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Wednesday, March 18, 2015
THE HISTORY OF THE YOUNG KING OF THE BLACK ISLES Tales From the Arabian Nights
"You must know, my lord," said the wretched prisoner, "that my father, named Mahmoud, was monarch of this country. This is the kingdom of the Black Isles, which takes its name from the four small neighbouring mountains; for those mountains were formerly isles, and the capital where the king, my father, resided was situated on the spot now occupied by the lake you have seen. The sequel of my history will inform you of the reason for those changes.
"The king, my father, died when he was seventy years of age; I had no sooner succeeded him than I married, and the lady I chose to share the royal dignity with me was my cousin. I had so much reason to be satisfied with her affection, and, on my part, loved her with so much tenderness, that nothing could surpass the harmony of our union. This lasted five years, at the end of which time I perceived the queen ceased to delight in my attentions.
"One day, after dinner, while she was at the bath, I found myself inclined to repose, and lay down upon a sofa. Two of her ladies, who were then in my chamber, came and sat down, one at my head and the other at my feet, with fans in their hands to moderate the heat, and to prevent the flies from disturbing me. They thought I was asleep, and spoke in whispers; but as I only closed my eyes, I heard all their conversation.
"One of them said to the other, Is not the queen wrong, not to love so amiable a prince? Certainly, replied her companion; I do not understand the reason, neither can I conceive why she goes out every night, and leaves him alone! Is it possible that he does not perceive it? Alas! said the first, how should he? She mixes every evening in his liquor the juice of a certain herb, which makes him sleep so sound all night that she has time to go where she pleases, and as day begins to appear she comes and wakes him by the smell of something she puts under his nostrils.
"You may guess, my lord, how much I was surprised at this conversation, and with what sentiments it inspired me; yet whatever emotion it excited I had sufficient self-command to dissemble, and feigned to awake without having heard a word.
"The queen returned from the bath, we supped together, and she presented me with a cup full of such liquid as I was accustomed to drink; but instead of putting it to my mouth, I went to a window that was open, threw out the water so quickly that she did not perceive it, and returned.
"Soon after, believing that I was asleep, she arose with so little precaution, that she whispered loud enough for me to hear her distinctly, Sleep on, and may you never wake again! and so saying, she dressed herself, and went out of the chamber.
"As soon as the queen, my wife, was gone, I arose in haste, took my cimeter, and followed her so quickly that I soon heard the sound of her feet before me, and then walked softly after her. She passed through several gates, which opened upon her pronouncing some magical words, and the last she opened was that of the garden, which she entered. I stopped at this gate, that she might not perceive me as she passed along a parterre; then looking after her as far as the darkness of the night permitted, I saw her enter a little wood, whose walks were guarded by thick palisadoes. I went thither by another way, and concealing myself, I saw her walking there with a man.
"I did not fail to lend the most attentive ear to their discourse, and heard her address herself thus to her gallant: I do not deserve, she said, to be reproached by you for want of diligence. You well know the reason; but if all the proofs of affection I have already given you be not sufficient to convince you of my sincerity, I am ready to give you others more decisive: you need but command me, you know my power; I will, if you desire it, before sunrise convert this great city, and this superb palace, into frightful ruins, inhabited only by wolves, owls, and ravens. If you would have me transport all the stones of those walls so solidly built, beyond Mount Caucasus, the bounds of the habitable world, speak but the word, and all shall be changed.
"As the queen finished this speech she and her companion came to the end of the walk, turned to enter another, and passed before me. I had already drawn my cimeter, and the man being next me, I struck him on the neck, and brought him to the ground. I concluded I had killed him, and therefore retired speedily without making myself known to the queen, whom I chose to spare, because she was my kinswoman.
"The wound I had given her companion was mortal; but by her enchantments she preserved him in an existence in which he could not be said to be either dead or alive. As I crossed the garden to return to the palace, I heard the queen loudly lamenting, and judging by her cries how much she was grieved, I was pleased that I had spared her life.
"As soon as I had reached my apartment, I went to bed, and being satisfied with having punished the villain who had injured me, fell asleep.
"Next morning I arose, went to my closet, and dressed myself. I afterward held my council. At my return, the queen, clad in mourning, her hair dishevelled, and part of it torn off, presented herself before me, and said: I come to beg your majesty not to be surprised to see me in this condition. My heavy affliction is occasioned by intelligence of three distressing events which I have just received. Alas! what are they, madam? said I. The death of the queen, my dear mother, she replied, that of the king, my father, killed in battle, and of one of my brothers, who has fallen down a precipice.
"I was not displeased that she used these pretexts to conceal the true cause of her grief. Madam, said I, so far from blaming, I assure you I heartily commiserate your sorrow. I should feel surprise if you were insensible to such heavy calamities: weep on; your tears are so many proofs of your tenderness; but I hope that time and reflection will moderate your grief.
"She retired into her apartment, where, giving herself wholly up to sorrow, she spent a whole year in mourning and lamentation. At the end of that period, she begged permission to erect a burying-place for herself, within the bounds of the palace, where she would continue, she told me, to the end of her days: I consented, and she built a stately edifice, and called it the Palace of Tears. When it was finished, she caused the object of her care to be conveyed thither; she had hitherto prevented his dying, by potions which she had administered to him; and she continued to convey them to him herself every day after he came to the Palace of Tears.
"Yet, with all her enchantments, she could not cure the wretch; he was not only unable to walk or support himself, but had also lost the use of his speech, and exhibited no sign of life except in his looks.
"Every day the queen made him two long visits. I was well apprised of this, but pretended ignorance. One day my curiosity induced me to go to the Palace of Tears, to observe how my consort employed herself, and from a place where she could not see me, I heard her thus address the wounded ruffian: I am afflicted to the highest degree to behold you in this condition, she cried, I am as sensible as yourself of the tormenting pain you endure; but, dear soul, I am continually speaking to you, and you do not answer me: how long will you remain silent? Speak only one word: alas! the sweetest moments of my life are these I spend here in partaking of your grief.
"At these words, which were several times interrupted by her sighs, I lost all patience: and discovering myself, came up to her, and said, Madam, you have wept enough, it is time to give over this sorrow, which dishonours us both; you have too much forgotten what you owe to me and to yourself. Sire, said she, if you have any kindness or compassion for me left, I beseech you to put no restraint upon me; allow me to indulge my grief, which it is impossible for time to assuage.
"When I perceived that my remonstrance, instead of restoring her to a sense of duty, served only to increase her anguish, I ceased speaking and retired. She continued every day to visit her charge, and for two whole years abandoned herself to grief and despair.
"I went a second time to the Palace of Tears, while she was there. I concealed myself again, and heard her thus cry out: It is now three years since you spoke one word to me; you answer not the proofs I give you of my devotion by my sighs and lamentations. Is it from insensibility, or contempt? O tomb! tell me by what miracle thou becamest the depository of the rarest treasure the world ever contained.
"I must confess, my lord, I was enraged at these expressions; for, in truth, this adored mortal was by no means what you would imagine him to have been. He was a black Indian, one of the original natives of this country. I was so enraged at the language addressed to him, that I discovered myself, and apostrophising the tomb in my turn, I cried, O tomb! why dost thou not swallow up that monster so revolting to human nature, or rather why dost thou not swallow up this pair of monsters?
"I had scarcely uttered these words, when the queen, who sat by the black, rose up like a fury: Miscreant! said she, thou art the cause of my grief; do not think I am ignorant of this, I have dissembled too long. It was thy barbarous hand that brought the object of my fondness into this lamentable condition; and thou hast the cruelty to come and insult me. Yes, said I, in a rage, it was I who chastised that monster, according to his desert; I ought to have treated thee in the same manner; I now repent that I did not; thou hast too long abused my goodness. As I spoke these words, I drew out my cimeter, and lifted up my hand to punish her; but regarding me steadfastly, she said with a jeering smile, Moderate thine anger. At the same time she pronounced words I did not understand; and afterward added, By virtue of my enchantments, I command thee to become half marble and half man. Immediately, my lord, I became what you see, a dead man among the living, and a living man among the dead. After this cruel sorceress, unworthy of the name of queen, had metamorphosed me thus, and brought me into this hall, by another enchantment she destroyed my capital, which was very flourishing and populous; she annihilated the houses, the public places and markets, and reduced the site of the whole to the lake and desert plain you have seen; the fishes of four colours in the waters are the four kinds of inhabitants, of different religions, which the city contained. The white are the Mussulmans; the red, the Persians, who worship fire; the blue, the Christians; and the yellow, the Jews. The four little hills were the four islands that gave name to this kingdom. I learned all this from the enchantress, who, to add to my affliction, related to me these effects of her rage. But this is not all; her revenge not being satisfied with the destruction of my dominions, and the metamorphosis of my person, she comes every day, and gives me over my naked shoulders a hundred lashes with a whip until I am covered with blood. When she has finished this part of my punishment, she throws over me a coarse stuff of goats hair, and over that this robe of brocade, not to honour, but to mock me."
When he came to this part of his narrative, the young king could not restrain his tears; and the sultan was himself so affected by the relation, that he could not find utterance for any words of consolation. Shortly after, the young king, lifting up his eyes to heaven, exclaimed, "Mighty creator of all things, I submit myself to Thy judgments, and to the decrees of Thy providence: I endure my calamities with patience, since it is Thy will that things should be as they are; but I hope that Thy infinite goodness will ultimately reward me."
The sultan, greatly moved by the recital of this affecting story, and anxious to avenge the sufferings of the unfortunate prince, said to him: "Inform me whither this perfidious sorceress retires, and where may be found the vile wretch, who is entombed before his death." "My lord," replied the prince, "the Indian, as I have already told you, is lodged in the Palace of Tears, in a superb tomb constructed in the form of a dome: this palace joins the castle on the side in which the gate is placed. As to the queen, I cannot tell you precisely whither she retires, but every day at sunrise she goes to visit her charge, after having executed her bloody vengeance upon me; and you see I am not in a condition to defend myself. She carries to him the potion with which she has hitherto prevented his dying, and always complains of his never having spoken to her since he was wounded."
"Prince," said the sultan, "your condition can never be sufficiently deplored: no one can be more sensibly affected by your misfortune than I am. Never did anything so extraordinary befall any man! One thing only is wanting; the revenge to which you are entitled, and I will omit nothing in my power to effect it."
In his subsequent conversation with the young prince the sultan told him who he was, and for what purpose he had entered the castle; and afterward informed him of a mode of revenge which he had devised. They agreed upon the measures they were to take for accomplishing their design, but deferred the execution of it till the following day. In the meantime, the night being far spent, the sultan took some rest; but the young prince passed the night as usual, without sleep, never having slept since he was enchanted.
Next morning the sultan arose with the dawn, and prepared to execute his design, by proceeding to the Palace of Tears. He found it lighted up with an infinite number of flambeaux of white wax, and perfumed by a delicious scent issuing from several censers of fine gold of admirable workmanship. As soon as he perceived the bed where the Indian lay, he drew his cimeter and deprived him of his wretched life, dragged his corpse into the court of the castle, and threw it into a well. After this he went and lay down in the blacks bed, placed his cimeter under the covering, and waited to complete his design.
