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Ahmed Ben Abdalaziz, in his "Treatise on Jewels," says that if a snake or serpent fix his eyes on the lustre of emeralds, he immediately becomes blind. Thus Moore, in "Lalla Rookh":--
"Blinded like serpents when they gaze Upon the emerald's virgin blaze."
Pliny asserts that a marble lion with emerald eyes was placed on the tomb of a petty king called Hermias, in the island of Cyprus, near the fisheries. Such was the extraordinary brilliancy of the emeralds, and so far out at sea did they shine, that the frightened fish fled to a great distance. The fishermen, having ascertained the cause of the scarcity of their prey, removed the emeralds, and thus induced the fish to return.
A miraculous solution of the origin of emeralds is given in "Forbes' Oriental Memoirs." A person was watching a swarm of fire-flies in an Indian grove, one moonlight night. After hovering for a time in the moonbeams, one particular fire-fly, more brilliant than the rest, alighted on the grass and there remained. The spectator, struck by its fixity, and approaching to ascertain the cause, found, not an insect, but an emerald, which he appropriated, and afterwards wore in a ring.
The Shah of Persia has a little casket of gold studded with emeralds, which is said to have been blessed by Mahomet, and has the property of rendering the royal wearer invisible as long as he remains celibate. A diamond set in a scimitar and a dagger render him invincible. He has also a talismanic fivepointed star, supposed to have been worn by Rustem, called "Merzoum," and believed to make conspirators instantly confess their crimes. To test its efficacy, it was shown to the Shah's brother, who was accused of treason some time ago. He immediately confessed his fault, and implored mercy.
As a potent amulet, the Princess Badoura carried a red carnelian in a purse attached to her girdle. When the curiosity of the luckless Camaralzaman prompted him to open the purse, he found the precious stone, which was engraved with unknown figures and characters. "This carnelian," says the prince to himself, "must have something extraordinary in it, or my princess would not be at the trouble to carry it with her." And, indeed, it was Badoura's talisman, or a scheme of her nativity, drawn from the constellations of heaven, which the Queen of China had given her daughter as a charm that would keep her from any harm as long as she had it about her. The amulet, however, was snatched from the grasp of the prince by a bird of ill-omen. He, however, eventually recovers it, "and having first kissed the talisman, wrapped it in a piece of ribbon, and tied it carefully about his arm." |
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Precious Stones Vol 11
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