(Either in Occident or Orient, Where evening darkles, or where morning glows), See if in any spot you chance to reach Aught fairer you can find in face than me; If anywhere there’s beauty like to mine, And whether there’s perfection reaching mine. Make thou my beauty known to all the world, That he who listens may with passion burn. Let people of the time be made aware, All beauty has been consecrate to me; That mortals have not had it as their dower In shape so faultless as belongs to me; The fair must learn to estimate their charms Aright, and know how few they do possess, And that I only may true beauty claim; The rest are slaves, while I alone am queen.” The herald East-Wind, as he heard her word, Kissed low the ground before the monarch’s feet. “Thou art indeed the only beautiful, My Queen, the beautiful, the Queen of Light. Who will refuse to say that this is true, Excepting him whose sight is lost to him? Who to thy beauty’s question answers ‘No’? All estimate thy grace as bright and pure, And own the whole wide world is filled with light From thy great beauty, as from dawn of day. I’ll make my circuit through the farthest nook, From the bright Orient to the cloudy West.” He spoke, and started straightway on his course, Blew a loud blast, and travelled with the wind; Like to the flocks of birds he shaped his course, And saw the beautiful in every place; He quickly travelled o’er the land of Kum, And soon on Persia’s confines found himself. Soon to the realms of India did he cross, Next to Manchuria, and to China’s plain. And here on beauty’s track he found himself, And heard of one called Beauty’s King Supreme. Into his presence eagerly he went, And, blowing softly, saw him face to face; So o’er the whole wide world he passed, and saw Naught far or near in beauty like his friend. By day and night he traversed hill and dale. Now hear what at the last befell to him. XV THE EAST WIND FINDS THE NIGHTINGALE, AND THEY DISCUSS THE BEAUTY OF THE ROSE