The queen arrived shortly after. She first went into the chamber of her husband, the king of the Black Islands, stripped him, and with unexampled barbarity gave him a hundred stripes. The unfortunate prince filled the palace with his lamentations, and conjured her in the most affecting tone to take pity on him; but the cruel wretch ceased not till she had given the usual number of blows. "You had no compassion," said she, "and you are to expect none from me."
After the enchantress had given her husband a hundred blows with the whip, she put on again his covering of goats hair, and his brocade gown over all; she went afterward to the Palace of Tears, and as she entered renewed her tears and lamentations; then approaching the bed, where she thought the Indian lay: "Alas!" said she, addressing herself to the sultan, conceiving him to be the black, "My sun, my life, will you always be silent? Are you resolved to let me die without affording me the comfort of hearing your voice?"
The sultan, as if he had awaked out of a deep sleep, and counterfeiting the pronunciation of the blacks, answered the queen with a grave tone: "There is no strength or power but in God alone, who is almighty." At these words the enchantress, who did not expect them, uttered a loud exclamation of joy. "My dear lord," cried she, "do I not deceive myself; is it certain that I hear you, and that you speak to me?" "Unhappy woman," said the sultan, "art thou worthy that I should answer thee?" "Alas!" replied the queen, "why do you reproach me thus?" "The cries," returned the sultan, "the groans and tears of thy husband, whom thou treatest every day with so much indignity and barbarity, prevent my sleeping night or day. Hadst thou disenchanted him, I should long since have been cured, and have recovered the use of my speech. This is the cause of my silence, of which you complain." "Well," said the enchantress, "to pacify you, I am ready to execute your commands; would you have me restore him?" "Yes," replied the sultan; "make haste to set him at liberty, that I be no longer disturbed by his lamentations." The enchantress went immediately out of the Palace of Tears; she took a cup of water, and pronounced some words over it, which caused it to boil, as if it had been on the fire. She afterward proceeded to the young king, and threw the water upon him, saying: "If the Creator of all things did form thee as thou art at present, or if He be angry with thee, do not change; but if thou art in that condition merely by virtue of my enchantments, resume thy natural shape, and become what thou wast before." She had scarcely spoken these words when the prince, finding himself restored to his former condition, rose up and returned thanks to God. The enchantress then said to him, "Get thee from this castle, and never return on pain of death." The young king, yielding to necessity, went away without replying a word, and retired to a remote place, where he patiently awaited the event of the design which the sultan had so happily begun. Meanwhile the enchantress returned to the Palace of Tears, and supposing that she still spoke to the black, said, "Dear love, I have done what you required; nothing now prevents your rising and giving me the satisfaction of which I have so long been deprived."
The sultan, still counterfeiting the pronunciation of the black, said: "What you have now done is by no means sufficient for my cure; you have only removed a part of the evil; you must cut it up by the root." "My lovely black," resumed the queen, "what do you mean by the root?" "Wretched woman," replied the sultan, "understand you not that I allude to the town and its inhabitants, and the four islands, destroyed by thy enchantments? The fish every night at midnight raise their heads out of the lake, and cry for vengeance against thee and me. This is the true cause of the delay of my cure. Go speedily, restore things to their former state, and at thy return I will give thee my hand, and thou shalt help me to arise."
The enchantress, inspired with hope from these words, cried out in a transport of joy, "My heart, my soul, you shall soon be restored to your health, for I will immediately do as you command me." Accordingly she went that instant, and when she came to the brink of the lake she took a little water in her hand, and sprinkling it, she pronounced some words over the fish and the lake, and the city was immediately restored. The fish became men, women, and children; Mohammedans, Christians, Persians, or Jews; freemen or slaves, as they were before: every one having recovered his natural form. The houses and shops were immediately filled with their inhabitants, who found all things as they were before the enchantment. The sultans numerous retinue, who found themselves encamped in the largest square, were astonished to see themselves in an instant in the middle of a large, handsome, well-peopled city.
To return to the enchantress: As soon as she had effected this wonderful change, she returned with all expedition to the Palace of Tears, that she might receive her reward. "My dear lord," cried she, as she entered, "I have done all that you required of me, then pray rise and give me your hand." "Come near," said the sultan, still counterfeiting the pronunciation of the black. She did so. "You are not near enough," he continued; "approach nearer." She obeyed. He then rose up, and seizing her by the arm so suddenly that she had not time to discover him, he with a blow of his cimeter cut her in two, so that one half fell one way and the other another. This done, he left the body on the spot, and going out of the Palace of Tears, went to seek the young king of the Black Isles, who waited for him with great impatience. When he found him, "Prince," said he, embracing him, "rejoice; you have now nothing to fear; your cruel enemy is dead."
The young prince returned thanks to the sultan in a manner that sufficiently evinced his gratitude, and in return wished him long life and happiness. "You may henceforward," said the sultan, "dwell peaceably in your capital, unless you will accompany me to mine, which is near: you shall there be welcome, and have as much honour shown you as if you were in your own kingdom." "Potent monarch, to whom I am so much indebted," replied the king, "you think, then, that you are near your capital." "Yes," said the sultan, "I know it is not above four or five hours journey." "It will take you a whole year to return," said the prince. "I do indeed believe that you came hither from your capital in the time you mention, because mine was enchanted; but since the enchantment is taken off, things are changed: however, this shall not prevent my following you, were it to the utmost corners of the earth. You are my deliverer, and that I may give you proofs of my acknowledgment of this during my whole life, I am willing to accompany you, and to leave my kingdom without regret."
The sultan was extremely surprised to understand that he was so far from his dominions, and could not imagine how it could be, but the young king of the Black Islands convinced him beyond a possibility of doubt. Then the sultan replied: "It is no matter; the trouble of returning to my own country is sufficiently recompensed by the satisfaction of having obliged you, and by acquiring you for a son; for since you will do me the honour to accompany me, as I have no child, I look upon you as such, and from this moment appoint you my heir and successor."
The young prince then employed himself in making preparations for his journey, which were finished in three weeks, to the great regret of his court and subjects, who agreed to receive at his hands one of his nearest kindred for their monarch.
At length the sultan and the young prince began their journey, with a hundred camels laden with inestimable riches from the treasury, followed by fifty handsome gentlemen on horseback, perfectly well mounted and dressed. They had a pleasant journey; and when the sultan, who had sent couriers to give advice of his delay, and of the adventure which had occasioned it, approached his capital, the principal officers came to receive him, and to assure him that his long absence had occasioned no alteration in his empire. The inhabitants also came out in great crowds, received him with acclamations, and made public rejoicings for several days.
The day after his arrival the sultan acquainted his courtiers with his adoption of the king of the Four Black Islands, who was willing to leave a great kingdom to accompany and live with him; and in reward for their loyalty, he made each of them presents according to their rank.
As for the fisherman, as he was the first cause of the deliverance of the young prince, the sultan gave him a plentiful fortune, which made him and his family happy the rest of his days.
The Arabian Nights - Their Best-known Tales
Author: Unknown
Editor: Kate Douglas Wiggin, Nora A. Smith
Illustrator: Maxfield Parrish
Read more »
"The king, my father, died when he was seventy years of age; I had no sooner succeeded him than I married, and the lady I chose to share the royal dignity with me was my cousin. I had so much reason to be satisfied with her affection, and, on my part, loved her with so much tenderness, that nothing could surpass the harmony of our union. This lasted five years, at the end of which time I perceived the queen ceased to delight in my attentions.
"One day, after dinner, while she was at the bath, I found myself inclined to repose, and lay down upon a sofa. Two of her ladies, who were then in my chamber, came and sat down, one at my head and the other at my feet, with fans in their hands to moderate the heat, and to prevent the flies from disturbing me. They thought I was asleep, and spoke in whispers; but as I only closed my eyes, I heard all their conversation.
"One of them said to the other, Is not the queen wrong, not to love so amiable a prince? Certainly, replied her companion; I do not understand the reason, neither can I conceive why she goes out every night, and leaves him alone! Is it possible that he does not perceive it? Alas! said the first, how should he? She mixes every evening in his liquor the juice of a certain herb, which makes him sleep so sound all night that she has time to go where she pleases, and as day begins to appear she comes and wakes him by the smell of something she puts under his nostrils.
"You may guess, my lord, how much I was surprised at this conversation, and with what sentiments it inspired me; yet whatever emotion it excited I had sufficient self-command to dissemble, and feigned to awake without having heard a word.
"The queen returned from the bath, we supped together, and she presented me with a cup full of such liquid as I was accustomed to drink; but instead of putting it to my mouth, I went to a window that was open, threw out the water so quickly that she did not perceive it, and returned.
"Soon after, believing that I was asleep, she arose with so little precaution, that she whispered loud enough for me to hear her distinctly, Sleep on, and may you never wake again! and so saying, she dressed herself, and went out of the chamber.
"As soon as the queen, my wife, was gone, I arose in haste, took my cimeter, and followed her so quickly that I soon heard the sound of her feet before me, and then walked softly after her. She passed through several gates, which opened upon her pronouncing some magical words, and the last she opened was that of the garden, which she entered. I stopped at this gate, that she might not perceive me as she passed along a parterre; then looking after her as far as the darkness of the night permitted, I saw her enter a little wood, whose walks were guarded by thick palisadoes. I went thither by another way, and concealing myself, I saw her walking there with a man.
"I did not fail to lend the most attentive ear to their discourse, and heard her address herself thus to her gallant: I do not deserve, she said, to be reproached by you for want of diligence. You well know the reason; but if all the proofs of affection I have already given you be not sufficient to convince you of my sincerity, I am ready to give you others more decisive: you need but command me, you know my power; I will, if you desire it, before sunrise convert this great city, and this superb palace, into frightful ruins, inhabited only by wolves, owls, and ravens. If you would have me transport all the stones of those walls so solidly built, beyond Mount Caucasus, the bounds of the habitable world, speak but the word, and all shall be changed.
"As the queen finished this speech she and her companion came to the end of the walk, turned to enter another, and passed before me. I had already drawn my cimeter, and the man being next me, I struck him on the neck, and brought him to the ground. I concluded I had killed him, and therefore retired speedily without making myself known to the queen, whom I chose to spare, because she was my kinswoman.
"The wound I had given her companion was mortal; but by her enchantments she preserved him in an existence in which he could not be said to be either dead or alive. As I crossed the garden to return to the palace, I heard the queen loudly lamenting, and judging by her cries how much she was grieved, I was pleased that I had spared her life.
"As soon as I had reached my apartment, I went to bed, and being satisfied with having punished the villain who had injured me, fell asleep.
"Next morning I arose, went to my closet, and dressed myself. I afterward held my council. At my return, the queen, clad in mourning, her hair dishevelled, and part of it torn off, presented herself before me, and said: I come to beg your majesty not to be surprised to see me in this condition. My heavy affliction is occasioned by intelligence of three distressing events which I have just received. Alas! what are they, madam? said I. The death of the queen, my dear mother, she replied, that of the king, my father, killed in battle, and of one of my brothers, who has fallen down a precipice.
