The Story of Paradise and the Peri

Feramorz's second tale for Lalla Rookh was 'Paradise and the Peri'. The Peri is a Perisan angel whose race  had fallen from grace. She is denied entrance into heaven by the Angel at its gate, and is charged to bring back the perfect gift in order to be admitted. The Peri descends towards a war-torn part of the world, where the 'Tyrant of Gazna' holds sway. She witnesses a young hero die in his attempt to kill the tyrant, and brings back a drop of his blood. Again she is denied entrance. The Peri then travels to Egypt, which was enduring the plague. She witnesses a young maiden kiss her stricken lover so that they may die together, and brings back the last sigh of the girl. Again she is denied entry. On her third quest she witnesses an old sinner weeping at the sight of a praying child, as he repents his past sins. One of the sinner's tears - a sign of true repentance - is the key to his own and the Peri's redemption, for when she brings it to the gates of Heaven the Angel welcomes her to Paradise.