ammedans. Most all are built of unburnt
bricks. A Mohammedan peasant does not know the joy and pleasure of
living. Though he has plenty of money, he is content to live in a small
cottage, spending little.

Christians, on the other hand, are the direct reverse and are learning
to enjoy having things nice.

CHAPTER IV.

THE LANGUAGE AND POETRY OF PERSIA.

The ancient languages of Persia are three (1) The Zend or East Iranian,
or Bactorian language. But this became obsolete during the third
century before Christ. This was called the Zoroastrian languages,
because the name Zend is that of their sacred book. (2) The ancient
Persian language, the chief remnants of which are found in the
cuneiform inscriptions of the time of Archemides, discovered in the
ruins of Persepolis on the rocks of Behiston. The inscriptions contain
the names of gods, men and of Daniel the prophet. (3) The third
language was Pehlawee spoken by the West Iranians, Medians and
Persians, during the period of the Sassanidae--3rd to 7th century, A.D.

At last a new form of commentaries to the sacred writings came into
existence, in which clearer and more distinct characters were used.
Almost all old words of the Zend were replaced. This new form is called
Pazend. In later times historians and the Arabs have called it Parsee.
It was in use from 700 to 1100 A.D. At 1100 the old Persian language
was revived. This is called Jamie or Nizamie.

A purer dialect came into use as the direct result of the writings of
the poet Hafiz 1100 A.D. and has continued down to the present day.
This is spoken especially in Shiraz, a city of great note in the
history of Persia, and the capital of the state of Faris, which gives
Persia its name.

Unfortunately after the Mohammedan conquest Persia fell under their
reign. Arabs tried to infuse Arabic into the Persian language. The
Koran was the only Holy Bible to them they believed that its teachings
should be accepted by all Parsees. All writers in the country now, as a
matter of course, became Mohammedans. With the fanaticism,
characteristic of a conquering religion, with the ruthlessness which
Islam has always shown, all the representatives of the old Persian
literature and science were grievously persecuted by Omar's general,
Sayid Ibn Abou Wakkas. All priests and writers were compelled to accept
the new order of things: "Allah the only God, and Mohammed His
prophet." So the pure language of the Parsees was infu