"I was not displeased that she used these pretexts to conceal the true cause of her grief. Madam, said I, so far from blaming, I assure you I heartily commiserate your sorrow. I should feel surprise if you were insensible to such heavy calamities: weep on; your tears are so many proofs of your tenderness; but I hope that time and reflection will moderate your grief.
"She retired into her apartment, where, giving herself wholly up to sorrow, she spent a whole year in mourning and lamentation. At the end of that period, she begged permission to erect a burying-place for herself, within the bounds of the palace, where she would continue, she told me, to the end of her days: I consented, and she built a stately edifice, and called it the Palace of Tears. When it was finished, she caused the object of her care to be conveyed thither; she had hitherto prevented his dying, by potions which she had administered to him; and she continued to convey them to him herself every day after he came to the Palace of Tears.
"Yet, with all her enchantments, she could not cure the wretch; he was not only unable to walk or support himself, but had also lost the use of his speech, and exhibited no sign of life except in his looks.
"Every day the queen made him two long visits. I was well apprised of this, but pretended ignorance. One day my curiosity induced me to go to the Palace of Tears, to observe how my consort employed herself, and from a place where she could not see me, I heard her thus address the wounded ruffian: I am afflicted to the highest degree to behold you in this condition, she cried, I am as sensible as yourself of the tormenting pain you endure; but, dear soul, I am continually speaking to you, and you do not answer me: how long will you remain silent? Speak only one word: alas! the sweetest moments of my life are these I spend here in partaking of your grief.
"At these words, which were several times interrupted by her sighs, I lost all patience: and discovering myself, came up to her, and said, Madam, you have wept enough, it is time to give over this sorrow, which dishonours us both; you have too much forgotten what you owe to me and to yourself. Sire, said she, if you have any kindness or compassion for me left, I beseech you to put no restraint upon me; allow me to indulge my grief, which it is impossible for time to assuage.
"When I perceived that my remonstrance, instead of restoring her to a sense of duty, served only to increase her anguish, I ceased speaking and retired. She continued every day to visit her charge, and for two whole years abandoned herself to grief and despair.
"I went a second time to the Palace of Tears, while she was there. I concealed myself again, and heard her thus cry out: It is now three years since you spoke one word to me; you answer not the proofs I give you of my devotion by my sighs and lamentations. Is it from insensibility, or contempt? O tomb! tell me by what miracle thou becamest the depository of the rarest treasure the world ever contained.
"I must confess, my lord, I was enraged at these expressions; for, in truth, this adored mortal was by no means what you would imagine him to have been. He was a black Indian, one of the original natives of this country. I was so enraged at the language addressed to him, that I discovered myself, and apostrophising the tomb in my turn, I cried, O tomb! why dost thou not swallow up that monster so revolting to human nature, or rather why dost thou not swallow up this pair of monsters?
"I had scarcely uttered these words, when the queen, who sat by the black, rose up like a fury: Miscreant! said she, thou art the cause of my grief; do not think I am ignorant of this, I have dissembled too long. It was thy barbarous hand that brought the object of my fondness into this lamentable condition; and thou hast the cruelty to come and insult me. Yes, said I, in a rage, it was I who chastised that monster, according to his desert; I ought to have treated thee in the same manner; I now repent that I did not; thou hast too long abused my goodness. As I spoke these words, I drew out my cimeter, and lifted up my hand to punish her; but regarding me steadfastly, she said with a jeering smile, Moderate thine anger. At the same time she pronounced words I did not understand; and afterward added, By virtue of my enchantments, I command thee to become half marble and half man. Immediately, my lord, I became what you see, a dead man among the living, and a living man among the dead. After this cruel sorceress, unworthy of the name of queen, had metamorphosed me thus, and brought me into this hall, by another enchantment she destroyed my capital, which was very flourishing and populous; she annihilated the houses, the public places and markets, and reduced the site of the whole to the lake and desert plain you have seen; the fishes of four colours in the waters are the four kinds of inhabitants, of different religions, which the city contained. The white are the Mussulmans; the red, the Persians, who worship fire; the blue, the Christians; and the yellow, the Jews. The four little hills were the four islands that gave name to this kingdom. I learned all this from the enchantress, who, to add to my affliction, related to me these effects of her rage. But this is not all; her revenge not being satisfied with the destruction of my dominions, and the metamorphosis of my person, she comes every day, and gives me over my naked shoulders a hundred lashes with a whip until I am covered with blood. When she has finished this part of my punishment, she throws over me a coarse stuff of goats hair, and over that this robe of brocade, not to honour, but to mock me."
When he came to this part of his narrative, the young king could not restrain his tears; and the sultan was himself so affected by the relation, that he could not find utterance for any words of consolation. Shortly after, the young king, lifting up his eyes to heaven, exclaimed, "Mighty creator of all things, I submit myself to Thy judgments, and to the decrees of Thy providence: I endure my calamities with patience, since it is Thy will that things should be as they are; but I hope that Thy infinite goodness will ultimately reward me."
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| When he came to this part of his narrative the young king could not restrain his tears. |
"Prince," said the sultan, "your condition can never be sufficiently deplored: no one can be more sensibly affected by your misfortune than I am. Never did anything so extraordinary befall any man! One thing only is wanting; the revenge to which you are entitled, and I will omit nothing in my power to effect it."
In his subsequent conversation with the young prince the sultan told him who he was, and for what purpose he had entered the castle; and afterward informed him of a mode of revenge which he had devised. They agreed upon the measures they were to take for accomplishing their design, but deferred the execution of it till the following day. In the meantime, the night being far spent, the sultan took some rest; but the young prince passed the night as usual, without sleep, never having slept since he was enchanted.
Next morning the sultan arose with the dawn, and prepared to execute his design, by proceeding to the Palace of Tears. He found it lighted up with an infinite number of flambeaux of white wax, and perfumed by a delicious scent issuing from several censers of fine gold of admirable workmanship. As soon as he perceived the bed where the Indian lay, he drew his cimeter and deprived him of his wretched life, dragged his corpse into the court of the castle, and threw it into a well. After this he went and lay down in the blacks bed, placed his cimeter under the covering, and waited to complete his design.
The queen arrived shortly after. She first went into the chamber of her husband, the king of the Black Islands, stripped him, and with unexampled barbarity gave him a hundred stripes. The unfortunate prince filled the palace with his lamentations, and conjured her in the most affecting tone to take pity on him; but the cruel wretch ceased not till she had given the usual number of blows. "You had no compassion," said she, "and you are to expect none from me."
After the enchantress had given her husband a hundred blows with the whip, she put on again his covering of goats hair, and his brocade gown over all; she went afterward to the Palace of Tears, and as she entered renewed her tears and lamentations; then approaching the bed, where she thought the Indian lay: "Alas!" said she, addressing herself to the sultan, conceiving him to be the black, "My sun, my life, will you always be silent? Are you resolved to let me die without affording me the comfort of hearing your voice?"
The sultan, as if he had awaked out of a deep sleep, and counterfeiting the pronunciation of the blacks, answered the queen with a grave tone: "There is no strength or power but in God alone, who is almighty." At these words the enchantress, who did not expect them, uttered a loud exclamation of joy. "My dear lord," cried she, "do I not deceive myself; is it certain that I hear you, and that you speak to me?" "Unhappy woman," said the sultan, "art thou worthy that I should answer thee?" "Alas!" replied the queen, "why do you reproach me thus?" "The cries," returned the sultan, "the groans and tears of thy husband, whom thou treatest every day with so much indignity and barbarity, prevent my sleeping night or day. Hadst thou disenchanted him, I should long since have been cured, and have recovered the use of my speech. This is the cause of my silence, of which you complain." "Well," said the enchantress, "to pacify you, I am ready to execute your commands; would you have me restore him?" "Yes," replied the sultan; "make haste to set him at liberty, that I be no longer disturbed by his lamentations." The enchantress went immediately out of the Palace of Tears; she took a cup of water, and pronounced some words over it, which caused it to boil, as if it had been on the fire. She afterward proceeded to the young king, and threw the water upon him, saying: "If the Creator of all things did form thee as thou art at present, or if He be angry with thee, do not change; but if thou art in that condition merely by virtue of my enchantments, resume thy natural shape, and become what thou wast before." She had scarcely spoken these words when the prince, finding himself restored to his former condition, rose up and returned thanks to God. The enchantress then said to him, "Get thee from this castle, and never return on pain of death." The young king, yielding to necessity, went away without replying a word, and retired to a remote place, where he patiently awaited the event of the design which the sultan had so happily begun. Meanwhile the enchantress returned to the Palace of Tears, and supposing that she still spoke to the black, said, "Dear love, I have done what you required; nothing now prevents your rising and giving me the satisfaction of which I have so long been deprived."
The sultan, still counterfeiting the pronunciation of the black, said: "What you have now done is by no means sufficient for my cure; you have only removed a part of the evil; you must cut it up by the root." "My lovely black," resumed the queen, "what do you mean by the root?" "Wretched woman," replied the sultan, "understand you not that I allude to the town and its inhabitants, and the four islands, destroyed by thy enchantments? The fish every night at midnight raise their heads out of the lake, and cry for vengeance against thee and me. This is the true cause of the delay of my cure. Go speedily, restore things to their former state, and at thy return I will give thee my hand, and thou shalt help me to arise."
The enchantress, inspired with hope from these words, cried out in a transport of joy, "My heart, my soul, you shall soon be restored to your health, for I will immediately do as you command me." Accordingly she went that instant, and when she came to the brink of the lake she took a little water in her hand, and sprinkling it, she pronounced some words over the fish and the lake, and the city was immediately restored. The fish became men, women, and children; Mohammedans, Christians, Persians, or Jews; freemen or slaves, as they were before: every one having recovered his natural form. The houses and shops were immediately filled with their inhabitants, who found all things as they were before the enchantment. The sultans numerous retinue, who found themselves encamped in the largest square, were astonished to see themselves in an instant in the middle of a large, handsome, well-peopled city.
To return to the enchantress: As soon as she had effected this wonderful change, she returned with all expedition to the Palace of Tears, that she might receive her reward. "My dear lord," cried she, as she entered, "I have done all that you required of me, then pray rise and give me your hand." "Come near," said the sultan, still counterfeiting the pronunciation of the black. She did so. "You are not near enough," he continued; "approach nearer." She obeyed. He then rose up, and seizing her by the arm so suddenly that she had not time to discover him, he with a blow of his cimeter cut her in two, so that one half fell one way and the other another. This done, he left the body on the spot, and going out of the Palace of Tears, went to seek the young king of the Black Isles, who waited for him with great impatience. When he found him, "Prince," said he, embracing him, "rejoice; you have now nothing to fear; your cruel enemy is dead."
