. The passage then shifts to describe how Salámán and Absál rejoiced together for a year while others avoided the Shah's presence, until the truth of some unspecified matter is revealed and the Shah and Sage respond with physical action ("struck out with hand and foot in his redress").
📄 Transcribed text from this page (OCR, searchable)
Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.
SALAMAN AND ABSAL. -_- ~ - » - -_ ~ — — — ~ — — Cael Se Got before a perfume-breathing Pasty, like the lip of Suirin Inuscious, or the Poet’s song. Soon as seen, the famisht clown Seizes up and swallows down. Then his mouth undaunted wiping— “ Oh Khalifah, hear me swear, “ While I breathe the dust of Baghdad, ‘“* Ne’er at any other Table “ Than at Thine to sup or dine.” Grimly laugh’d Harty, and answer’d; “ Fool! who think’st to arbitrate “ What rs in the hands of Fate— “ Take, and thrust nim from the Gate!” Wait a full Year was counted by the Moon, SaLAMAN and ABsAL rejoiced together, | And neither SHauH nor Sacz his face beheld. | They question’d those about him, and from them _ Heard something: then himself to presence | summon’d, | And all the truth was told. Then Sacr and SHan ry Struck out with hand and foot in his redress. DOO f ———— 220 (COMA IG S, (C©)