Tarikh (al-Tabari) 205
The story of Moses the one who spoke with Allah (peace and blessings be upon him)
وَقَامَ فِرْعَوْنُ مُنْهَزِمًا حَتَّى دَخَلَ الْبَيْتَ، فَقَالَ لِمُوسَى: اجْعَلْ بَيْنَنَا وَبَيْنَكَ أَجَلًا نَنْظُرُ فِيهِ، فَقَالَ لَهُ مُوسَى: لَمْ أُومَرْ بِذَلِكَ وَأَنَا أُمِرْتُ بِمُنَاجَزَتِكَ، وَإِنْ أَنْتَ لَمْ تَخْرُجْ إِلَيَّ دَخَلْتُ إِلَيْكَ. فَأَوْحَى اللَّهُ عَزَّ وَجَلَّ إِلَى مُوسَى: أَنِ اجْعَلْ بَيْنَكَ وَبَيْنَهُ أَجَلًا، وَاجْعَلْ ذَلِكَ إِلَيْهِ، قَالَ فِرْعَوْنُ: أَجْعَلُهُ إِلَى أَرْبَعِينَ يَوْمًا، فَفَعَلَ. وَكَانَ فِرْعَوْنُ لَا يَأْتِي الْخَلَاءَ إِلَّا فِي أَرْبَعِينَ يَوْمًا مَرَّةً، فَاخْتَلَفَ ذَلِكَ الْيَوْمَ أَرْبَعِينَ مَرَّةً. وَكَانَ هَذَا مِنْ أَكْبَرِ مَقَاصِدِ مُوسَى، عَلَيْهِ السَّلَامُ; أَنْ يُظْهِرَ آيَاتِ اللَّهِ وَحُجَجَهُ وَبَرَاهِينَهُ جَهْرَةً بِحَضْرَةِ النَّاسِ وَلِهَذَا قَالَ: مَوْعِدُكُمْ يَوْمُ الزِّينَةِ وَكَانَ يَوْمَ عِيدٍ مِنْ أَعْيَادِهِمْ، وَمُجْتَمَعٍ لَهُمْ وَأَنْ يُحْشَرَ النَّاسُ ضُحًى أَيْ; مِنْ أَوَّلِ النَّهَارِ، فِي وَقْتِ اشْتِدَادِ ضِيَاءِ الشَّمْسِ، فَيَكُونُ الْحَقُّ أَظْهَرَ وَأَجْلَى. وَلَمْ يَطْلُبْ أَنْ يَكُونَ ذَلِكَ لَيْلًا فِي ظَلَامٍ، كَيْمَا يُرَوِّجُ عَلَيْهِمْ مِحَالًا وَبَاطِلًا، بَلْ طَلَبَ أَنْ يَكُونَ نَهَارًا جَهْرَةً لِأَنَّهُ عَلَى بَصِيرَةٍ مِنْ رَبِّهِ، وَيَقِينٍ أَنَّ اللَّهَ سَيُظْهِرُ كَلِمَتَهُ وَدِينَهُ وَإِنْ رَغِمَتْ أُنُوفُ الْقِبْطِ. قَالَ اللَّهُ تَعَالَى: فَتَوَلَّى فِرْعَوْنُ فَجَمَعَ كَيْدَهُ ثُمَّ أَتَى قَالَ لَهُمْ مُوسَى وَيْلَكُمْ لَا تَفْتَرُوا عَلَى اللَّهِ كَذِبًا فَيُسْحِتَكُمْ بِعَذَابٍ وَقَدْ خَابَ مَنِ افْتَرَى فَتَنَازَعُوا أَمْرَهُمْ بَيْنَهُمْ وَأَسَرُّوا النَّجْوَى قَالُوا إِنْ هَذَانِ لَسَاحِرَانِ يُرِيدَانِ أَنْ يُخْرِجَاكُمْ مِنْ أَرْضِكُمْ بِسِحْرِهِمَا وَيَذْهَبَا بِطَرِيقَتِكُمُ الْمُثْلَى فَأَجْمِعُوا كَيْدَكُمْ ثُمَّ ائْتُوا صَفًّا وَقَدْ أَفْلَحَ الْيَوْمَ مَنِ اسْتَعْلَى [ طه: 60 - 64 ]. يُخْبِرُ تَعَالَى عَنْ فِرْعَوْنَ أَنَّهُ ذَهَبَ، فَجَمَعَ مَنْ كَانَ بِبِلَادِهِ مِنَ السَّحَرَةِ، وَكَانَتْ بِلَادُ مِصْرَ فِي ذَلِكَ الزَّمَانِ مَمْلُوءَةً سَحَرَةً، فُضَلَاءَ، فِي فَنِّهِمْ غَايَةٌ فَجَمَعُوا لَهُ مَنْ كُلِّ بَلَدٍ، وَمِنْ كُلِّ مَكَانٍ، عدد السحرة الذين جمعهم فرعون فَاجْتَمَعَ مِنْهُمْ خُلُقٌ كَثِيرٌ وَجَمُّ غَفِيرٌ. فَقِيلَ: كَانُوا ثَمَانِينَ أَلْفًا. قَالَهُ مُحَمَّدُ بْنُ كَعْبٍ. وَقِيلَ: سَبْعِينَ أَلْفًا. قَالَهُ الْقَاسِمُ بْنُ أَبِي بَزَّةَ وَقَالَ السُّدِّيُّ: بِضْعَةً وَثَلَاثِينَ أَلْفًا. وَعَنْ أَبِي أُمَامَةَ: تِسْعَةَ عَشَرَ أَلْفًا. وَقَالَ مُحَمَّدُ بْنُ إِسْحَاقَ: خَمْسَةَ عَشَرَ أَلْفًا. وَقَالَ كَعْبُ الْأَحْبَارِ: كَانُوا اثْنَيْ عَشَرَ أَلْفًا. وَرَوَى ابْنُ أَبِي حَاتِمٍ عَنِ ابْنِ عَبَّاسٍ: كَانُوا سَبْعِينَ رَجُلًا. وَرَوَى عَنْهُ أَيْضًا أَنَّهُمْ كَانُوا أَرْبَعِينَ غُلَامًا مِنْ بَنِي