Pusan

“ Puspa, name of a forest tree, very common at Jasinga; does not grow under an elevation of 600 or 800 feet above the sea. Schima Noronhae. The name is Sanscrit and is found in Clough, page 412/13, Pushpa or Puspa, a flower. The pure white flowers of the Sunda puspa are found scattered under the tree, at intervals, throughout the whole year. Puspa occurs frequently in the composition of proper names, where it has evidently the meaning of flower. ”

“ I limit the power of this mighty Bodhisattva, or Pusa, as Buddhas-to-be are called in India and China. For that pure essence is far above all limitations of sex and, uniting in itself the perfection of both, may be manifested as either, according to need and opportunity. Be that as it may, Puto is the holiest, most immediate home of Kwan-yin, and her influence spreads far beyond its shores and makes the very sea that surrounds it sacred. Therefore it is to this day the Sea of Lilies. ”

“ Pushan is the name of a sun-god to whom some hymns are exclusively addressed, and whose praise at other times is sung in connection with that of Indra and other gods. In these hymns his character is not very clearly defined. He is said* to behold the entire universe; is addressed as the guide of travellers, and the protector of cattle. He is called upon to protect his servants in battle, and to defend them as of old. ”

“ In the capital city of the kingdom lived a young man known by the name of Juan Pusong. He had as friends an ape, named Amo-Mongo, and a wildcat, whose name was Singalong. The three friends were passing one day in front of the palace, and, seeing the three young ladies, were greatly charmed by their beauty.
Pusong, who posed as a young aristocrat of considerable learning, determined to go before the king and declare his love for the Princess Isabel. The king received him favorably, and offered him a seat ”

“ The robber could be no one but Putois. That was the opinion of the corporal, who knew all about Putois, and had tried hard to put his hand on that bird. The ‘Journal of Saint-Omer’ devoted an article to the three melons of Madame Cornouiller, and published a portrait of Putois from descriptions furnished by the town. ‘He has,’ said the paper, ‘a low forehead, squinting eyes, a shifty glance, crow’s-feet, sharp cheek-bones, red and shining. No rims to the ears. Thin, somewhat bent, feeble in appearance, in reality he is unusually strong. ”

“ Everywhere and always, beings who have no more reality than Putois have inspired nations with hatred and love, terror and hope, have advised crimes, received offerings, made laws and customs. Monsieur Goubin, think of the eternal mythology. Putois is a mythical personage, the most obscure, I grant you, and of the lowest order. The coarse satyr, who in olden times sat at the table with our peasants in the North, was considered worthy of appearing in a picture by Jordaens and a fable by La Fontaine. ”

“ PUSS IN BOOTS Part Two
From the humblest beginnings one may rise to the highest position by enterprise and good fortune.
Things were going very well with Puss and his master. The king was delighted, the princess was blushing, and the young master was looking very handsome, while Puss ran on ahead of the carriage. Puss came to a field where laborers were mowing grass.
“Some men are coming and you must tell them this field belongs to the Marquis of Carabas, or you will be ground into mince meat,” said Puss and ran on down the road. ”

“ Do not wander in the night through a strange city, for Thou wilt fall into the hands of the police or of thieves, but make use of that which the gods give thee at home. Dost Thou wish?"
"But will thy daughter go with me to Harran?" inquired Phut.
The innkeeper looked at him with astonishment. All at once he struck his forehead, as if he had divined a secret, and seizing the traveler by the hand, he drew him to a quieter place at the window.
"I know all," whispered he, excitedly. "Thou art dealing in women. ”

“ I think, Messieurs, that I have said enough to show you the real nature of Putois.”
“I understand it,” said Monsieur Goubin. And Monsieur Bergeret continued his discourse.
“Putois was. I can affirm it. He was. Consider it, gentlemen, and you will admit that a state of being by no means implies substance, and means only the bonds attributed to the subject, expresses only a relation.”
“Undoubtedly,” said Jean Marteau; “but a being without attributes is a being less than nothing. I do not remember who at one time said, ‘I am that I am.’ Pardon my lapse of memory. ”

