356. 8); but more often it was a very free paraphrase, e.g. the motto
prefixed to _Buch Hafis_, a variation of the motto to Hammer's version
(H̱. 222. 9). As an example of how a single verse is developed into an
original poem we may cite "Über meines Liebchens Äugeln," p. 55, where
the first stanza is a version of H̱. 221. 1, all the others being free
invention. Other Persian poets besides H̱āfiḍ also furnished material.
Thus the opening passage of Saʻdī's _Gulistān_ was used for "Im
Athemholen," p. 10, where the sense, however, is altered and the line
"So sonderbar ist das Leben gemischt" is added. A number of poems are
based on the _Pand Nāmah_ of ʻAṭṭār, e.g. pp. 58, 60,[105] and two are
taken from Firdausī, namely "Firdusi spricht," p. 75 (Sh. N. i. p. 62,
couplet 538; Mohl, i. 84; Fundgruben. ii. 64) and "Was machst du an der
Welt?" p. 96 (Sh. N. i. p. 482, coupl. 788, 789; _Red._ p. 58). But it
was not only the poetical works of Persia that were laid under
contribution; sayings, anecdotes, descriptions, remarks of any kind in
books of travel and the like were utilized as well. Thus Hammer in the
preface to his version of H̱āfiḍ relates the _fatvā_ or judgment which a
famous _muftī_ of Constantinople pronounced on the poems of the great
singer, and this gave Goethe the idea for his "Fetwa," p. 32.[106] In
the same preface[107] is related the well known reply which H̱āfiḍ is
reported to have given to Timur, when called to account by the latter
for the sentiment of the first couplet of the famous eighth ode, and
this inspired the poem "Hätt' ich irgend wol Bedenken," p. 133.
Similarly "Vom heutigen Tag," p. 94, is based on the words of an
inscription over a caravansery at Ispahan found in Chardin's book. The
story of Bahrāmgūr and Dilārām inventing rhyme[108] gave rise to the
poem "Behramgur, sagt man," p. 153. And so we might cite poems from
other sources, _Qurān_, Jones' _Poeseos_, Diez' _Buch des Kabus_, etc.,
but the examples we have given are sufficient to show how Goethe used
his material.