Penny Dreadfuls, 1900 · page 98 of 142
Rubaiyat of Omar Khayyam, and the Salaman and Absal of Jami — page 98: what you’re looking at
What you’re looking at
# Page Description This is a running prose page from what appears to be a narrative poem. The page contains two distinct passages: the first is dialogue in which a lover explains that natural imagery (sun, moon, hyacinth, roses) symbolize his beloved lady, and a "Noodle" questions how these relate to love. The second passage describes how Salaman has reached full maturity and beauty, while Absal—described as the fairest among her companions—longs to "gather from the tree," suggesting an imminent encounter or romantic development. The text employs ornate Victorian poetic language and appears part of a longer romantic narrative titled "Salaman and Absal."
📄 Transcribed text from this page (OCR, searchable)
Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.
: 72 SALAMAN AND ABSAL. | | | Many a flower and shrub about him, | And the lights of Heav’n above. | Nightingaling thus, a Noodle Heard hum, and, completely puzzled, “What,” quoth he, ‘Sand you a Lover, ‘* Raving, not about your Mistress, ‘ But about the stars and roses— “ What have these to do with Love ?”’ Answer'd he; “ Oh thou that avmest ‘“ Wide of Love, and Lovers’ language. “ Wholly misinterpreting ; Sun and Moon are but my Lady’s “ Self, as any Lover knows ; Hyacinth I said, and meant her ‘* Hawr—her cheek was in the rose— | “And I myself the wretched weed “That in her cypress shadow grows.” AND now the cypress stature of Salaman Had reached his top, and now to blossom full The garden of his Beauty: and Absal, | Fairest of hers, as of his fellows he } The fairest, long’d to gather from the tree. YW s 5g <tr PHIR ¢ = (C(O) ail OOO