“ Noah, "I might have known it."
The kitchen fire was burning merrily, bright flames shot up the chimney and sparks from the wood flew out like stars upon the polished floor. Puss pulled off his dripping hat and laid it down on the chair. The feather was much bedraggled and had lost its wave. Tom Thumb undid his coat and hung it up, and then took off his shoes and placed them close to the hearth.
"I think my boots are half full of water," said Puss, Junior; "they are as heavy as lead, and when I walk they make a funny noise." ”

“ The road I had to follow passed before the little village of Berd, held by Pugatchéf. This road was deep in snow, and nearly hidden; but across the steppe were to be seen tracks of horses each day renewed.
I was trotting. Savéliitch could hardly keep up with me, and cried to me every minute—
"Not so fast, sir, in heaven's name not so fast! My confounded 'garron' cannot catch up your long-legged devil. Why are you in such a hurry? Are we bound to a feast? Rather have we our necks under the axe. Petr' Andréjïtch! Oh! my father, Petr' Andréjïtch! ”

“ Surely you disgraced yourself and your family, and sought shelter in my palace. Be off." But Pushpa replied, "O king, the father of the fatherless and the helper of the helpless, listen to me before I leave your presence. In the house of the gardener before you, there are a goat and heaps of bones of a thousand and one goats. Let me have them, I beseech you." The king asked the gardener if what the girl said was true; but the gardener denied every word. ”

“ At this point the Queen came graciously forward and offered them all a tart apiece.
"How do you like it?" she asked Puss, smiling in a kind way. "You deserve much more than a tart for having caught that naughty Knave. What can I do to reward you?"
[41] Puss carefully wiped his whiskers with his pocket-handkerchief before replying. "Your Majesty," he answered, "I am in search of my illustrious father, Puss in Boots. Could you but direct me to him I shall consider you have more than repaid me for my trouble."
"Come into the castle," said the Queen, "and I will have my seneschal inquire. ”

“ The group of some four-and-twenty men and women, clad in their picturesque Oriental costume, formed themselves into a circle in the ballroom, and began their songs of wood and valley, while one of them, a girl, represented in her dance the subject of their song.
"By Jove! come and look at our black pearl," said Pushkin, by the aid of his friend drawing Galban into the circle. "Bravo, Diabolka! Show yourself worthy of your name. Look how supple she is! she is a very devil! Every one of her gestures is enticement. ”

“ The hussar's kibitka was at the door. He took leave of the Postmaster, after recompensing him handsomely for his board and lodging, wished Dunia good-bye, and proposed to drop her at the church, which was situated at the other end of the village. Dunia hesitated.
"What are you afraid of?" asked her father. "His nobility is not a wolf. He won't eat you. Drive with him as far as the church."
Dunia got into the carriage by the side of the hussar. The servant jumped on the coach box, the coachman gave a whistle, and the horses went off at a gallop. ”

“ So the balloon man paid back the money and turned away. "Why don't you take the basket car with you?" asked Puss, Junior.
"It's too big to carry," replied the balloon man. "I'll come around for it to-morrow with a horse and wagon."
Pretty soon all the passengers had gone, leaving Puss alone under the willow tree. All of a sudden the baby began to cry, so Puss sang softly:
"Hush-a-by, baby, upon the tree top,
When the wind blows the cradle will rock."
And then the baby stopped crying, so Puss turned away and entered the old mill that stood in the shade of the old willow tree. ”

“ And the teacher kept them in after school!"
"Oh me! oh my!" cried Puss, Junior. "Please don't slit her tongue!" [105]
"But why did you tell tales on your brothers?" asked her father.
"Oh, please don't slit her tongue!" cried Puss, Junior, again.
"That's what they did in Mother Goose."
"It must have been very long ago in the dark ages," answered Puss, laying hold of his sword.
"Well, it's only a rhyme!" laughed her father, picking up his little girl and hugging her. "Come on, Sir Cat, follow me. You are quite a Knight of the Round Table. If a fair lady be in distress you are her champion!" ”

