Penny Dreadfuls, 1900 · page 128 of 142
Rubaiyat of Omar Khayyam, and the Salaman and Absal of Jami — page 128: what you’re looking at
What you’re looking at
# Analysis of Page 102 This is a prose page of literary commentary titled "Meaning of The Story," appearing within a work called *Salaman and Absal*. The text presents an allegorical interpretation of the narrative, posing a series of rhetorical questions about symbolic elements: what various characters (The Shah, The Sage, Salaman, Absal, a heavenly figure named Zuhrah) and settings (a sea, a fiery pile) represent. The author suggests that the story operates on two levels—as a tale of universal principles enacted through particular characters—and invites readers to decode the spiritual or philosophical meaning underlying the narrative. Two footnotes reference other parts of the text.
📄 Transcribed text from this page (OCR, searchable)
Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.
102 SALAMAN AND ABSAL. 8 Meanina or THE StTory. Unver the leaf of many a Fable lies The Truth for those who look for it; of this If thou wouldst look behind and find the Fruit, (To which the Wiser hand hath found his way) Have thy desire—No Tale of Ms and Tues, Though I and Txovu be its Interpreters.! What signifies Tor Suan ? and what THE Saas? And what SaLAmAn not of Woman born ? Who was Assit who drew him to Desire ? And what the Kinepom that awaited him When he had drawn his Garment from her hand ? What means THat Sea ? And what that Firry PILs ? And what that Heavenly Zunran who at last Clear’d Apsht from the Mirror of his Soul ? Listen to me, and you shall understand The Word that Lover wrote along the sand.’ 1 The Story is of Generals, though enacted by Particulars. 2 See page 56. Bz (C(O) MIGDoOo CS no (CO) mn