A row of wretched Jews are now pushed into the tank—a proceeding which always accompanies any official display of fireworks. I know not why, unless it is to let the poor Jews feel, even in times of rejoicing, the wretchedness of their position. Dancing boys dressed as girls twirl and tumble, buffoons dance and pose grotesquely, the noise of music and singing is at its loudest. “Kūrbāghah” (frogs), a kind of water firework, are thrown in the tanks in every direction, and, as the set-pieces are fading, the whole concludes with a tremendous bouquet of fire as in Europe.
The Japanese ambassador, or rather commissioner, was received with less ceremony, as he was proceeding incog. on his way to Europe, having a mission to introduce Japanese goods to the notice of Europeans generally. His attachés, too, spoke French and English, and were funny little fellows; but, as the Persians put it, “too ugly to have any value, even as slaves!”
We patronised art in Ispahan by having oil-paintings, executed by native artists, of incidents in Persian life; some of these were sufficiently curious. Among the subjects illustrated were “The Sticks,” a very tragic picture indeed, where the expressions of pain, terror, supplication, and ferocity were well shown.
Another amusing series were five pictures representing the history of Bahram and his queen. The monarch is shown as pinning, with a master-shot from his bow, the foot of an antelope to its side while it was scratching itself.
“What do you think of that?” says the exulting king.
“Oh, practice makes perfect,” coolly remarked the lady.
They naturally separate; for it is a dangerous thing for a wife to disparage her husband’s shooting. And here a curious parody of an ancient classical legend occurs. Bahram hears of a lady of great strength, who is in the habit of carrying a full-sized bull to the top of a tower!
He goes to see the prodigy, and sees a lovely woman perform the feat (scene depicted); his astonishment is manifested by his placing his finger to his mouth—the typical gesture for this sensation in Eastern art.
“Oh, that is nothing,” says the triumphant queen, “practice makes perfect.” She then explains that she had commenced her feat when the bull was a little calf. The king smiled, and took her back.