The young prince returned thanks to the sultan in a manner that sufficiently evinced his gratitude, and in return wished him long life and happiness. "You may henceforward," said the sultan, "dwell peaceably in your capital, unless you will accompany me to mine, which is near: you shall there be welcome, and have as much honour shown you as if you were in your own kingdom." "Potent monarch, to whom I am so much indebted," replied the king, "you think, then, that you are near your capital." "Yes," said the sultan, "I know it is not above four or five hours journey." "It will take you a whole year to return," said the prince. "I do indeed believe that you came hither from your capital in the time you mention, because mine was enchanted; but since the enchantment is taken off, things are changed: however, this shall not prevent my following you, were it to the utmost corners of the earth. You are my deliverer, and that I may give you proofs of my acknowledgment of this during my whole life, I am willing to accompany you, and to leave my kingdom without regret."
The sultan was extremely surprised to understand that he was so far from his dominions, and could not imagine how it could be, but the young king of the Black Islands convinced him beyond a possibility of doubt. Then the sultan replied: "It is no matter; the trouble of returning to my own country is sufficiently recompensed by the satisfaction of having obliged you, and by acquiring you for a son; for since you will do me the honour to accompany me, as I have no child, I look upon you as such, and from this moment appoint you my heir and successor."
The young prince then employed himself in making preparations for his journey, which were finished in three weeks, to the great regret of his court and subjects, who agreed to receive at his hands one of his nearest kindred for their monarch.
At length the sultan and the young prince began their journey, with a hundred camels laden with inestimable riches from the treasury, followed by fifty handsome gentlemen on horseback, perfectly well mounted and dressed. They had a pleasant journey; and when the sultan, who had sent couriers to give advice of his delay, and of the adventure which had occasioned it, approached his capital, the principal officers came to receive him, and to assure him that his long absence had occasioned no alteration in his empire. The inhabitants also came out in great crowds, received him with acclamations, and made public rejoicings for several days.
The day after his arrival the sultan acquainted his courtiers with his adoption of the king of the Four Black Islands, who was willing to leave a great kingdom to accompany and live with him; and in reward for their loyalty, he made each of them presents according to their rank.
As for the fisherman, as he was the first cause of the deliverance of the young prince, the sultan gave him a plentiful fortune, which made him and his family happy the rest of his days.
The Arabian Nights - Their Best-known Tales
Author: Unknown
Editor: Kate Douglas Wiggin, Nora A. Smith
Illustrator: Maxfield Parrish
Capitalism The Most Dreaded Economic System in History
Let me tell you a few things before I get to the main content of this post.I am not into defending my own ideals by making rubbish acclaims towards others,something that we always have to face from the other inhuman,mean group of exploiters,who forget the basic human traits while speaking to someone who does not have faith in their ideals (if they have any,after all.)"Communists are perverts." "Communists are stupid.Communists are this and Communists are that." "Socialists are criminals." "Liberals are serious threats to the culture." These are the ones with least magnitude.If I have to quote everything that I have seen in my fifteen year old life,I will unfortunately have to quote words with as much dirtiness to bring any human beings dignity down.I dont want that.But I dont want to sit like a conservative and tie a piece of cloth on my mouth so that I am not tempted to speak.We all will continue with the fight,but there are ways to intellectually defend an ideology that is so feeble that you will not need education to understand that it is baseless.But you will definitely require education to get rid of Capitalism.Economics is like a Maths riddle,something that was based on proper logic.So,it does have solution and there are no doubts on this.
For a moment or two,I would request you to forget the ideology term,the propaganda of this blog,my own ideology and words such as Left-wing,Communism or Socialism.It would be better to think here,in front of the screen of your device is an article on economics and you are a human being.Just an ordinary human being.There are perhaps deeper attributes we could plunge into - something like why the Protestants are in favour of Capitalism and a certain,major section of Catholics are not.What were the ways of segregation of the Irish nationalists,but that would just lead to difficulty in understanding the basic logic and might seem like I am for the Catholic Church but I am not writing on that topic here and I am not a Catholic,not even a Catholic Marxist.I am just plain supporter of Marxism.For now,we will look at the basic logic and look into this matter of Catholics and Protestants more prominently in an upcoming post in the blog.
Is This What You Want?
- The British economist John Maynard Keynes argued that capitalism suffered a basic problem in its ability to recover from periods of slowdowns in investment. Keynes argued that a capitalist economy could remain in an indefinite equilibrium despite high unemployment.
- Under Marxist ideology, capitalism refers to a stage of history in which there is a class system in which the proletariat is exploited by the bourgeoisie.
- Emma Goldman famously denounced wage slavery by saying: "The only difference is that you are hired slaves instead of block slaves."
- Private ownership imposes constraints on planning, leading to inaccessible economic decisions that result in immoral production, unemployment and a tremendous waste of material resources during crisis of overproduction.Private property in the means of production becomes obsolete when it concentrates into centralized, socialized institutions based on private appropriation of revenue (but based on cooperative work and internal planning in allocation of inputs) until the role of the capitalist becomes redundant.With no need for capital accumulation and a class of owners, private property in the means of production is perceived as being an outdated form of economic organization that should be replaced by a free association of individuals based on public or common ownership of these socialized assets. Private property relations as limit the potential of productive forces in the economy.
- For the influential German individualist anarchist philosopher Max Stirner "private property is a spook which "lives by the grace of law" and it "becomes mine only by effect of the law". In other words, private property exists purely "through the protection of the State, through the States grace." Recognising its need for state protection, Stirner is also aware that "it need not make any difference to the good citizens who protects them and their principles, whether an absolute King or a constitutional one, a republic, if only they are protected. And what is their principle, whose protector they always love? Not that of labour", rather it is "interest-bearing possession . . . labouring capital, therefore . . . labour certainly, yet little or none at all of ones own, but labour of capital and of the -- subject labourers".
- Noam Chomsky contends that there is little moral difference between chattel slavery and renting ones self to an owner or "wage slavery". He feels that it is an attack on personal integrity that undermines individual freedom. He holds that workers should own and control their workplace.
Nothing can be good absolutely because that is similar to defying laws of nature.Whatever has a major positive impact has to have little drawbacks.Whatever seems to be the most positive instance might be the biggest drawback.When almost every other ideology except Conservatism and Capitalism tends to defy Capitalism,it is naturally acceptable that there is a drawback right in there.If you do not want a theoretical explanation of why Capitalism cannot be accepted,then here is it - you cannot keep exploiting and increasing it everyday to those who sustain this entire system.Wage slavery indeed is not the way,it cannot be.If,other than using rubbish acclaims,anyone has a way of intellectually defending any of the factors so enlisted here,you are free to contradict.
Disclaimer - The data (divided in the six points enlisted above) and images been collected from Wikipedia.
The Red Within People of Latin America An Attempt To Venture The Leftist Sentiments
I perhaps went half mad when the FIFA World Cup 2014 was going on.I was so excited,mesmerised when the Latin Americans made their goals (Though I also cheered for other Third World Countries like Ghana,Nigeria and all the others from Africa or the Middle East.)But us Indians have a terrible sentiment within for the Latin America.So,when a football match and one like the World Cup had been going on,a lot of us cheered our hearts out for them.I was keen and enthusiastic throughout the session and I remember how I started muttering You have got to make it when Brazils matches were going on and I went on repeating that sentence - until,yes,they made it.But when the final match came up,that between Argentina and Germany,I was not one inch less concerned about the Latin American Pride and Glory and I wished they would win,I kept muttering,I sat upright and got all that hyperactive.I never wished any European country to make a record of winning the world cup football in Latin American soil.When Germany won,I felt shattered.When Goetze was running across the field in utter delight,I felt a certain sentiment and it was so deserting a feeling.I could see them cry and supporters of Germany were cheering.I was strong all this while and still made it but only upto this limit.I just turned across my pillow (it was past midnight in India then) and tried to close my eyes.But I could feel the warm liquid rush down my face.When I read about the Cuban revolution and still read about it,I feel a sense of pride.When I saw the photographs of the dissected body of Che Guevara,I was traumatised and I dont know how to explain how I felt and still continue to feel when I think about what CIA did to him,what CIA has been doing to the world.When I read about Tania the guerrilla (Bolivian Revolution), it was as if I had been linked to these incidents from many,many years.
There are reasons why I love Latin America,though.I love the natural beauty of the place and I love the Red sentiment the people are so evident and serious,yet passionate about.
Even today,when United States will go to any extent to root out every symbol of any kind of Leftist Ideologies from anywhere in the world,a lot of Socialist and Communist bases still exist in Latin America.Ernesto Che Guevara is himself,still a cause for the existence and extent the ideals cover today.In popular culture,Guevara is seen as a figure by many teenagers which according to me is a view as stupid as it can ever get to.His life is not only all about The Motorcycle Diaries or the crazy times he has had with Alberto Granado.His life is basically about struggle - class struggle.Even if he himself hailed from an upper middle class background,he had raised his voice for the Proletariat.Cuban Revolution,battle of Santa Claura do not just signify adventure,it explains that we can do it - we can get rid of sinners if we are united.Guerrilla warfare is of course not applicable anywhere but necessary changes can be made to the principles of Marxism to fit it in the context of a country.
The other huge factors are leaders like Fidel Castro,Hugo Chavez and Salvador Allende,to whom and whose contributions,emotional links are quite natural.Castro was a very close friend of Che and the way they had engineered the revolution,it proves their immense political intelligence.Che himself had designed the economical structure on which Cuba could work on.(Reference : Our America and Theirs written by Ernesto Che Guevara.)And of course the diplomat President Kennedys plans had failed to root out the existence of red from Latin America.Cubas infant mortality rate is less than that of United States and the medical facilities that such a small country (in terms of geographical area) has been able to come up with.
I remember a very popular slogan used by Venezuela - "Chavez vive,La Patria Sigue",which means as long as Chavez lives,fatherhood would prevail.President Chavez was administratively able and politically successful.People of Venezuela loved him and even after his demise in 2013,they still would continue to respect and love him until the end.
The incident of the military coup by Augusto Pinochet with necessary aid from United States is bound to leave every human heart moved.I had read Allendes last speech before they bombed his house and killed him.It was brave,it was something leaders are supposed to do and he was an ideal leader.He did a lot for the people and the only part of the country that did not like him were the capitalists and the silly clergy.(How can you talk about god when you dont know how to love people of your country?)It is very nice to know that Pinochets rule was ultimately thrown and democracy restored. Bachelet is a very able leader and has gained mass popularity owing to the incidence of General Alberto Bachelet and how Michelle and her mother was tortured in the prison cells.There were thousands killed in Chile and there were still thousands who went missing.The government under Pinochet was immensely corrupt and laid to foreigners the full access to the market.President Bachelet has got a part of the economy in the governments hand after the Socialist Party got elected by the people.
No matter what happens,how much America tries to get their hands into the business of Latin America,its never going to get easier to demolish this sentiment and after all,it is the people who are the decision makers.I dont think this evil system called Capitalism will ever make it totally in this wide Red base in the world.Though there is still a long way to go with the economy in these countries,we still find some peace looking at the fact that the great dictators have not yet made it here.Long Live Red! Long Live Revolution!
Unlike the other prudential and researched works in this week,this post allowed me some emotional space that I enjoyed writing all this time.I have circles from Latin America through the social networking spaces and I cant express how happy I am to work with them.Even young teenagers from Latin America are prone to the red sentiment.
