Compare versions: A Simpler Table at Lady Blomfield's

The same event, told by different sources. The canonical version below is what we publish; the alternate accounts are preserved for scholarly comparison and for noticing where retellings differ.

Canonical version

A Simpler Table at Lady Blomfield's

Secondary RetellingVarious · bahaistories.com archive

On the occasion of ‘Abdu’l-Bahá’s first dinner in the home of Lady Blomfield in London His hostess had prepared course after course in her eagerness to please Him. Afterwards He gently commented: “The food was delicious and the fruit and flowers were lovely, but would that we could share some of the courses with those poor and hungry people who have not even one.” Thereafter, the dinners were greatly simplified. Flowers and fruit remained in abundance, for these were often brought to the Master as small love tokens.

Source: Annamarie Honnold, Vignettes from the Life of ‘Abdu’l-Bahá, p. 24

Collected from bahaistories.com (Subject: simple-life).

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Alternate account · 93% similar

On the occasion of ‘Abdu’l-Bahá’s first dinner in the home of Lady

Various · bahaistories.com archive

On the occasion of ‘Abdu’l-Bahá’s first dinner in the home of Lady Bloomfield in London His hostess had prepared course after course in her eagerness to please Him. Afterwards He gently commented: ‘The food was delicious and the fruit and flowers were lovely, but would that we could share some of the courses with those poor and hungry people who have not even one.’ Thereafter the dinners were greatly simplified. Flowers and fruit remained in abundance, for those were often brought to the Master as small love tokens.

Source: Honnold, Annamarie, Vignettes from the Life of ‘Abdu’l-Bahá

Collected from bahaistories.com (Subject: generosity).

Read the original

Why are alternate accounts kept? Different retellings of the same event often vary in emphasis, detail, and tone. Scholars and devotional readers can notice these differences and trace the trustworthiness of each retelling.