The Laughable Stories Collected by Mar Gregory John

INTRODUCTION. XVII
"wouldst make me to flee from death, O my brother, ^is cheerful
. speech to his
"but behold the flight hath not benefited me. Be strong, brother,
"however, and of good cheer, and weep not, neither
"mourn immoderately as if some new thing had taken
"place in the world. With these and such like words
"did he speak the whole day, and he was cheerful and
"laughed, being not at all afraid of death like other
"men. And he called straightway for Sa'id the phy-
"sician and deacon and said to him, 'Write what I
"shall tell thee,' and he made a beginning to his dis-
"course [with these words]:— 'The days of the child
"of man are like unto the grass, and like the flower
"of the field doth he grow up.' Then having completed
"the confession, as was right, he brought forth with
"his hand two statutes, one for the patriarchal throne,
"and the other for the throne of the Maphrian and forHis exhor-
1 1* r 1 ' 11 111' 1-1 1* tationstothe
"the ordermg of his cell, and delivered them to his brethren,
"brother. And he began to give commands to his dis-
"ciples, saying, 'Abide in love, and depart not from
"one another, and whensoever ye are gathered to-
"gether in love I also am in your midst.' But they,
"poor, wretched beings, rent their garments and cast
"dust upon their heads, and were weeping until about
"three hours of the night had passed, when he who
"meanwhile had ceased not to talk and to laugh with
"a smiling face, went out like a lamp, or I should rather
"say like a brilliant and splendid torch, and he departed He dies,
"to his Lord on the night of the thirty-third day of
"Tammuz (July) in the year 1597," 2*
e,, A. D. 1286.' universal
When the Catholicus Mar Yahbh Allaha, who was tionJof gnef
^' "^^ '''^*at
that time in the city of Maraghah, heard of the death
^ For the text see B. O., ii. p. 264 f; and Chrofi. Ecdes.^ ii.
col. 471 if.