إِسْرَائِيلَ أَمَرَهُمْ فِرْعَوْنُ أَنْ يَذْهَبُوا إِلَى الْعُرَفَاءِ، فَيَتَعَلَّمُوا السِّحْرَ. وَلِهَذَا قَالُوا: وَمَا أَكْرَهْتَنَا عَلَيْهِ مِنَ السِّحْرِ وَاللَّهُ خَيْرٌ وَأَبْقَى وَفِي هَذَا نَظَرٌ. قَالَ وَهْبٌ: بَعَثَ إِلَى السَّحَرَةِ [فَجَمَعَهُمْ] وَقَالَ: قَدْ جَاءَنَا سَاحِرٌ مَا رَأَيْنَا مِثْلَهُ قَطُّ، فَإِنْ غَلَبْتُمُوهُ أُكْرِمْكُمْ. وَكَانَ يَرْأَسُ السَّحَرَةَ سَاتُورُ، وَعَازُورُ، وَحَطْحَطُ، وَمُصَفَّى، وَهُمُ الَّذِينَ آمَنُوا لَمَّا رَأَوْا سُلْطَانَ اللَّهِ فَتَبِعَتْهُمُ السَّحَرَةُ فِي الْإِيمَانِ. وَفِي عَدَدِ السَّحَرَةِ أَقْوَالٌ كَثِيرَةٌ مَذْكُورَةٌ فِي التَّفْسِيرِ وَحَضَرَ فِرْعَوْنُ وَأُمَرَاؤُهُ وَأَهْلُ دَوْلَتِهِ وَأَهْلُ بَلَدِهِ عَنْ بَكْرَةِ أَبِيهِمْ; وَذَلِكَ أَنَّ فِرْعَوْنَ نَادَى فِيهِمْ أَنْ يَحْضُرُوا هَذَا الْمَوْقِفَ الْعَظِيمَ، فَخَرَجُوا وَهُمْ يَقُولُونَ: لَعَلَّنَا نَتَّبِعُ السَّحَرَةَ إِنْ كَانُوا هُمُ الْغَالِبِينَ [ الشُّعَرَاءِ: 40 ]. وعظ موسى للسحرة ونهيهم عن تعاطي السحر وَتَقَدَّمَ مُوسَى عَلَيْهِ السَّلَامُ إِلَى السَّحَرَةِ، فَوَعَظَهُمْ وَزَجَرَهُمْ عَنْ تَعَاطِي السِّحْرِ الْبَاطِلِ، الَّذِي فِيهِ مُعَارَضَةٌ لِآيَاتِ اللَّهِ وَحُجَجِهِ، فَقَالَ: وَيْلَكُمْ لَا تَفْتَرُوا عَلَى اللَّهِ كَذِبًا فَيُسْحِتَكُمْ بِعَذَابٍ وَقَدْ خَابَ مَنِ افْتَرَى فَتَنَازَعُوا أَمْرَهُمْ بَيْنَهُمْ قِيلَ: مَعْنَاهُ أَنَّهُمُ اخْتَلَفُوا فِيمَا بَيْنَهُمْ; فَقَائِلٌ يَقُولُ: هَذَا كَلَامُ نَبِيٍّ وَلَيْسَ بِسَاحِرٍ. وَقَائِلٌ مِنْهُمْ يَقُولُ: بَلْ هُوَ سَاحِرٌ. فَاللَّهُ أَعْلَمُ. وَأَسَرُّوا التَّنَاجِيَ بِهَذَا وَغَيْرِهِ قَالُوا إِنْ هَذَانِ لَسَاحِرَانِ يُرِيدَانِ أَنْ يُخْرِجَاكُمْ مِنْ أَرْضِكُمْ بِسِحْرِهِمَا يَقُولُونَ: إِنَّ هَذَا وَأَخَاهُ هَارُونَ سَاحِرَانِ، عَلِيمَانِ، مُطْبِقَانِ مُتْقِنَانِ لِهَذِهِ الصِّنَاعَةِ، وَمُرَادُهُمْ أَنْ يَجْتَمِعَ النَّاسُ عَلَيْهِمَا، وَيَصُولَا عَلَى الْمَلِكِ وَحَاشِيَتِهِ، وَيَسْتَأْصِلَاكُمْ عَنْ آخِرِكُمْ، وَيَسْتَأْمِرَا عَلَيْكُمْ بِهَذِهِ الصِّنَاعَةِ فَأَجْمِعُوا كَيْدَكُمْ ثُمَّ ائْتُوا صَفًّا وَقَدْ أَفْلَحَ الْيَوْمَ مَنِ اسْتَعْلَى وَإِنَّمَا قَالُوا الْكَلَامَ الْأَوَّلَ لِيَتَدَبَّرُوا وَيَتَوَاصَوْا، وَيَأْتُوا بِجَمِيعِ مَا عِنْدَهُمْ مِنَ الْمَكِيدَةِ وَالْمَكْرِ وَالْخَدِيعَةِ وَالسِّحْرِ وَالْبُهْتَانِ. وَهَيْهَاتَ، كَذَبَتْ وَاللَّهِ الظُّنُونُ وَأَخْطَأَتِ الْآرَاءُ، أَنَّى يُعَارِضُ الْبُهْتَانُ وَالسِّحْرُ وَالْهَذَيَانُ خَوَارِقَ الْعَادَاتِ، الَّتِي أَجْرَاهَا الدَّيَّانُ عَلَى يَدَيْ عَبْدِهِ الْكَلِيمِ وَرَسُولِهِ الْكَرِيمِ، الْمُؤَيَّدِ بِالْبُرْهَانِ الَّذِي يَبْهَرُ الْأَبْصَارَ، وَتَحَارُ فِيهِ الْعُقُولُ وَالْأَذْهَانُ. وَقَوْلُهُمْ: فَأَجْمِعُوا كَيْدَكُمْ أَيْ; جَمِيعَ مَا عِنْدَكُمْ، ثُمَّ ائْتُوا صَفًّا أَيْ; جُمْلَةً وَاحِدَةً. ثُمَّ حَضَّ بَعْضُهُمْ بَعْضًا عَلَى التَّقَدُّمِ فِي هَذَا الْمَقَامِ; لِأَنَّ فِرْعَوْنَ كَانَ قَدْ وَعَدَهُمْ وَمَنَّاهُمْ، وَمَا يَعِدُهُمُ الشَّيْطَانُ إِلَّا غُرُورًا. قَالُوا يَا مُوسَى إِمَّا أَنْ تُلْقِيَ وَإِمَّا أَنْ نَكُونَ أَوَّلَ مَنْ أَلْقَى قَالَ بَلْ أَلْقُوا فَإِذَا حِبَالُهُمْ وَعِصِيُّهُمْ يُخَيَّلُ إِلَيْهِ مِنْ سِحْرِهِمْ أَنَّهَا تَسْعَى فَأَوْجَسَ فِي نَفْسِهِ خِيفَةً مُوسَى قُلْنَا لَا تَخَفْ إِنَّكَ أَنْتَ الْأَعْلَى وَأَلْقِ مَا فِي يَمِينِكَ تَلْقَفْ مَا صَنَعُوا إِنَّمَا صَنَعُوا كَيْدُ سَاحِرٍ وَلَا يُفْلِحُ السَّاحِرُ حَيْثُ أَتَى [ طه: 65 - 69 ]. لَمَّا اصْطَفَّ السَّحَرَةُ وَوَقَفَ مُوسَى وَهَارُونُ، عَلَيْهِمَا السَّلَامُ، تُجَاهَهُمْ، قَالُوا لَهُ: إِمَّا أَنْ تُلْقِيَ قَبْلَنَا، وَإِمَّا أَنْ نُلْقِيَ قَبْلَكَ. قَالَ: بَلْ أَلْقُوا أَنْتُمْ. وَكَانُوا قَدْ عَمَدُوا إِلَى حِبَالٍ وَعِصِيٍّ فَأَوْدَعُوهَا الزِّئْبَقَ وَغَيْرِهِ مِنَ الْآلَاتِ الَّتِي تَضْطَرِبُ بِسَبَبِهَا تِلْكَ الْحِبَالُ وَالْعِصِيُّ اضْطِرَابًا يُخَيَّلُ لِلرَّائِي أَنَّهَا تَسْعَى بِاخْتِيَارِهَا، وَإِنَّمَا تَتَحَرَّكُ بِسَبَبِ ذَلِكَ، فَعِنْدَ ذَلِكَ سَحَرُوا أَعْيُنَ النَّاسِ وَاسْتَرْهَبُوهُمْ، وَأَلْقَوْا حِبَالَهُمْ وَعِصِيَّهُمْ وَهُمْ يَقُولُونَ: بِعِزَّةِ فِرْعَوْنَ إِنَّا لَنَحْنُ الْغَالِبُونَ [ الشُّعَرَاءِ: 44 ]. قَالَ اللَّهُ تَعَالَى: فَلَمَّا أَلْقَوْا سَحَرُوا أَعْيُنَ النَّاسِ وَاسْتَرْهَبُوهُمْ وَجَاءُوا بِسِحْرٍ عَظِيمٍ [ الْأَعْرَافِ: 116 ]. وَقَالَ تَعَالَى: فَإِذَا حِبَالُهُمْ وَعِصِيُّهُمْ يُخَيَّلُ إِلَيْهِ مِنْ سِحْرِهِمْ أَنَّهَا تَسْعَى فَأَوْجَسَ فِي نَفْسِهِ خِيفَةً مُوسَى أَيْ; خَافَ عَلَى النَّاسِ أَنْ يَفْتَتِنُوا بِسِحْرِهِمْ وَمِحَالِهِمْ قَبْلَ أَنْ يُلْقِيَ مَا فِي يَدِهِ، فَإِنَّهُ لَا يَضَعُ شَيْئًا قَبْلَ أَنْ يُؤْمَرَ، فَأَوْحَى اللَّهُ إِلَيْهِ فِي السَّاعَةِ الرَّاهِنَةِ: لَا تَخَفْ إِنَّكَ أَنْتَ الْأَعْلَى وَأَلْقِ مَا فِي يَمِينِكَ تَلْقَفْ مَا صَنَعُوا إِنَّمَا صَنَعُوا كَيْدُ سَاحِرٍ وَلَا يُفْلِحُ السَّاحِرُ حَيْثُ أَتَى فَعِنْدَ ذَلِكَ أَلْقَى مُوسَى عَصَاهُ وَقَالَ: مَا جِئْتُمْ بِهِ السِّحْرُ إِنَّ اللَّهَ سَيُبْطِلُهُ إِنَّ اللَّهَ لَا يُصْلِحُ عَمَلَ الْمُفْسِدِينَ وَيُحِقُّ اللَّهُ الْحَقَّ بِكَلِمَاتِهِ وَلَوْ كَرِهَ الْمُجْرِمُونَ [ يُونُسَ: 81، 82 ]. وَقَالَ تَعَالَى: فَأَلْقَى مُوسَى عَصَاهُ فَإِذَا هِيَ تَلْقَفُ مَا يَأْفِكُونَ [ الشُّعَرَاءِ: 45 ]. وَذَلِكَ أَنَّ مُوسَى عَلَيْهِ السَّلَامُ، لَمَّا تَقَدَّمَ وَأَلْقَاهَا صَارَتْ حَيَّةً عَظِيمَةً ذَاتَ قَوَائِمَ - فِيمَا ذَكَرَهُ غَيْرُ وَاحِدٍ مِنْ عُلَمَاءِ السَّلَفِ - وَعُنُقٍ عَظِيمٍ، وَشَكْلٍ هَائِلٍ مُزْعِجٍ، بِحَيْثُ إِنَّ النَّاسَ انْحَازُوا مِنْهَا، وَهَرَبُوا سِرَاعًا، وَتَأَخَّرُوا عَنْ مَكَانِهَا وَأَقْبَلَتْ هِيَ عَلَى مَا أَلْقَوْهُ مِنَ الْحِبَالِ وَالْعِصِيِّ، فَجَعَلَتْ تَلَقَّفَهُ وَاحِدًا وَاحِدًا، فِي أَسْرَعِ مَا يَكُونُ مِنَ الْحَرَكَةِ، وَالنَّاسُ يَنْظُرُونَ إِلَيْهَا، وَيَتَعَجَّبُونَ مِنْهَا.
