4umi Khalil Gibran / The Wanderer / At the Fair

At The Fair

There came to the Fair a girl from the country-side, most comely. There was a lily and a rose in her face. There was a sunset in her hair, and dawn smiled upon her lips.

No sooner did the lovely stranger appear in their sight than the young men sought her and surrounded her. One would dance with her, and another would cut a cake in her honor. And they all desired to kiss her cheek. For after all, was it not the Fair?

But the girl was shocked and started, and she thought ill of the young men. She rebuked them, and she even struck one or two of them in the face. Then she ran away from them.

And on her way home that evening she was saying in her heart, “I am disgusted. How unmannerly and ill bred are these men. It is beyond all patience.”

A year passed during which that very comely girl thought much of Fairs and men. Then she came again to the Fair with the lily and the rose in her face, the sunset in her hair and the smile of dawn upon her lips.

But now the young men, seeing her, turned from her. And all the day long she was unsought and alone.

And at eventide as she walked the road toward her home she cried in her heart, “I am disgusted. How unmannerly and ill bred are these youths. It is beyond all patience.”

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 Khalil Gibran Introductory biography Spirits Rebellious The Broken Wings A Tear and a Smile The Madman The Forerunner The Prophet The New Frontier Sand and Foam Jesus, The Son Of Man The Earth Gods The Wanderer The Wanderer Garments The Eagle and The Skylark The Love Song Tears and Laughter At the Fair The Two Princesses The Lightning Flash The Hermit and the Beasts The Prophet and the Child The Pearl Body and Soul The King Upon the Sand The Three Gifts Peace and War The Dancer The Two Guardian Angels The Statue The Exchange Love and Hate Dreams The Madman The Frogs Laws and Law-Giving Yesterday, Today and Tomorrow The Philosopher and the Cobbler Builders of Bridges The Field of Zaad The Golden Belt The Red Earth The Full Moon The Hermit Prophet The Old, Old Wine The Two Poems Lady Ruth The Mouse and the Cat The Curse The Shadow The Pomegranates God and Many Gods She Who Was Deaf The Quest The Sceptre The Path The Whale and the Butterfly Peace Contagious Seventy Finding God The River The Two Hunters The Other Wanderer Al-Nay The Garden of the Prophet Lazarus and His Beloved Satan My Countrymen I Believe In You Your Thought And Mine You Have Your Lebanon History and the Nation The Vision Visual art