Sirens in the Sand |
Some say
that the great TaklaMakan desert is like a sea of sand.
That is
why it might not be surprising that legends abound of Sirens in this
strange sea.
While we
normally think of Sirens luring Greek sailors onto the treacherous
rocks – they can be just as deadly in the trackless distances of the
Tarim Basin. In the
Loulan district there is said to be an enchanted oasis.
Some of
the trees in this oasis bear precious stones instead of fruit.
In the
midst of the magical spot is a magnificent palace with walls of
porphyry, jasper, and jade.
Spendid
arabesques cover the wall, lace-like tracery fills the windows, and
its golden domes and minarets sparkle in the sun.
Fountains
play all day in its courts, and gem-like singing birds warble
continually around it.
It is
inhabited by women more beautiful than can be imagined, who appear
on its roofs and beckon to those who visit the oasis to enter.
But no
human being has yet entered that palace, for, whenever anyone
attempts to cross the threshold, the building receeds before him.
In this
way, the hapless traveler is drawn further and further into the
desert.
Many have
been lost in just this way.
|
Tales of the Silk Road | Tales of the Silk Road The Were-Creature of the Lost Desert The Shape Shifter - The Pyhrqan’s Son |
Return to Tarim Tapestry | M.D. Coverley |