Page:Ossendowski - The Fire of Desert Folk.djvu/193

Rh leaving imperishable results for the joy of the Faithful and the discomfiture of the unbeliever.

"In the north there appeared one of these Chosen of God, and the echoes of his deeds reverberate throughout the world like peals of thunder. In the East there appeared another, who came to judge good and evil deeds in the name of Allah and was the forerunner of the Saviour of the Faithful. Look round with the eyes of your soul, listen with the ears of your heart and watch that ye miss not the hour of the Messenger's coming!"

Hafid thus explained the words of the bard and said that this was the usual parable, following which would come the real tale, generally an historical legend concerning some ancient master, hero or famed wall. In spite of Hafid's prediction, I felt that this parable was probably meant to bear upon the developments in North Africa, in the Rif, in Egypt and farther eastward on the continent of Asia. The words of the old Arab with the grave, inspired countenance and the clever, compelling eyes appealed to me as covert, symbolical propaganda for Abd el-Krim in arousing Islam to action.

As we continued on up the hill, Fez disclosed itself from a different angle, all pink, warm and mild under the less insistent and more genial rays of the sun, just about to lave itself after the scorching day in the cooling bath of night. My thoughts traveled down to the mosques and the medersas where lay hidden the soul of Islam.

But it must not be inferred that Islam is motionless or sleeping. It believes in Fate and is, therefore, at once silent, patient, calm and severe; but, when the hour shall strike, when the Faithful are told by inspired interpreters