“ Our father was ironical and sarcastic; he spoke of Putois as if he were an actual being. He was sometimes so persistent, and described each detail with such precision, that our mother was quite astonished. 'Anyone would say that you are serious, my love, she would say frankly, and yet you know perfectly . . . .' He replied gravely 'The whole of Saint-Omer believes in the existence of Putois. Could I be a good citizen and deny it? One must think well before suppressing an article of universal belief.'
"Only very clear-headed persons are troubled by such scruples. ”

“ It will not be true, for I shall show the Czar Sophie's will, and it will disarm him, but Pushkin must be made to believe that he is in disgrace, and dare not return to St. Petersburg without special permission. And we will expunge his name from 'the green book,' that he receive no more [Pg 321] invitations to meetings. Let him be hidden in your arms until better times dawn or—what I far rather believe in—until the day of our extinction. When all is over, then you may come back to the world. ”

“ Pushkin, unable to solve this riddle, looked inquiringly at Bethsaba, who, at this, made a movement to go. But Sophie held her back.
"Stay! I want you both. Pushkin, be a man—a brave, strong man! Are you a child, that you are trembling so? Grant me what I ask. I am going to make my will. Draw the writing-table up to my bed, light two candles, and place the crucifix between them; but first close the shutters and make it night! Oh, these terrible summer nights in St. Petersburg, with their endless gathering dusk—it seems as if night would never come and day would never cease! ”

“ If you don't you'll get drowned."
"He speaks the truth, I'm thinking," answered Tom Thumb, peeping out of Puss, Junior's, pocket. "It looks to me as if the rain were never going to stop."
"My good sir," said Puss, turning to the man, "it seems to me your advice is good. We'll stay in Arkville for a few days. But where shall we stop? Is there a hotel near?"
"Over yonder is the Hotel Ark," said the man. "I'm the proprietor, and my name is Noah. Go in and make yourselves at home. My sons and I will follow you shortly. We have a few more nails to drive before we quit for the day." ”

“ But does he love me?"
"We must now leave you," said Pushkin. "I only came to bring you news from Ghedimin Castle. We must be getting back. The flood is still rising; the whole of St. Petersburg is under water. There is no end of work for us to do; but we shall be coming backwards and forwards many times in the course of the day. I shall have many gifts to lay at your feet, dear Princess."
Gifts! Did not her godmother tell her that the Russian youth brings gifts to his lady-love? ”

“ Owing to some cause or other which I could only surmise, Puto suffered more from various privations than the other women. She was often a week with hardly anything to eat, and, in consequence, her poor child was nearly starved. On the occasion I now refer to, after I had left the igloo and wandered about to other dwellings, I came across Charley and Ebierbing, just arrived with a sledge-load of frozen krang, whale-meat, for the dogs. Puto at the moment also came to the spot, and immediately asked for some. ”

“ Facing another fine courtyard, still higher up on the mountainside, we find a richly adomed sanctuary dedicated to Kuan Yin Pusa, the "Goddess of Mercy." This "mos! human of all the Buddhist theogeny" sits enthroned, not on a lotus bud, as is usual, but on the back of that most dreadful of all creatures—the mythical Hou. According to tradition this Chinese "king of beasts" is able to walk or fly, and has power over all living creatures. "At their unearthly call even tigers obey, hastening like their weaker brethren to inevitable doom." ”

“ No sooner does the wind begin to blow than his soul is filled with music. His grace is only equalled by that of Heine, his ease by that of Goethe, and his melody by that of Tennyson. I have already said that Pushkin is not an eagle soaring in the heavens, but he is a nightingale perched singing on the tree. ”

“ Not in vain hast thou shone before me.
Not all in the world have I hated,
Not all in the world have I scorned.
20. Hitherto we have followed Pushkin only through his unconscious song; only through that song of which his soul was so full as to find an outlet, as it were, without any deliberate effort on his part. But not even unto the bard is it given to remain in this childlike health. ”