Between Night and Morn by Kahlil Gibran

Author:Kahlil Gibran [Gibran, Kahlil]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Philosophical Library/Open Road
Published: 0101-01-01T00:00:00+00:00

In the midst of those valleys, engulfed with silence and embellished with the veil of darkness, Father Samaan walked toward the village with his back bent under his heavy burden. His black raiment and long beard were spattered with blood streaming from above him, but he struggled forward, his lips moving in fervent prayer for the life of the dying Satan.

The Mermaids

The Mermaids

IN THE depths of the sea, surrounding the nearby islands where the sun rises, there is a profoundness. And there, where the pearl exists in abundance, lay a corpse of a youth encircled by sea maidens of long golden hair; they stared upon him with their deep blue eyes, conversing among themselves with musical voices. And the conversation, heard by the depths and conveyed to the shore by the waves, was brought to me by the frolicsome breeze.

One of them said, “This is a human who entered into our world yesterday, while our sea was raging.”

And the second one said, “The sea was not raging. Man, who claims that he is a descendant of the Gods, was making iron war, and his blood is being shed until the colour of the water is now crimson; this human is a victim of war.”

The third one ventured, “I do not know what war is, but I do know that man, after having subdued the land, became aggressive and resolved to subdue the sea. He devised a strange object which carried him upon the seas, whereupon our severe Neptune became enraged over his greed. In order to please Neptune, man commenced offering gifts and sacrifices, and the still body before us is the most recent gift of man to our great and terrible Neptune.”

The fourth one asserted, “How great is Neptune, and how cruel is his heart! If I were the Sultan of the sea I would refuse to accept such payment.… Come now, and let us examine this ransom. Perhaps we may enlighten ourselves as to the human clan.”

The mermaids approached the youth, probed the pockets, and found a message close to his heart; one of them read it aloud to the others:

“My Beloved:

“Midnight has again come, and I have no consolation except my pouring tears, and naught to comfort me save my hope in your return to me from between the bloody paws of war. I cannot forget your words when you took departure: ‘Every man has a trust of tears which must be returned some day.’

“I know not what to say, My Beloved, but my soul will pour itself into parchment … my soul that suffers through separation, but is consoled by Love that renders pain a joy, and sorrow a happiness. When Love unified our hearts, and we looked to the day when our two hearts would be joined by the mighty breath of God, War shouted her horrible call and you followed her, prompted by your duty to the leaders.

“What is this duty that separates the lovers, and causes the women to become widows, and the

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