1547. There was a merchant, and he had a parrot imprisoned in a cage, a pretty parrot.

1548. When the merchant made ready for travel and was about to depart to India.

1549. Because of his generosity he said to each male slave and each handmaid, “What shall I bring (home) for you? Tell (me) quickly.”

1550. Each one asked him for some object of desire: that good man gave his promise to them all.

1551. He said to the parrot, “What present would you like me to bring for you from the land of India?”

1552. The parrot said, “When thou seest the parrots there, explain my plight (and say),

1553. Such and such a parrot, who is longing for you, is in my prison by the destiny of Heaven.

1554. She salutes you and asks for justice and desires (to learn) from you the means and way of being rightly guided.

1556. Is this right—(that) I (should be) in grievous bondage, while ye are now on green plants, now on trees? 1557. The faith kept by friends, is it like this? I in this prison and ye in the rose-garden.

1558. O ye noble ones, call to mind this piteous bird, (and drink in memory of me) a morning-draught amongst the meadows!

1559. Happy it is for a friend to be remembered by friends, in particular when that (beloved) is Laylá and this (lover) Majnún.

1560. O ye who consort with your charming and adored one, am I to be drinking cups filled with my own blood?

1561. (O thou who art my beloved), quaff one cup of wine in memory of me, if thou desirest to do me justice.

**Description of the Wings of the Birds as Divine Intelligences**

1574. He is a lover of the Universal, and he himself is the Universal: he is in love with himself and seeking his own love.

1575. Such-like is the tale of the parrot which is the soul: where is that one who is the confidant of (the spiritual) birds?

1577. When he moans bitterly, without thanksgiving or complaint, a noise of tumult falls on (arises in) the Seven Spheres (of Heaven).

1578. At every moment (there come) to him from God a hundred missives, a hundred couriers: from him one (cry of) “O my Lord!” and from God a hundred (cries of) “Labbayka” (“Here am I”).

**How the Merchant Saw the Parrots of India and Delivered the Parrot's Message**

1587. When he reached the farthest bounds of India, he saw a number of parrots in the plain.

1588. He halted his beast; then he gave voice, delivered the greeting and (discharged) the trust.

1589. One of those parrots trembled exceedingly, fell, and died, and its breath stopped.

**How the Merchant Told the Parrot What Happened in India**

1649. The merchant finished his trading and returned home glad at heart.

1650. He brought a present for every male slave, he gave a token to every slave-girl.

1651. “Where is my present?” asked the parrot. “Relate what thou hast said and seen.”

1652. “Nay,” said he, “indeed I am repenting of that (which I said), gnawing my hand and biting my fingers (in remorse).

1653. Why, from ignorance and folly, did I idly bear (such) an inconsiderate message?”

1654. “O master,” said the parrot, “what is thy repentance for? What is it that causes this anger and grief?”

1655. “I told thy complaints,” said he, “to a company of parrots resembling thee.

1656. One parrot got scent of (understood) thy pain: her heart broke, and she trembled and died.

**How the Parrot Died in the Cage After Hearing the News and How the Merchant Lamented** 1691. When the bird heard what that (other) parrot had done, she trembled exceedingly, fell, and became cold.

1692. The merchant, seeing her thus fallen, sprang up and dashed his cap on the ground.

1693. When he saw her in this guise and in this state, the merchant sprang forward and tore the breast of his garment.

1694. He said, “O beautiful parrot with thy sweet cry, what is this that has happened to thee? Why hast thou become like this?

**How the Merchant Let the Parrot Out of the Cage and How the 'Dead' Parrot Flew Away**

1825. After that, he cast her out of the cage. The little parrot flew to a lofty bough.

1826. The dead parrot made such a (swift) flight as when the orient sun rushed onward.

1827. The merchant was amazed at the action of the bird: without understanding he suddenly beheld the mysteries of the bird.

1828. He lifted up his face and said, “O nightingale, give us profit (instruction) by explaining thy case.

1829. What did she (the parrot) do there (in India), that thou didst learn, devise a trick, and burn us (with grief).

1830. The parrot said, “She by her act counselled me—‘Abandon thy charm of voice and thy affection (for thy master).

1831. Because thy voice has brought thee into bondage’: she feigned herself dead for the sake of (giving me) this counsel.

1832. Meaning (to say), ‘O thou who hast become a singer to high and low, become dead like me, that thou mayst gain release.’

1909. The meaning of dying (as conveyed) by the parrot was supplication (self-abasement): make thyself dead in supplication and poverty (of spirit).

1910. That the breath of Jesus may revive thee and make thee fair and blessed as itself.

1751. thou wilt not win the (Beloved's) heart except in losing thine own.

1754. O thou who hast seen double, how hast thou regarded the Beloved?

1727. I am thinking of rhymes, and my Sweetheart says to me, “Do not think of aught except vision of Me.

1728. Sit at thy ease, My rhyme-meditating (friend): in My presence thou art rhymed with (attached to) felicity.

1729. What are words that thou shouldst think of them? What are words? Thorns in the hedge of the vineyard.

1730. I will throw word and sound and speech into confusion, that without these three I may converse with thee.

1731. That word which I kept hidden from Adam I will speak to thee, O (thou who art the) consciousness of the world.

1732. (I will tell to thee) that word which I did not communicate to Abraham, and that pain (love) which Gabriel does not know.”

1733. That word of which the Messiah (Jesus) breathed not a word God, from jealousy, did not utter even without má.

1734. "What is 'ma' in language? It means both positive and negative. I am not positive, I am selfless." (ma' = I, in Farsi).

1735. I found (true) individuality in non-individuality: therefore I wove (my) individuality into non-individuality.