Penny Dreadfuls, 1900 · page 110 of 142
Rubaiyat of Omar Khayyam, and the Salaman and Absal of Jami — page 110: what you’re looking at
What you’re looking at
This is a page of running prose—specifically poetry—from what appears to be a literary narrative titled "Salámán and Absál." The text describes Salámán's six-day camel journey culminating at a seashore, where he encounters a vast sea described through elaborate metaphorical language comparing it to rolling mountains and troops of camels. A footnote references Islamic philosophical cosmology from Attar's *Pendnamah*, explaining the metaphysical layers supporting the earth. The page number is 84, and the decorative border indicates this is from a bound collection rather than a penny dreadful serialization.
📄 Transcribed text from this page (OCR, searchable)
Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.
| R4, SALAMAN AND ABSAL. : “ Were my Treasure not inside : * And an Ant’s eye, of but there “ My Lover, Heaven's horizon were.” Srx days SatAm4n on the Camel rode, And then the hissing arrows of reproof Were fallen far behind ; and on the Seventh He halted on the Seashore; on the shore Of a great Sea that reaching like a floor Of rolling Firmament below the Sky’s From KAr to KAr, to Gav and Maui! down Descended, and its Stars were living eyes. The Face of it was as it were a range Of moving Mountains; or a countless host Of Camels trooping tumultuously up, Host over host, and foaming at the lip. Within, innumerable glittering things Sharp as cut Jewels, to the sharpest eye 1 Bull and Fish—the lowest Substantial Base of Earth. ‘“ He first made the Mountains; then cleared the Face of the Earth from Sea; then fixed it fast on Gau; Gau on Mahi; and Mahi on Air; and Air on what ? on Noruine ; Nothing on Nothing, all is Nothing—Enough.” Attar; quoted in De Sacy’s : Pendnamah, xxxv. (e209 Gomi @) \OOOKS. COM