If Great Foutsa ever, ever
Thou but seek with mind sincere,
Thou the mists of sin shalt sever,
All shall lie before thee clear.
Whosoe'er his parents losing
From his early infancy,
Cannot guess with all his musing,
Where their place of birth might be;
He who sister dear nor brother,
Since the sun upon him shone,
And of kindred all the other
Shoots and branches ne'er has known--
If of Foutsa Grand the figure
He shall shape and colour o'er,
Gaze upon it rapt and eager,
And with fitting rites adore,
And through twenty days shall utter
The dread name with reverend fear,
Foutsa huge of form shall flutter
Round about him and appear,
And to him the spot discover,
Birth-place of his flesh and bone {14};
And though evils whelm them over,
For his sake release them soon;
If that man unchang'd still keeping
From back-sliding shall refrain,
He, by Foutsa touch'd when sleeping,
Shall Biwangarit's title gain;
If to Bouddi's elevation,
He would win, and from the three
Confines dark of tribulation
Soar to light and liberty--
When a heart with kindness glowing
He within him shall descry,
To Grand Foutsa's image going,
Let him gaze attentively:
Soon his every wish acquiring
He shall triumph glad and fain,
And the shades of sin retiring
Never more his soul restrain.
Whosoever bent on speeding
To that distant shore, the home
Of the wise, shall take to reading
The all-wondrous Soudra tome;
If that study deep beginning,
No fit preparation made,
Scanty shall he find his winning,
Straight forgetting what he's read:
Whilst he in the dark subjection
Shall of shadowing sin remain,
Soudra's page of full perfection
How shall he in mind retain?
Unto him the earth who blesses,
Unto Foutsa, therefore he
Drink and incense, food and dresses
Should up-offer plenteously;
And the fountain's limpid liquor
Pour Grand Foutsa's face before,
Drain himself a cooling beaker
When a day and night are o'er;
Tune his heart to high devotion:
The five evil things eschew,
Lust and flesh and vinous potion,
And the words which are not true;
Living thing abstain from killing
For full twenty days and one,
And meanwhile with accents thrilling
Mighty Foutsa call upon--
Then of infinite dimension
Foutsa's form in dreams he'll see,
And if he with fixt attention,
When his sleep dissolv'd shall be,
Shall but list to Soudra's volume,
He, through thousand ages flight,
Shall of Soudra's doctrine solemn;
Ne'er forget one portion slight
Yes, a s