Disclaimer - The photograph used does not belong to me.
There are reasons why I love Latin America,though.I love the natural beauty of the place and I love the Red sentiment the people are so evident and serious,yet passionate about.
Even today,when United States will go to any extent to root out every symbol of any kind of Leftist Ideologies from anywhere in the world,a lot of Socialist and Communist bases still exist in Latin America.Ernesto Che Guevara is himself,still a cause for the existence and extent the ideals cover today.In popular culture,Guevara is seen as a figure by many teenagers which according to me is a view as stupid as it can ever get to.His life is not only all about The Motorcycle Diaries or the crazy times he has had with Alberto Granado.His life is basically about struggle - class struggle.Even if he himself hailed from an upper middle class background,he had raised his voice for the Proletariat.Cuban Revolution,battle of Santa Claura do not just signify adventure,it explains that we can do it - we can get rid of sinners if we are united.Guerrilla warfare is of course not applicable anywhere but necessary changes can be made to the principles of Marxism to fit it in the context of a country.
The wide Red Base in the world - Latin America
The other huge factors are leaders like Fidel Castro,Hugo Chavez and Salvador Allende,to whom and whose contributions,emotional links are quite natural.Castro was a very close friend of Che and the way they had engineered the revolution,it proves their immense political intelligence.Che himself had designed the economical structure on which Cuba could work on.(Reference : Our America and Theirs written by Ernesto Che Guevara.)And of course the diplomat President Kennedys plans had failed to root out the existence of red from Latin America.Cubas infant mortality rate is less than that of United States and the medical facilities that such a small country (in terms of geographical area) has been able to come up with.
I remember a very popular slogan used by Venezuela - "Chavez vive,La Patria Sigue",which means as long as Chavez lives,fatherhood would prevail.President Chavez was administratively able and politically successful.People of Venezuela loved him and even after his demise in 2013,they still would continue to respect and love him until the end.
The incident of the military coup by Augusto Pinochet with necessary aid from United States is bound to leave every human heart moved.I had read Allendes last speech before they bombed his house and killed him.It was brave,it was something leaders are supposed to do and he was an ideal leader.He did a lot for the people and the only part of the country that did not like him were the capitalists and the silly clergy.(How can you talk about god when you dont know how to love people of your country?)It is very nice to know that Pinochets rule was ultimately thrown and democracy restored. Bachelet is a very able leader and has gained mass popularity owing to the incidence of General Alberto Bachelet and how Michelle and her mother was tortured in the prison cells.There were thousands killed in Chile and there were still thousands who went missing.The government under Pinochet was immensely corrupt and laid to foreigners the full access to the market.President Bachelet has got a part of the economy in the governments hand after the Socialist Party got elected by the people.
No matter what happens,how much America tries to get their hands into the business of Latin America,its never going to get easier to demolish this sentiment and after all,it is the people who are the decision makers.I dont think this evil system called Capitalism will ever make it totally in this wide Red base in the world.Though there is still a long way to go with the economy in these countries,we still find some peace looking at the fact that the great dictators have not yet made it here.Long Live Red! Long Live Revolution!
Unlike the other prudential and researched works in this week,this post allowed me some emotional space that I enjoyed writing all this time.I have circles from Latin America through the social networking spaces and I cant express how happy I am to work with them.Even young teenagers from Latin America are prone to the red sentiment.
Disclaimer - The photograph used does not belong to me.
Human Eye How The Eye Works For Kids
Your eyes are like two tiny movie cameras inside your head.
They are sending a steady stream of pictures back to your brain, like a television camera sending live pictures back to a TV screen.
Your eyes have a part called the lens, just like a camera. The lens helps to bring everything you look at into focus, so that details are as clear as possible.
To see colors, we have special cells in the eye called cones.
They share the work of seeing with other cells called rods.
Rods do not detect the difference between colors and don’t need as much light as cones to make them work.
So at times, rods are more useful to you than cones, such as at night when the light is very dim.
Have you ever been for a walk in the moonlight and noticed how pale, silvery, and colorless everything seems?
Photographers can take pictures by moonlight which are just as colorful as pictures taken by day. So the colors are still there by moonlight, but we can’t see them.
Can you think why this is?
The cones help us to see color, but moonlight doesn’t provide them with enough light to function well at night.
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They are sending a steady stream of pictures back to your brain, like a television camera sending live pictures back to a TV screen.
Your eyes have a part called the lens, just like a camera. The lens helps to bring everything you look at into focus, so that details are as clear as possible.
What are Rods and Cones?
Human beings are luckier than many other animals because they see in color. Some other animals, such as birds and butterflies, can also see colors.To see colors, we have special cells in the eye called cones.
They share the work of seeing with other cells called rods.
Rods do not detect the difference between colors and don’t need as much light as cones to make them work.
So at times, rods are more useful to you than cones, such as at night when the light is very dim.
Have you ever been for a walk in the moonlight and noticed how pale, silvery, and colorless everything seems?
Photographers can take pictures by moonlight which are just as colorful as pictures taken by day. So the colors are still there by moonlight, but we can’t see them.
Can you think why this is?
The cones help us to see color, but moonlight doesn’t provide them with enough light to function well at night.
What Is Stereoscopic Vision?
When we use both our eyes, we have a kind of sight called stereoscopic vision.
Because both eyes are at the front, they both see the same object. But your eyes are a little apart from each other, so each has a slightly different view of things.
You can check this if you place two objects, such as drinking glasses, on a table in front of you.
Place one about 8 inches (20 centimeters) away from you, the other 2 feet (60 centimeters) away.
Put your chin on the table with the two glasses in a straight line away from you.
Close one eye, then the other.
Do you see exactly the same thing with both eyes?
Your brain makes use of the fact that your eyes tell different stories.
By comparing the messages from each eye, your brain works out how far away an object is.
Your brain does this in a split second every time you look at anything.
Stereoscopic Vision Test for kids
Why are our eyes on the front of our head, both looking the same way?
It seems a waste of an eye, doesn’t it?
To discover the answer, play this game of throwing and catching a ball with a friend.
You will need:
- stiff, black paper or cloth
- scissors
- a sharp pencil
- a ball
- thin elastic or ribbon
1.Cut out an eyepatch from the paper or cloth. Using the pencil point, make a small hole on either side of the patch. Thread the elastic or ribbon through the patch.
2. Play at catching the ball with both eyes first. Throw the ball 20 times, and make a record of how often you drop the ball.
3. Now cover one eye with your patch. Keep a record for another 20 catches. Did you do as well? Explain what happened.
Tuesday, March 17, 2015
Quote of the Week
~Ursula K. Le Guin
The Mouth
Here is a diagram of a vertical slice through your mouth. You should be able to label the diagram and explain what the various parts do.
Labels
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Labels
- nasal cavity
- hard palate
- soft palate
- pharynx
- tongue
- epiglottis
- oesophagus (gullet)
- trachea (windpipe)
- salivary gland
- lower jaw
- mouth
- nostrilYou normally breathe in and out through your nostrils and nasal cavity. You can even breathe in and out when you are chewing some food because the nasal cavity is separated from the buccal cavity (mouth cavity) by the palate. The nasal cavity and the back of your mouth contain cells which can detect volatile chemicals. This is your sense of smell. When you have a bad cold and your nasal cavity is blocked up, you cannot taste your food properly. This is because what we experience as taste is really taste and smell put together.
The hard and soft palate are important because they allow you to breathe whilst you are chewing a mouthful of food. You know what it is like when you have a really bad cold: your nose is so blocked up that you have to breathe through your mouth. When you are chewing some food, you feel desperate for air and have to breathe through this mushy food.
The tongue helps us to talk; it is used to push food around the mouth and to the back of the mouth to swallow it. The tongue contains taste buds. The sensory receptors in the tongue can detect sweet, salt, acid (sour), and bitter tastes. What we call taste includes the smell of the food in our mouths.
To swallow food, it is pushed to the pharynx (back of the mouth) by the tongue. The epiglottis closes the entrance to the windpipe so that food does not go down the wrong way. It does sometimes: coughing forces the food back up the windpipe to unblock it. For a couple of seconds just before we swallow our food, the trachea is blocked by the epiglottis, so we cannot breathe.
The oesophagus has circular muscles which can contract (peristalsis) to force food down into the stomach. Food has to be slippery to make it easy to swallow. This is why our saliva contains mucin which is a slimy protein. See how many dry biscuits you can eat in a minute. After a few, you cannot swallow any more because there is not enough saliva to make them slippery.
The salivary gland produces saliva. This contains mucin and water to make the chewed up food slippery. It also contains an enzyme called salivary amylase which turns starch into a sugar called maltose. We do not chew our food long enough to complete the digestion of starch which is why the pancreas makes pancreatic amylase to finish the job.
Taste is very important:
Sweet and salty things are generally good to eat, but very salty things are not.
Sour things are not ready to eat. We learn that unripe fruits do not taste nice and learn to wait until they ripen. It is better for the plant if we wait until the seeds are ready to be dispersed before we eat the fruits.
Bitter fruits are not nice to eat. Many of them are poisonous. We learn not to eat these fruits and to leave them for other animals to disperse the seeds.
Sunday, March 15, 2015
The Epigenetics Revolution
The Epigenetics Revolution: How Modern Biology is Rewriting our Understanding of Genetics, Disease and Inheritance [Kindle Edition]
Author: Nessa Carey | Language: English | ISBN: B00JFVOLZK | Format: PDF, EPUB
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- Book Details
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The Epigenetics Revolution: How Modern Biology is Rewriting our Understanding of Genetics, Disease and Inheritance
Download for free books The Epigenetics Revolution: How Modern Biology is Rewriting our Understanding of Genetics, Disease and Inheritance [Kindle Edition] for everyone book mediafire, rapishare, and mirror link
Download for free books The Epigenetics Revolution: How Modern Biology is Rewriting our Understanding of Genetics, Disease and Inheritance [Kindle Edition] for everyone book mediafire, rapishare, and mirror link
At the beginning of this century enormous progress had been made in genetics. The Human Genome Project finished sequencing human DNA. It seemed it was only a matter of time until we had all the answers to the secrets of life on this planet. The cutting-edge of biology, however, is telling us that we still dont even know all of the questions. How is it that, despite each cell in your body carrying exactly the same DNA, you dont have teeth growing out of your eyeballs or toenails on your liver? How is it that identical twins share exactly the same DNA and yet can exhibit dramatic differences in the way that they live and grow? It turns out that cells read the genetic code in DNA more like a script to be interpreted than a mould that replicates the same result each time. This is epigenetics and its the fastest-moving field in biology today. The Epigenetics Revolution traces the thrilling path this discipline has taken over the last twenty years. Biologist Nessa Carey deftly explains such diverse phenomena as how queen bees and ants control their colonies, why tortoiseshell cats are always female, why some plants need a period of cold before they can flower, why we age, develop disease and become addicted to drugs, and much more. Most excitingly, Carey reveals the amazing possibilities for humankind that epigenetics offers for us all - and in the surprisingly near future.