Translation
✧ Pharaoh rose defeated until he entered the house. He said to Moses: "Set between us and you an appointed time that we may consider." Moses said to him: "I was not commanded to do that. I was commanded to fight you, and if you do not come out to me, I will enter upon you." Then Allah, mighty and majestic, revealed to Moses: "Set between you and him an appointed time, and leave that to him." Pharaoh said: "I make it forty days." So he did. Pharaoh would not relieve himself except once every forty days, and that day he went forty times. This was one of the greatest aims of Moses ﷺ: to make manifest the signs of Allah, His proofs, and His evidences openly in the presence of the people. Therefore he said: "Your appointment is the day of the festival" — it was a feast day of their feasts and a gathering for them — "and that the people be assembled at early forenoon," that is, from the beginning of the day, when the sun's light is intense, so that the truth would be more evident and clearer. He did not seek that it be at night in darkness, so as to foist upon them falsehood and vanity; rather, he sought that it be by day, openly, because he was upon clear insight from his Lord and certain that Allah would make manifest His word and His religion, even if the noses of the Copts were rubbed in the dust. Allah Almighty said: "So Pharaoh turned away, gathered his plot, then came." He said to them — Moses said: "Woe to you! Do not fabricate a lie against Allah, lest He destroy you with a punishment. He who fabricates has failed." So they disputed their affair among themselves and kept secret their private counsel. They said: "These two are surely sorcerers who wish to drive you out of your land by their sorcery and take away your exemplary way. So resolve your plot, then come in ranks. He who prevails today has succeeded" [Ta-Ha: 60–64]. Allah Almighty informs that Pharaoh went and gathered those sorcerers who were in his land. The land of Egypt at that time was filled with sorcerers, excellences in their art to the utmost. They gathered for him from every town and from every place. The number of sorcerers whom Pharaoh gathered: a great multitude and a huge throng assembled. It was said: they were eighty thousand — this was said by Muhammad b. Kaʿb. It was said: seventy thousand — this was said by al-Qāsim b. Abī Bazzah. Al-Suddī said: thirty-some thousand. From Abū Umāmah: nineteen thousand. Muhammad b. Isḥāq said: fifteen thousand. Kaʿb al-Aḥbār said: they were twelve thousand. Ibn Abī Ḥātim related from Ibn ʿAbbās: they were seventy men. It is also related from him that they were forty lads from the Children of Israel whom Pharaoh commanded to go to