Chapter 18 Times and Nations

In the foothills of Lebanon, the stream flows like silver threads in the caves.A shepherdess sat by the stream, surrounded by a flock of scrawny sheep, gnawing dry grass among the thorns.The girl looked at the sunset glow in the sky, as if she was reading the future destiny written in the volume of the sky.Tears hung from her eyelashes like dew on daffodil petals.Grief made her part her lips, and she sighed, worried. Evening came and night fell over the mountains.At this time, an old man suddenly appeared in front of the girl.The old man's silver beard hangs down on his chest, his white hair hangs on his shoulders, and he holds a long scythe with teeth in his right hand.He spoke with a voice like a tsunami:

"Hello Syria!" The girl stood up in a panic, frightened and sad at the same time, she couldn't help asking in a trembling voice: "Old man Shishi, what are you looking for me now?" Then she pointed to her flock and said: "This flock of sheep used to be all over the mountain, and now there are only a few poor ones left. They are just the remnants of your greedy ambition. Do you want to plunder some more from them? "This was originally a green field, but it was trampled down by your iron hooves and turned into a dry wasteland. My sheep used to eat fragrant flowers and grass, and their milk was white and sweet; now they have empty bellies, for To avoid starvation, to gnaw roots and brambles.

"O world! Beware of God's punishment, and stay away from me! Thinking of your injustice, I can't help loathing this life; your scythe is so cruel that I feel that life is better than death. "Please don't disturb my peace anymore! Let me drink tears of grief and breathe sorrowful breath here alone! Time and age, go to the West! There, people are putting up lanterns and festoons to celebrate festivals. You let me here cry at your memorial service!" The old man hid the scythe in his clothes, looked at the girl with a fatherly look, and said, "Syria! What I took from you was only a part of my gift. And I never took by force, but only temporarily borrowed Go; I keep my faith, and I will return it to you. You must know that some blessings of your sisters—other nations have used the glory that belongs to you, and their rights have also put on the cloak that belongs to you. I and justice are two in one, so what I gave to you should also be given to your sister. Otherwise, I cannot make you love me as much, because love can only be equal. Syria! You and your neighbor Egypt, Persia, Greece alike: they all have flocks like your flocks, pastures like your pastures. Syria! What you call a decline, I call it a necessary slumber, ensues It will be full of vigor and vitality. Because flowers can only be reborn when they die, and love can only become more blazing after parting."

The old man approached the girl and said, "Daughter of the Prophet! Let's shake hands!" So she took the old man's hand, looked at him with tears in her eyes and said, "Farewell, old man, farewell!" The old man Answered her: "Goodbye, Syria! Goodbye!" After all, the old man disappeared like lightning.The girl called to her flock and said with feed: "Will we meet again? Can we meet again?"