Books with free ebook downloads available The Epigenetics Revolution: How Modern Biology is Rewriting our Understanding of Genetics, Disease and Inheritance- File Size: 2798 KB
- Print Length: 320 pages
- Publisher: Icon Books Ltd (September 1, 2011)
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- Language: English
- ASIN: B00JFVOLZK
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- Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #64,331 Paid in Kindle Store (See Top 100 Paid in Kindle Store)
- #3 in Kindle Store > Kindle eBooks > Nonfiction > Professional & Technical > Medical eBooks > Basic Science > Genetics
- #16 in Kindle Store > Kindle eBooks > Nonfiction > Science > Genetics
- #42 in Kindle Store > Kindle eBooks > Nonfiction > Professional & Technical > Professional Science > Evolution
This is one of those books that introduces an entirely new and fascinating topic. A similar work would be Chaos: Making a New Science which introduced the concepts of chaotic dynamical systems at a time when even many practitioners of the sciences would not have heard of it.By Gavin Scott
Similarly, this book introduces the discoveries in epigenetics (epi- meaning "on", or a layer on top of classical genetics) and pretty much all of this will be new information unless you have been actively working in the field of cell biology over the past few years.
The book talks about the paradigm shift that is occurring as cell biologists are realizing that this epigenetic information is as complex and important to the correct function of life as the underlying DNA genome, and even allows for Lamarckian inheritance in certain cases where an offsprings own epigenetic information and phenotype can be influenced by that of the parents, meaning that some environmental effects in a parents life can directly influence future generations.
Also much of the non-protein-coding genome that for many years was considered to be unimportant "junk" is now turning out to be very important as it can be transcribed into functional RNA molecules that perform important functions. The book contains a simple graphic showing that the ratio of the non-protein-coding DNA to that of traditional protein coding genes increases in direct proportion with the complexity of the organism. The fundamental genes and proteins between say a chimpanzee and a human are virtually identical and it now begins to look as though its that "junk" DNA that makes all the difference.
This is a fascinating look at recent developments in the ever-accelerating biological revolution and I highly recommend it to everyone who yearns to understand how life works.
G.
Word of warning - I may gush! Im no biologist, but Nessa Carey manages to make epigenetics clear and incredibly interesting to me. This is not an easy read, in that it requires one to think and occasionally to do a little mental gymnastics to get ones head around the concepts she introduces, but nevertheless its the kind of book that can be gulped down in large servings because Carey is skilled at explaining these high-falutin concepts so well.By tiggrie AKA Sarah
The topics range from inherited traits to cloning and back again, and I found even the descriptions of how certain experiments were undertaken were such that they read incredibly well. This is a book that could havebeen dry as dust, but its not.
I think probably one where the time taken to read the sample is well spent - Im sure some people just wont find this that interesting - but if you are at all interested in science, biology, DNA, and the mystery of how things are and arent passed on, then this is a must read. Absorbing, educational, and downright fascinating. Brilliant.
The Epigenetics Revolution: How Modern Biology is Rewriting our Understanding of Genetics, Disease and Inheritance Download
Please Wait...Monday, March 9, 2015
Interesting Facts About the Roman God Jupiter
Interesting Facts About the Roman God
Jupiter
Here are some of the most interesting and notable facts about Jupiter as a Roman god.
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- In Roman mythology, Jupiter or Jove is the supreme god. He’s the king of the gods and the god of the sky and thunder
2. The largest planet on the Solar system was named after him.
3. He is in charge of all atmospheric conditions and had many special functions.
4. He is called Optimus Maximus – the Best and Greatest and was worshipped as god of the state in his temple
at the Capitoline Hill in Rome.
at the Capitoline Hill in Rome.5. He directed the course of human affairs and revealed the future events by producing omens in the heavens.
6. The color of the day is white
and this is sacred to Jupiter. His priest
wore white robes and only white animals were sacrificed to him. White horses drew his chariot.
and this is sacred to Jupiter. His priest wore white robes and only white animals were sacrificed to him. White horses drew his chariot.- Thursday, which is originally Iovis Dies in Latin, is named after Jove/Jupiter.
- Mars, the Roman’s most favorite god, is Jupiter’s son to his sister/wife Juno
- Jupiter is the grandfather of Romulus and Remus – legendary founders of Rome.
- Jupiter is the son of Saturn, the Roman god of agriculture and harvest
. Neptune and Pluto are his brothers
- Mercury is also Jupiter’s son, the messenger of the gods and goddesses.
- Minerva
(the goddess of wisdom and poetry) and Vulcan
(the god of fire) are Jupiter’s children too.
See also
70 Lesser Known Greek Gods and Goddesses
Famous Architectural Remains of Ancient Rome: The City of Seven Hills
Best Preserved and Surviving Roman Architecture
Amazing Facts about the human body
- A cough releases an explosive charge of air that moves at speeds up to 60 mph.
- A fetus acquires fingerprints at the age of three months.
- A fingernail or toenail takes about 6 months to grow from base to tip.
- A healthy individual releases 3.5 oz. of gas in a single flatulent emission, or about 17 oz. in a day.
- A human being loses an average of 40 to 100 strands of hair a day.
- A person will die from total lack of sleep sooner than from starvation. Death will occur about 10 days without sleep, while starvation takes a few weeks.
- A sneeze can exceed the speed of 100 mph.
- According to German researchers, the risk of heart attack is higher on Monday than any other day of the week.
- According to the Kinsey Institute, the biggest erect penis on record measures 13 inches. The smallest tops off at 1 3/4 inches.
- After spending hours working at a computer display, look at a blank piece of white paper. It will probably appear pink.
- An average human drinks about 16, 000 gallons of water in a lifetime.
- An average human scalp has 100,000 hairs.
- An average person uses the bathroom 6 times per day.
- An individual blood cell takes about 60 seconds to make a complete circuit of the body.
- Babies are born with 300 bones, but by adulthood we have only 206 in our bodies.
- Beards are the fastest growing hairs on the human body. If the average man never trimmed his beard, it would grow to nearly 30 feet long in his lifetime.
- Blondes have more hair than dark-haired people.
Sunday, March 8, 2015
The 10 World’s Most Famous and Holiest Cities Trifter
The 10 World
’s Most Famous and Holiest Cities | Trifter
’s Most Famous and Holiest Cities | TrifterThese are the “Holiest Cities” of the major religions in the world; Christianity, Islam, Hinduism, Buddhism, Judaism, Baha’i Faith, Confucianism, Sikkhism, Shintoism, Cao Dai and Baha’I World Center.
Here’s a list of the holiest cities of the world. These Holy Cities
are major places of worshipped by the largest and even minor religions in the world and attract millions of tourists and pilgrims from all over the worlds.
are major places of worshipped by the largest and even minor religions in the world and attract millions of tourists and pilgrims from all over the worlds.Jerusalem City, Israel: Holy City for Judaism, Christianity & Islam
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Jerusalem, one of the oldest continuously-inhabited cities in the world is holy to three of the most influential and popular religions in the world – Judaism, Christianity and Islam. Jerusalem, which means “Abode of Peace”, is the holiest city for Judaism. For Christians, it has been a holy city since the crucifixion of Jesus Christ
. For Sunni Islam, Jerusalem is the third holiest city.
. For Sunni Islam, Jerusalem is the third holiest city.Read more...
Beginners Guide to iOS Development The Interface Part 1
iPhone, iPod or iPad application development is not as hard as you might think, and this post by Jake Rochlelau over at Hongkiat.com is a comprehensive guide to the complete process of building an application for iDevices. He discusses the reasons, phases, and tools for developing the app, and ultimately you will follow an easy tutorial to design the basic iDevice application using the Xcode 4.2.
Using App Templates:
Read the full tutorial:
http://www.hongkiat.com/blog/ios-development-guide-part1/
Monday, March 2, 2015
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Saturday, February 28, 2015
The Laboratory Mouse
The Laboratory Mouse (HANDBOOK OF EXPERIMENTAL ANIMALS) [Kindle Edition]
Author: Hans Hedrich | Language: English | ISBN: B0089WO5FC | Format: PDF, EPUB
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- Reviews
The Laboratory Mouse
Posts about Download The Book The Laboratory Mouse from mediafire, rapishare, and mirror link
Posts about Download The Book The Laboratory Mouse from mediafire, rapishare, and mirror link
The Laboratory Mouse, Second Edition is a comprehensive book written by international experts. With inclusions of the newly revised European standards on laboratory animals, this will be the most current, global authority on the care of mice in laboratory research. This well-illustrated edition offers new and updated chapters including immunology, viruses and parasites, behavior, enrichment and care standards of laboratory mice across the life sciences, medical and veterinary fields.
- Features four-color illustrations with complete instruction on mouse surgery, anatomy, behavior and care of the mouse in laboratory research
- Offers additional chapters on new mouse strains, phenotyping of strains, bacteria and parasites, and immunology
- Includes the newly revised EU standards on care, as well as, comparisons to standards and regulations in the US and other countries
- File Size: 23001 KB
- Print Length: 868 pages
- Publisher: Academic Press; 2 edition (June 14, 2012)
- Sold by: Amazon Digital Services, Inc.
- Language: English
- ASIN: B0089WO5FC
- Text-to-Speech: Enabled
- Lending: Not Enabled
- Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #1,375,987 Paid in Kindle Store (See Top 100 Paid in Kindle Store)
- #71 in Books > Medical Books > Veterinary Medicine > Pathology
- #92 in Books > Medical Books > Pharmacology > For Veterinarians
The Laboratory Mouse Download
Please Wait...How the Immune System Works Includes Desktop Edition
How the Immune System Works, Includes Desktop Edition [Paperback]
Author: Amazon Prime - ISBN: 0470657294 - Language: English - Format: PDF, EPUB
DESCRIPTION
How the Immune System Works is not a comprehensive textbook. It’s the book thousands of students have used to help them understand what’s in their big, thick, immunology texts. In this book, Dr. Sompayrac cuts through the jargon and details to reveal, in simple language, the essence of this complex subject.
How the Immune System Works Includes Desktop Edition Amazon com How the Immune System Works Includes Desktop Edition 9780470657294 Lauren M Sompayrac BooksHow the Immune System Works Includes Desktop Edition How the Immune System Works Includes Desktop Edition 4th Edition Lauren M How the Immune System Works is now accompanied by a FREE enhanced Wiley Desktop Amazon com Customer Reviews How the Immune System Works Find helpful customer reviews and review ratings for How the Immune System Works Includes Desktop Edition at Amazon com Read honest and unbiased product Incredible new tech inspired by biology CNN com May 07 2014 already work a lot like a field of which include long flues that vent through the top and sides of the Artificial immune systems How the Immune System Works Includes FREE Desktop Edition Paperback How the Immune System Works is not a comprehensive textbook How the Immune System Works Includes FREE Desktop Edition Edition 4 byFifteen easy to follow lectures, featuring the uniquely popular humorous style and engaging analogies developed by Dr Sompayrac, provide an introduction to the ‘bigger picture’, followed by practical discussion on how each of the components interacts with one another.
