Quoth the
poet:
Created wast thou of the dust and didst a man become, Ready in
question and reply and fluent in debate.
Then to the dust return'dst anon and didst become of it, For
that, in very deed, of dust at first thou wast create.'
(Q.) 'What thing was it, whose first [state] was wood and its
last life?' (A.) 'Moses' rod, when he cast it on the ground and
it became, by permission of God, a writhing serpent.'[FN#342]
(Q.) 'What is the meaning of the verse in the Koran, "And I
have other need [or occasion] for it"?'[FN#343] (A.) 'He
[Moses] was wont to plant his staff in the ground, and it would
flower and fruit and shade him from the heat and the cold.
Moreover, it would carry him, when he was weary, and guard his
sheep from the wild beasts, whilst he slept.' (Q.) 'What woman
was born of a man alone and what man of a woman alone?' (A.) 'Eve
of Adam and Jesus of Mary.' (Q.) 'What fire eats and drinks, what
fire eats but drinks not, what fire drinks but eats not and what
other neither eats nor drinks?' (A.) 'Hellfire eats and drinks,
the fire of the world eats but drinks not, the fire of the sun
drinks but eats not, and that of the moon neither eats nor drinks.
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