the experts and learn sorcery. Therefore they said: "And what you have forced us upon of sorcery — Allah is better and more enduring" — and in this there is doubt. Wahb said: He sent to the sorcerers, gathered them, and said: "A sorcerer has come to us the like of whom we have never seen. If you defeat him, I will honor you." Leading the sorcerers were Sātūr, ʿĀzūr, Ḥaṭḥaṭ, and Muṣaffā — they were the ones who believed when they saw the might of Allah, and the sorcerers followed them in faith. There are many statements concerning the number of the sorcerers, mentioned in the exegesis. Pharaoh, his commanders, the people of his state, and the people of his land attended, every last one of them, because Pharaoh called among them to attend this great occasion. They went out saying: "Perhaps we might follow the sorcerers if they are the victorious" [al-Shuʿarāʾ: 40]. Moses' admonition to the sorcerers and his prohibition of practicing sorcery: Moses ﷺ went forward to the sorcerers and admonished them and rebuked them for practicing false sorcery, which contained opposition to the signs of Allah and His proofs. He said: "Woe to you! Do not fabricate a lie against Allah, lest He destroy you with a punishment. He who fabricates has failed." "So they disputed their affair among themselves" — it was said: its meaning is that they differed among themselves; one said: "This is the speech of a prophet, not a sorcerer," and another said: "Rather, he is a sorcerer." Allah knows best. And they kept secret their private counsel with this and other matters. They said: "These two are surely sorcerers who wish to drive you out of your land by their sorcery." They say: "This man and his brother Aaron are two sorcerers, knowing, versed, and skilled in this craft. They intend that the people rally to them, that they overpower the king and his court, that they uproot you to the last, and gain command over you by this craft. So resolve your plot, then come in ranks. He who prevails today has succeeded." They spoke the first words so that they might deliberate, advise one another, and bring all their scheming, cunning, deception, sorcery, and slander. But far from it! By Allah, the suppositions lied and the opinions erred. How can slander, sorcery, and delirium oppose the miracles that the Judge made to flow at the hands of His servant the one who spoke with Him, and His noble messenger, supported by proof that dazzles the eyes and bewilders the minds and intellects? Their saying: "So resolve your plot" — that is, all that you have — "then come in ranks" — that is, as one group. Then they urged one another to advance in this station, because Pharaoh had promised them and