Now featuring full-color diagrams, this book has been rigorously updated for its fourth edition to reflect today’s immunology teaching and includes updated discussion of B and T cell memory, T cell activation, vaccines, immunodeficiency, and cancer.
Whether you are completely new to immunology, or require a refresher, How the Immune System Works is an enjoyable way of engaging with the key concepts – you need know nothing of the workings of the immune system to benefit from this book!
How the Immune System Works is now accompanied by a FREE enhanced Wiley Desktop Edition - the interactive, digital version of the book - featuring downloadable text and images, highlighting and note taking facilities, book-marking, cross-referencing, in-text searching, and linking to references and glossary terms. It is also available from CourseSmart for instant, online and offline access for studying anytime, anywhere.
DETAILS
- Paperback: 152 pages
- Publisher: Wiley-Blackwell; 4 edition (January 30, 2012)
- Language: English
- ISBN-10: 0470657294
- ISBN-13: 978-0470657294
- Product Dimensions: 10.8 x 8.6 x 0.3 inches
- Shipping Weight: 1 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
- Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #13,336 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)
- #2 in Books > Textbooks > Medicine & Health Sciences > Medicine > Basic Sciences > Immunology
- #5 in Books > Medical Books > Basic Sciences > Immunology
- #14 in Books > Health, Fitness & Dieting > Diseases & Physical Ailments > Immune Systems
REVIEWS
How the Immune System Works Includes Desktop Edition Paperback Audible Download Audio Books BeautyBar com Prestige Beauty Delivered This review is from How the Immune System Works Includes Desktop Edition Paperback How the Immune System Works Includes Desktop Edition 4th EditionHow The Immune System Works Includes Desktop Edition 4th Edition Fast Download How The Immune System Works Includes Desktop Edition 4th Edition Speedy Download How the Immune System Works is not a How the Immune System Works Includes FREE Desktop Edition by a FREE enhanced Wiley Desktop Edition How the Immune System Works Includes FREE Desktop Edition BLACKWELL 39 S HOW IT WORKS SERIES by Lauren M SompayracHow the Immune System Works Includes Desktop Edition The How it Works Series Wiley Desktop Editions Autor Lauren Sompayrac Edici n ilustrada Editor John Wiley If you are searching for How the Immune System Works Includes Desktop Edition If you answer is yes this is the right place for you Do not miss this opportunity How the Immune System Works Includes Desktop Edition The How it Works Series Wiley Desktop Editions Author Lauren Sompayrac Edition illustrated Publisher How the Immune System Works Includes Desktop Edition How the Immune System Works is not a comprehensive textbook Get and download medical textbook How
A few reviews have said that this little 141 page text is "dated." Two persepectives:
1. The material covered is timeless. Our understanding of T and B cells will evolve over time, but the basic function, and the ideas of receptor sites, etc. are so fundamental that a few decades here or there cannot possibly subtract from the immense value of this text.
2. Current thinking ("2020") is that were entering an era of completely recasting the immune system, with as revolutionary a paradigm shift as recombinant DNA itself. One aspect of this is thinking of this system as multiple systems (6 or more in some literature). Another is the role of microRNA (small ds- double stranded RNA) and the epigenomic phenomena of RNA-interference.
These phenomena dont subtract from antibody or cell mediated immunity as models, they ADD to them. For complete coverage of the new models, without spending a fortune or trying to scan a whole large text, see any book or recent article by Dr. Bagasra, including:Immunology and the Quest for an HIV Vaccine: A New Perspective .
That out of the way, when our ClassPros and Library Picks surveys poll med students, THIS little text has come up in the top 5 for over a decade (and the top 1 or 2 in the last 3 years)! How is it possible, with texts of 1,000 pages, that an 8.5 x 11" 141 page, colorful "High School" looking monograph consistently takes these honors?
The answer is the astonishing flow of the metaphors coupled with "aha" pictures and illustrations on every page.
PREVIEW
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The Soul of Medicine
The Soul of Medicine: Tales from the Bedside Paperback – March 30, 2010
Author: Visit Amazons Sherwin B. Nuland Page | Language: English | ISBN: 1607146630 | Format: PDF, EPUB
- Description
- Book Details
- Table of Contents
- Reviews
The Soul of Medicine: Tales from the Bedside – March 30, 2010
You can download The Soul of Medicine: Tales from the Bedside Paperback – March 30, 2010 for everyone book mediafire, rapishare, and mirror link
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From Publishers Weekly
National Book Award–winner Nuland (How We Die) turns over his latest collection to the stories of more than a dozen specialists describing their most memorable patients. What is extraordinary about Nulands compilation is not the medical heroics but the instances of fallibility and vulnerability that prove the doctor is not just human but caring. A bronchoscopist tells of a famed thoracic surgeon who botches a procedure to recover a small cap a child has swallowed Well, chappies, he chirped, heres my chance to demonstrate the procedure again. Rather like a double feature at the cinema, yes? When that, too, fails, the frustrated surgeon must do major surgery to rectify what should have been a 10-minute fix. Even the scoundrel who gets a nurse fired rather than be caught in his own impropriety shows a recognizable humanity in his hilarious retelling of barging into a procedure unwashed and unwanted, and being chased from the premises by a mad-as-hell surgeon. Nuland adds his own commentary after many of the stories, but its just window dressing. Heres medicine as its actually practiced—by humans awed by the privilege of both their practice and patients. (Apr.)
Copyright © Reed Business Information, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.
--This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.
Copyright © Reed Business Information, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.
--This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.
From Booklist
Nuland takes the Canterbury Tales one quirky step further with these stories he collected from medical specialists ranging from anesthesiologist to urologist, in which each focuses on a particularly difficult or memorable professional event and/or patient. Identities and locations are carefully concealed by placing just about everyone, unless the story hinges on locale, at a teaching hospital called Canterbury. Names are changed, and not just to protect the innocent. No one really needs to know the identity of the randy young chest surgeon whose regular dalliances with hospital “probies” (probationary female employees) nearly cost him his job. Worse, to save his own skin, the scoundrel made a preemptive attack that cost his accuser her job. One might, however, like to know the name of the ethical Jewish ophthalmologist who never ratted out the out-of-wedlock pregnant daughter of his racist military superior. In all, the tales indeed resemble Chaucer’s—some humorous, others poignant, and where they are cryptic, accompanied by a note from the more-than-skillful narrator. --Donna Chavez
--This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.
--This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.
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Download latest books on mediafire and other links compilation The Soul of Medicine: Tales from the Bedside – March 30, 2010
- Paperback: 214 pages
- Publisher: Kaplan Publishing; 1 edition (March 30, 2010)
- Language: English
- ISBN-10: 1607146630
- ISBN-13: 978-1607146636
- Product Dimensions: 0.6 x 5 x 8 inches
- Shipping Weight: 8.5 ounces
- Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #477,027 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)
- #27 in Books > Textbooks > Medicine & Health Sciences > Medicine > Special Topics > Essays
- #45 in Books > Textbooks > Medicine & Health Sciences > Allied Health Services > Caregiving
In "The Soul of Medicine," Dr. Sherwin Nuland has collected reminiscences from a variety of doctors, offering "a sort of Canterbury Tales of medicine." Each chapter is written in the first person by a particular specialist in such fields as neurology, nephrology, pediatrics, and anesthesiology. In some cases, Nuland follows up with a commentary of his own. Some of the stories are tragic and others comical, but all are thought-provoking. Certain facts have been altered to disguise the identity of the people involved. However, the author assures us that the cases and medical details are accurate.
This is fascinating overview of the significant changes that have revolutionized the practice of medicine in the last half century. With MRIs, PET and CAT scans, and other advanced tools at their disposal, physicians are better equipped to make diagnoses that in the past might have eluded them. Of course, conscientious practitioners still take careful medical histories and conduct thorough physical examinations. In addition, they try to keep in mind the crucial role of communication and mutual respect between healer and patient. The anecdotes in this book demonstrate that, although most doctors are hard-working and dedicated people who take their awesome responsibilities seriously, they are also flawed human beings who, at times, make costly mistakes. The best among them, on the other hand, heroically fight to restore their patients to good health. Nuland adds that, in the last three decades or so, an ever increasing number of women have been entering medical school. We no longer hear that it is futile to educate female physicians who will inevitably drop out to have a family.
The Soul of Medicine: Tales from the Bedside – March 30, 2010 Download
Please Wait...15 The specific structural features of the sympathetic and parasympathetic divisions of the ANS
15. The specific structural features of the sympathetic and parasympathetic divisions of the ANS
Autonomic Plexuses
Pathway from Spinal Cord to Sympathetic Trunk Ganglia
The cervical portion of each sympathetic trunk
The thoracic portion of each sympathetic trunk
to Visceral Effectors
Axons leave the sympathetic trunk in four possible ways:
(1) They can enter spinal nerves;
(2) they can form cephalic periarterial nerves;
(3) they can form sympathetic nerves; and
(4) they can form splanchnic nerves.
SPINAL NERVES
some of the incoming sympathetic preganglionic neurons synapse with postganglionic neurons in the sympathetic trunk,
provide sympathetic innervation to
SYMPATHETIC NERVES
Sympathetic innervation of the heart
Sympathetic nerves to the lungs.
Sympathetic innervation of the lungs
SPLANCHNIC NERVES
Splanchnic nerves to abdominopelvic organs.
Postganglionic neurons from the renal plexus
Structure of the Parasympathetic Division
Cell bodies of parasympathetic preganglionic neurons are found
1. The ciliary ganglia
3. The submandibular ganglia
4. The otic ganglia
Pelvic splanchnic nerves
CLINICAL CONNECTION
Horner’s Syndrome
In Horner’s syndrome,
Read more »
Autonomic Plexuses
- In the thorax, abdomen, and pelvis, axons of both sympathetic and parasympathetic neurons form tangled networks called autonomic plexuses,
- many of which lie along major arteries.
- The autonomic plexuses also may contain sympathetic ganglia and axons of autonomic sensory neurons.
- The major plexuses in the thorax are the
- cardiac plexus, which supplies the heart,and
- the pulmonary plexus, which supplies the bronchial tree.
- The abdomen and pelvis also contain major autonomic plexuses
- and often the plexuses are named after the artery along which they are distributed.
- is the largest autonomic plexus
- and surrounds the celiac trunk.
- two large celiac ganglia,
- two aorticorenal ganglia,
- and a dense network of autonomic axons
- and is distributed to the stomach, spleen, pancreas, liver, gallbladder, and adrenal medullae.
- contains the superior mesenteric ganglion and
- supplies the small intestine and proximal colon.
- contains the inferior mesenteric ganglion,
- which innervates the distal colon and rectum.
- Axons of some sympathetic postganglionic neurons from the inferior mesenteric ganglion also extend through the hypogastric plexus,
- which is anterior to the fifth lumbar vertebra,
- to supply the urinary bladder and genital organs.
- contains the renal ganglion
- and supplies the renal arteries within the kidneys and ureters.
