III legends of David and Solomon, etc.

   IV moral and entertaining tales:  Rabbi Jochonan and the Poor
       Woman—­A Safe Investment—­The Jewels—­The Capon-carver

    V moral tales, Tables, and parables:  The Dutiful Son—­An Ingenious
       Will—­Origin of Beast-Fables—­The Fox and the Bear—­The Fox in
       the Garden—­The Desolate Island—­The Man and his Three
       Friends—­The Garments—­Solomon’s Choice—­Bride and
       Bridegroom—­Abraham and the Idols—­The Vanity of Ambition—­The
       Seven Stages of Human Life

   VI wise sayings of the Rabbis

  ADDITIONAL NOTES:
       Adam and the Oil of Mercy
       Muslim Legend of Adam’s Punishment, Pardon, Death, and Burial
       Moses and the Poor Woodcutter
       Precocious Sagacity of Solomon
       Solomon and the Serpent’s Prey
       The Capon-carver
       The Fox and the Bear
       The Desolate Island
       Other Rabbinical Legends and Tales

AN ARABIAN TALE OF LOVE.

  ADDITIONAL NOTES:
       ‘Wamik and Asra’
       Another Famous Arabian Lover

APOCRYPHAL LIFE OF ESOP.

  ADDITIONAL NOTE:
       Drinking the Sea Dry

IGNORANCE OF THE CLERGY IN THE MIDDLE AGES.

THE BEARDS OF OUR FATHERS.

INDEX.

FLOWERS FROM A PERSIAN GARDEN.

I

Sketch of the life of the Persian poet Saadi—­character of his writings—­the “Gulistan”—­Prefaces to books—­preface to the “Gulistan”—­Eastern poets in praise of springtide.

It is remarkable how very little the average general reader knows regarding the great Persian poet Saadi and his writings.  His name is perhaps more or less familiar to casual readers from its being appended to one or two of his aphorisms which are sometimes reproduced in odd corners of popular periodicals; but who he was, when he lived, and what he wrote, are questions which would probably puzzle not a few, even of those who consider themselves as “well read,” to answer without first recurring to some encyclopaedia.  Yet Saadi was assuredly one of the most gifted men of genius the world has ever known:  a man of large and comprehensive intellect; an original and profound thinker; an acute observer of men and manners; and his works remain the imperishable monument of his genius, learning, and industry.