given them hopes, yet Satan promises them nothing but delusion. They said: "O Moses, either you cast, or we shall be the first to cast." He said: "Rather, you cast." Then their ropes and staffs seemed to him, by their sorcery, to be moving. Moses felt fear within himself. We said: "Fear not! You are the superior. Cast what is in your right hand; it will swallow what they have made. They have made only a sorcerer's plot, and the sorcerer does not succeed wherever he comes" [Ta-Ha: 65–69]. When the sorcerers lined up and Moses and Aaron (peace be upon them) stood facing them, they said to him: "Either you cast before us, or we cast before you." He said: "Rather, you cast." They had taken ropes and staffs and infused them with quicksilver and other devices that made those ropes and staffs writhe with a motion that appeared to the observer as if they were moving of their own accord, though in fact they moved because of that. Thus they bewitched the eyes of the people and terrified them, and they cast their ropes and staffs, saying: "By the might of Pharaoh, we shall surely be the victorious" [al-Shuʿarāʾ: 44]. Allah Almighty said: "When they cast, they bewitched the eyes of the people and terrified them, and produced a great sorcery" [al-Aʿrāf: 116]. And He Almighty said: "Then their ropes and staffs seemed to him, by their sorcery, to be moving. Moses felt fear within himself" — that is, he feared that the people might be tempted by their sorcery and stratagem before he cast what was in his hand, for he would not place anything before being commanded. Allah revealed to him at that very moment: "Fear not! You are the superior. Cast what is in your right hand; it will swallow what they have made. They have made only a sorcerer's plot, and the sorcerer does not succeed wherever he comes." Then Moses cast his staff and said: "What you have brought is sorcery. Allah will surely bring it to naught. Allah does not set right the work of the corrupt. And Allah establishes the truth by His words, even if the criminals hate it" [Yūnus: 81–82]. And He Almighty said: "So Moses cast his staff, and at once it swallowed what they falsely presented" [al-Shuʿarāʾ: 45]. That is because when Moses ﷺ stepped forward and cast it, it became a great serpent with legs — as mentioned by more than one of the early scholars — and a huge neck, and a terrifying, disturbing form, such that the people drew away from it and fled quickly, retreating from its place. It advanced upon what they had thrown of ropes and staffs and began to swallow them one by one, as fast as movement could be, while the people watched and wondered at it.
Grades by grader
No grade is recorded for this wording.