Pathway from Spinal Cord to Sympathetic Trunk Ganglia
- Cell bodies of sympathetic preganglionic neurons are part of the lateral gray horns of all thoracic segments and of the first two lumbar segments of the spinal cord.
- The preganglionic axons leave the spinal cord along with the somatic motor neurons at the same segmental level.
- the myelinated preganglionic sympathetic axons pass into the anterior root of a spinal nerve and
- enter a short pathway called a white ramus before passing to the nearest sympathetic trunk ganglion on the same side .
- Collectively, the white rami are called the white rami communicantes (ko - -mu--ni-KAN-te-z; singular is ramus communicans).
- Thus, white rami communicantes are structures containing sympathetic preganglionic axons that connect the anterior ramus of the spinal nerve with the ganglia of the sympa-thetic trunk.
- The “white” in their name indicates that they contain myelinated axons.
- Only the thoracic and first two or three lumbar nerves have white rami communicantes.
- The paired sympathetic trunk ganglia are arranged anterior and lateral to the vertebral column, one on either side.
- 3 cervical,
- 11 or 12 thoracic,
- 4 or 5 lumbar,
- 4 or 5 sacral sympathetic trunk ganglia,
- and 1 coccygeal ganglion.
- The right and left coccygeal ganglia are fused together and usually lie at the midline.
- Although the sympathetic trunk ganglia extend inferiorly from the neck, chest, and abdomen to the coccyx, they receive preganglionic axons only from the thoracic and lumbar segments of the spinal cord.
The cervical portion of each sympathetic trunk
- is located in the neck
- and is subdivided into
- superior,
- middle,
- and inferior ganglia.
- serve the head and heart.
- sweat glands,
- smooth muscle of the eye,
- blood vessels of the face,
- lacrimal glands,
- pineal gland,
- nasal mucosa,
- salivary glands (which include the submandibular, sublingual, and parotid glands),
- and the heart.
- innervate the heart.
The thoracic portion of each sympathetic trunk
- lies anterior to the necks of the corresponding ribs.
- This region of the sympathetic trunk receives most of the sympathetic preganglionic axons.
- innervate the heart,
- lungs,
- bronchi,
- and other thoracic viscera.
- these neurons also innervate sweat glands,
- blood vessels,
- and arrector pili muscles of hair follicles.
- lies lateral to the corresponding lumbar vertebrae.
- lies in the pelvic cavity on the medial side of the anterior sacral foramina.
to Visceral Effectors
Axons leave the sympathetic trunk in four possible ways:
(1) They can enter spinal nerves;
(2) they can form cephalic periarterial nerves;
(3) they can form sympathetic nerves; and
(4) they can form splanchnic nerves.
SPINAL NERVES
some of the incoming sympathetic preganglionic neurons synapse with postganglionic neurons in the sympathetic trunk,
- either in the ganglion at the level of entry
- or in a ganglion farther up or down the sympathetic trunk.
- The axons of some of these postganglionic neurons leave the sympathetic trunk by entering a short pathway called a gray ramus
- and then merge with the anterior ramus of a spinal nerve.
- Therefore, gray rami communicantes are structures containing sympathetic postganglionic axons that connect the ganglia of the sympathetic trunk to spinal nerves .
- The “gray” in their name indicates that they contain unmyelinated axons.
- Gray rami communicantes outnumber the white rami because there is a gray ramus leading to each of the 31 pairs of spinal nerves.
- to the visceral effectors in the skin of the neck, trunk, and limbs,
- including sweat glands, smooth muscle in blood vessels, and arrector pili muscles of hair follicles.
- Some sympathetic preganglionic neurons that enter the sympathetic trunk ascend to the superior cervical ganglion, where they synapse with postganglionic neurons.
- The axons of some of these postganglionic neurons leave the sympathetic trunk by forming cephalic periarterial nerves, nerves that extend to the head by wrapping around
- and following the course of various arteries (such as the carotid arteries) that pass from the neck to the head .
provide sympathetic innervation to
- visceral effectors in the skin of the face (sweat glands, smooth muscle of blood vessels, and arrector pili muscles of hair follicles)
- as well as other visceral effectors of the head (smooth muscle of the eye, lacrimal glands, pineal gland, nasal mucosa, and salivary glands).
SYMPATHETIC NERVES
- Some of the incoming sympathetic preganglionic neurons synapse with postganglionic neurons in one or more ganglia of the sympathetic trunk.
- Then, the axons of the postganglionic neurons leave the trunk by forming sympathetic nerves that extend to visceral effectors in the thoracic cavity
- Sympathetic nerves provide sympathetic innervation to the heart and lungs.
Sympathetic innervation of the heart
- consists of axons of preganglionic neurons that enter the sympathetic trunk
- and then form synapses with postganglionic neurons in the superior, middle, and inferior cervical ganglia
- and first through fourth thoracic ganglia (T1–T4).
- From these ganglia, axons of postganglionic neurons exit the sympathetic trunk by forming sympathetic nerves that enter the cardiac plexus to supply the heart .
Sympathetic nerves to the lungs.
Sympathetic innervation of the lungs
- consists of axons of preganglionic neurons that enter the sympathetic trunk
- and then form synapses with postganglionic neurons in the second through fourth thoracic ganglia (T2–T4).
- From these ganglia, axons of sympathetic postganglionic neurons exit the trunk by forming sympathetic nerves that enter the pulmonary plexus to supply the smooth muscle of the bronchi and bronchioles of the lungs
- some sympathetic preganglionic axons pass through the sympathetic trunk without terminating in it.
- Beyond the trunk, they form nerves known as splanchnic nerves (SPLANK-nik;,
- which extend to outlying prevertebral ganglia.
Splanchnic nerves to abdominopelvic organs.
- Most sympathetic preganglionic axons that enter splanchnic nerves are destined to synapse with sympathetic postganglionic neurons in the prevertebral ganglia that supply the organs of the abdominopelvic cavity.
- Preganglionic axons from the fifth through ninth or tenth thoracic ganglia (T5–T9 or T10) form the greater splanchnic nerve.
- It pierces the diaphragm, and
- enters the celiac ganglion of the celiac plexus.
- From there, postganglionic neurons follow and innervate blood vessels to the stomach, spleen, liver, kidneys, and small intestine.
- Preganglionic axons from the tenth and eleventh thoracic ganglia (T10–T11) form the lesser splanchnic nerve.
- It pierces the diaphragm
- and passes through the celiac plexus to enter the aorticorenal ganglion and superior mesenteric ganglion of the superior mesenteric plexus.
- Postganglionic neurons from the superior mesenteric ganglion follow and innervate blood vessels of the small intestine and proximal colon.
- which is not always present,
- is formed by preganglionic axons from the twelfth thoracic ganglia (T12) or a branch of the lesser splanchnic nerve.
- It pierces the diaphragm
- and enters the renal plexus near the kidney.
Postganglionic neurons from the renal plexus
- supply kidney arterioles and the ureters.
- from the first through fourth lumbar ganglia (L1–L4)
- enter the inferior mesenteric plexus and
- terminate in the inferior mesenteric ganglion,
- where they synapse with postganglionic neurons.
- extend through the inferior mesenteric plexus
- to supply the distal colon and rectum;
- they also extend through the hypogastric plexus to supply blood vessels of the distal colon, rectum, urinary bladder, and genital organs.
- Postganglionic axons leaving the prevertebral ganglia follow the course of various arteries to abdominal and pelvic visceral effectors.
- Some sympathetic preganglionic axons pass, without synapsing,
- through the sympathetic trunk, greater splanchnic nerves, and celiac ganglion,
- and then extend to chromaffin cells in the adrenal medullae of the adrenal glands
- Developmentally, the adrenal medullae and sympathetic ganglia are derived from the same tissue, the neural crest.
- The adrenal medullae are modified sympathetic ganglia,
- and the chromaffin cells are similar to sympathetic postganglionic neurons except they lack dendrites and axons.
- Rather than extending to another organ, however, these cells release hormones into the blood.
- Upon stimulation by sympathetic preganglionic neurons, the chromaffin cells of the adrenal medullae release a mixture of
- catecholamine hormones—about
- 80% epinephrine,
- 20% norepinephrine,
- and a trace amount of dopamine.
Structure of the Parasympathetic Division
Cell bodies of parasympathetic preganglionic neurons are found
- in nuclei in the brain stem
- and in the lateral gray matter of the second through fourth sacral segments of the spinal cord .
- Their axons emerge as part of a cranial nerve or as part of the anterior root of a spinal nerve.
- consists of preganglionic axons that extend from the brain stem in four cranial nerves.
- consists of preganglionic axons in anterior roots of the second through fourth sacral spinal nerves.
- end in terminal ganglia,
- where they synapse with postganglionic neurons.
- has four pairs of ganglia
- and the ganglia associated with the vagus (X) nerve.
- The four pairs of cranial parasympathetic ganglia innervate structures in the head
- and are located close to the organs they innervate
1. The ciliary ganglia
- lie lateral to each optic (II) nerve near the posterior aspect of the orbit.
- Preganglionic axons pass with the oculomotor (III) nerves to the ciliary ganglia.
- Postganglionic axons from the ganglia innervate smooth muscle fibers in the eyeball.
- are located lateral to the sphenopalatine foramen,
- between the sphenoid and palatine bones.
- They receive preganglionic axons from the facial (VII) nerve
- and send postganglionic axons to the nasal mucosa, palate, pharynx, and lacrimal glands.
3. The submandibular ganglia
- are found near the ducts of the submandibular salivary glands.
- They receive preganglionic axons from the facial nerves
- and send postganglionic axons to the submandibular and sublingual salivary glands.
4. The otic ganglia
- are situated just inferior to each foramen ovale.
- They receive preganglionic axons from the glossopharyngeal (IX) nerves
- and send postganglionic axons to the parotid salivary glands.
- Preganglionic axons that leave the brain as part of the vagus (X) nerves carry nearly 80% of the total craniosacral outflow.
- Vagal axons extend to many terminal ganglia in the thorax and abdomen.
- As the vagus nerve passes through the thorax, it sends axons to the heart and the airways of the lungs.
- In the abdomen, it supplies the liver, gallbladder, stomach, pancreas, small intestine, and part of the large intestine.
- consists of preganglionic axons from the anterior roots of the second through fourth sacral spinal nerves (S2–S4).
- As the preganglionic axons course through the sacral spinal nerves, they branch off these nerves to form
Pelvic splanchnic nerves
- Pelvic splanchnic nerves synapse with parasympathetic postganglionic neurons located in terminal ganglia in the walls of the innervated viscera.
- From the terminal ganglia, parasympathetic postganglionic axons innervate smooth muscle and glands in the walls of the colon, ureters, urinary bladder, and reproductive organs.
CLINICAL CONNECTION
Horner’s Syndrome
In Horner’s syndrome,
- the sympathetic innervation to one side of the face is lost due to
- an inherited mutation,
- an injury,
- or a disease that affects sympathetic outflow through the superior cervical ganglion.
- ptosis (drooping of the upper eyelid),
- miosis (constricted pupil),
- and anhidrosis (lack of sweating).
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