Chapter Panyer Stone to Paradise and the Peri of P by Brewer's Phrase & Fable

Paradise The Greeks used this word to denote the extensive parks and pleasure-grounds of the Persian kings.

“An old word, `paradise,' which the Hebrews had borrowed from the Persians, and which at first designated the `parks of the Achaemenidae,' summed up the general dream.”- Renan: Life of Jesus, xi.

   Upper and Lower Paradise. The rabbins say there is an earthly or lower paradise under the equator, divided into seven dwellings, and twelve times ten thousand miles square. A column reaches from this paradise to the upper or heavenly one, by which the souls mount upwards after a short sojourn on the earthly one.
   The ten dumb animals admitted to the Moslem's paradise are:-
   (1) The dog Kratim, which accompanied the Seven Sleepers.
   (2) Balaam's ass, which spoke with the voice of a man to reprove the disobedient prophet.
   (3) Solomon's ant, of which he said, “Go to the ant, thou sluggard ...”
   (4) Jonah's whale.
   (5) The ram caught in the thicket, and offered in sacrifice in lieu of Isaac.
   (6) The calf of Abraham.
   (7) The camel of Saleb.
   (8) The cuckoo of Belkis.
   (9) The ox of Moses.
   (10) Mahomet's mare, called Borak.

Paradise Lost Satan rouses the panic-stricken host of fallen angels to tell them about a rumour current in Heaven of a new world about to be created. He calls a council to deliberate what should be done, and they agree to send Satan to search out for the new world. Satan, passing the gulf between Hell and Heaven and the limbo of Vanity, enters the orb of the Sun (in the guise of an angel) to make inquiries as to the new planet's whereabouts; and, having obtained the necessary information, alights on Mount Niphates, and goes to Paradise in the form of a cormorant. Seating himself on the Tree of Life, he overhears Adam and Eve talking about the prohibition made by God, and at once resolves upon the nature of his attack. Gabriel sends two angels to watch over the bower of Paradise, and Satan flees. Raphael is sent to warn Adam of his danger, and tells him the story of Satan's revolt and expulsion out of Heaven, and why and how this world was made. After a time Satan returns to Paradise in the form of a mist, and, entering the serpent, induces Eve to eat of the forbidden fruit. Adam eats “that he may perish with the woman whom he loved.” Satan returns to Hell to tell his triumph, and Michael is sent to lead the guilty pair out of the garden. (Milton.)

Paradise Regained (in four books). The subject is the Temptation. Eve, being tempted, fell, and lost Paradise; Jesus, being tempted, resisted, and regained Paradise. (Milton.)

Paradise Shoots The lign aloe; said to be the only plant descended to us from the Garden of Eden. When Adam left Paradise, it is said, he took with him a shoot of this tree, which he planted in the land where he settled, and from which all other lign aloes have been propagated.

Paradise of Fools The Hindus, Mahometans, Scandinavians, and Roman Catholics have devised a place between Paradise and “Purgatory” to get rid of a theological difficulty. If there is no sin without intention, then infants and idiots cannot commit sin, and if they die cannot be consigned to the purgatory of evil-doers; but, not being believers or good-doers, they cannot be placed with the saints. The Roman Catholics place them in the Paradise of Infants and the Paradise of Fools.

Paradise and the Peri The second tale in Moore's poetical romance of Lalla Rookh. The Peri laments her expulsion from Heaven, and is told she will be readmitted if she will bring to the Gate of Heaven the “gift most dear to the Almighty.” First she went to a battle-field, where the tyrant Mahmoud, having won a victory, promised life to a young warrior, but the warrior struck the tyrant with a dart. The wound, however, was not mortal, so “The tyrant lived, the hero fell.” The Peri took to Heaven's Gate the last drop of the patriot's blood as her offering, but the gates would not open to her. Next she flew to Egypt, where the plague was raging, and saw a young man dying; presently his betrothed bride sought him out, caught the disease, and both died. The Peri took to Heaven's Gate the last sigh of that self-sacrificed damsel, but the offering was not good enough to open the gates to her. Lastly, she flew to Syria, and there saw an innocent child and guilty old man. The vesper call sounded, and the child knelt down to prayer. The old man wept with repentance, and knelt to pray beside the child. The Peri offered the Repentant Tear, and the gates flew open to receive the gift.