So my wife and I went on without him. As we reached the next bend in the road, the evening bells of the Holy City began to ring. An undulating sea of sacred music rose up to capture us—as if it wanted to take us towards heaven. When we looked behind us, we saw Mustafa Bustani on his knees—as church bells pealed, this Muslim was praying. Can I say more? No.For those readers who can not tolerate gaps in stories, I’ll tell you that I eventually received the Pasha-saddle. Mustafa Bustani made it all possible, and I believe he did so with a great deal of personal sacrifice. Even though this showpiece may seem to be an impractical item in my home, I nevertheless love and treasure it. It reminds me of those two days in the Holy Land when Thar, Schamah, the “blood feud,” and “the forgiveness,” all combined to send me a sign from above. I shall never forget that.[Translator’s Addendum]To an unknown recipient of Karl May’s signed copy of his 1906 drama,Babel and the Bible, the playwright penned this poem of dedication on the play’s title page. Unfortunately, the recipient of May’s personalized, autographed copy is unknown. Possibly, this was Karl May’s final poetic work.“Widmungsgedicht” [Poem of Dedication]By Karl May. 22 February 1912On that day when the Great Spirit awakened,Where once He lay across world-dreaming watersAnd thought upon the Word of the Most High;Therein His Lord spoke this promise to Him:“Now, I endow You with this thought: ‘Earth,Go forth and humanely guide men’s livesSo that they may become righteous in the LoveWhich you receive from your Father’s house!’”In the East, the Light of Lights streaked forth—This Life-tide eternally, endlessly springing.In amazement, the Spirit saw face-to-faceGod’s holy-harmonic image emerge.”FromHimmelsgedanken, Gedichte von Karl May[Karl May’s Thoughts of Heaven Poems]“Das Theater soll nicht ein Rendez-vous fuer bevorzugte Klassen,sondern eine Volksschule im wahrsten und besten Sinne dieses Wortes sein.”The theater should not be an elite meeting place for privileged classes ofpeople; in the truest and best sense of the word, it should be the “Peoples’ School.”
So my wife and I went on without him. As we reached the next bend in the road, the evening bells of the Holy City began to ring. An undulating sea of sacred music rose up to capture us—as if it wanted to take us towards heaven. When we looked behind us, we saw Mustafa Bustani on his knees—as church bells pealed, this Muslim was praying. Can I say more? No.
For those readers who can not tolerate gaps in stories, I’ll tell you that I eventually received the Pasha-saddle. Mustafa Bustani made it all possible, and I believe he did so with a great deal of personal sacrifice. Even though this showpiece may seem to be an impractical item in my home, I nevertheless love and treasure it. It reminds me of those two days in the Holy Land when Thar, Schamah, the “blood feud,” and “the forgiveness,” all combined to send me a sign from above. I shall never forget that.
[Translator’s Addendum]
To an unknown recipient of Karl May’s signed copy of his 1906 drama,Babel and the Bible, the playwright penned this poem of dedication on the play’s title page. Unfortunately, the recipient of May’s personalized, autographed copy is unknown. Possibly, this was Karl May’s final poetic work.
“Widmungsgedicht” [Poem of Dedication]
By Karl May. 22 February 1912
On that day when the Great Spirit awakened,
Where once He lay across world-dreaming waters
And thought upon the Word of the Most High;
Therein His Lord spoke this promise to Him:
“Now, I endow You with this thought: ‘Earth,
Go forth and humanely guide men’s lives
So that they may become righteous in the Love
Which you receive from your Father’s house!’”
In the East, the Light of Lights streaked forth—
This Life-tide eternally, endlessly springing.
In amazement, the Spirit saw face-to-face
God’s holy-harmonic image emerge.”
FromHimmelsgedanken, Gedichte von Karl May
[Karl May’s Thoughts of Heaven Poems]
“Das Theater soll nicht ein Rendez-vous fuer bevorzugte Klassen,
sondern eine Volksschule im wahrsten und besten Sinne dieses Wortes sein.”
The theater should not be an elite meeting place for privileged classes of
people; in the truest and best sense of the word, it should be the “Peoples’ School.”