He is my absolute favourite poet & writer...Khalil Gibran just had a way with words. This short parable is from the collection 'The Wanderer', and is titled 'Garments':
Upon a day Beauty and Ugliness met on the shore of a sea. And they said to one another, "Let us bathe in the sea." Then they disrobed and swam in the waters. And after a while Ugliness came back to shore and garmented himself with the garments of Beauty and walked away. And Beauty too came out of the sea, and found not her raiment, and she was too shy to be naked, therefore she dressed herself with the raiment of Ugliness. And Beauty walked her way.
And to this very day men and women mistake the one for the other. Yet some there are who have beheld the face of Beauty, and they know her notwithstanding her garments. And some there be who know the face of Ugliness, and the cloth conceals him not from their eyes.
PS: Did you notice that Gibran has portrayed Beauty as a 'her' and Ugliness as a 'him' :)
PPS: Here's an older post on Khalil Gibran, and another one here.
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5 comments:
Merci beaucoup. I have read this one but I can't recollect if it is from "treasury of Khalil Gibran's works"?
Isn't that so true? and so beautifully expressed too ....
thanx for sharing it :)
And i just finished ordering for my copy of the book...that was prompt, eh?? :)
I share your love of Khalil Gibran, Radha. I have his book "The Prophet" here but maybe I should order "The Wanderer" - according to one of the amazon reviewers, this was his last book and possibly his finest work.
That is a wonderful parable you chose to share, tks!
Hi Ashutosh,
This is from 'The Wanderer'. Maybe 'Treasury of KG's work' is a compilation of his best works and has included this parable as well.
Hey Moi,
You're welcome. I'm sure you'll enjoy the book. I would also recommend 'The Prophet'.
Hi Lotus,
'The Prophet' is his best poetry, whereas 'The Wanderer', 'The Forerunner'& 'The Madman' are more anecdotes and parables. They all make very nice reading; I read them over & over again.
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