322. It does not abide with every unskilled tiro: (it is) like a peacock (which does not stay) in the house of a peasant.

How the King found his falcon in the house of a decrepit old woman.

323. It is not like the falcon that fled from the King to the old crone who was sifting flour.

324. That she might cook tutmáj for her children. (When) she saw the beautiful well-born falcon,

325. She tied its little foot and clipped its wings; she cut its talons and fed it with straw.

326. “Unworthy folk,” said she, “have not kept thee in (good) trim: thy wings are overgrown and thy talons have become long.

327. Every unworthy one's hand makes thee ill: come to thy mother that she may take care of thee.”

328. Know, O friend, that such is the affection of the fool: the fool ever walks crookedly on the way.

329. The King's day became late (far-spent) in searching (for the falcon): he went (at last) to the old woman and the tent (where she lived).

330. Suddenly he espied the falcon amidst smoke and dust: the King wept sorely over it and made lament.

331. He said, “Albeit this is the retribution for thy deed, in that thou art not firm in keeping faith with me,

332. (Yet) how shouldst thou make Hell thy abode after Paradise, heedless of (the text) the people of the Fire (and those of Paradise) are not equal?

333. This is the fitting reward for one that unconscionably flees from the King who knows (him) well to the house of an old hag.”

334. (Meanwhile) the falcon was rubbing its wings against the King's hand: without tongue it was saying, “I have sinned.”

335. Where then should the vile (sinner) plead piteously, where should he moan, if Thou wilt accept naught but good, O bountiful (King)?

336. The King's grace makes the soul sin-seeking, because the King makes every foul thing fair.

337. Go, do not commit foulness, for (even) our fair deeds appear foul in the sight of our beauteous (Loved One).

338. You deemed your service worthy: thereby you raised the banner of sin.

339. Forasmuch as praise and prayer were vouchsafed to you, through making that prayer your heart became vainglorious.

340. You regarded yourself as speaking (confidentially) with God. Oh, (there is) many a one that becomes separated (from God) by this opinion.

342. The falcon said, “O King, I am penitent, I am converted, I am embracing Islam anew.

244. Though my talons are gone, when thou art mine I tear off the forelock of the sun;

345. And though my wings are gone, when Thou art kind to me the heavenly sphere lessens its play (slackens the speed of its revolution in amazement) at my play (swift and sportive flight).

346. If Thou bestow a belt on me, I will uproot the mountain;

373. “When I cause (any one) to weep, My mercy is aroused: that wailer drinks of (enjoys) My bounty.

374. If I do not wish to give, (then) indeed I do not show him (the desired gift), (but) when I have closed (contracted) his heart (with grief), I open (expand) it (with joy).

375. My mercy is dependent on that goodly weeping: when he weeps, waves rise from the sea of (My) mercy.”

How by Divine inspiration Shaykh Ahmad son of Khizrúya, may God sanctify his revered spirit, bought halwá (sweetmeat) for his creditors.

376. There was a Shaykh who was continually in debt because of the generosity which that illustrious one had (in his nature).

377. He used to make myriads of debts (by borrowing) from the great, and spend (all the money) upon the poor (dervishes) of the world. 378. He had also built a monastery (for Súfís) by (running into) debt; he had devoted life and wealth and monastery (to God).

379. God was paying his debts from every quarter: God made flour out of sand for the Friend's (Abraham's) sake.

380. The prophet said that two angels are (always) praying here in the markets, (saying),

381. “O God, do Thou give the prodigal a boon in return, and O God do Thou give the miserly a bane (in return).”

382. Especially (does this apply to) the prodigal who has freely spent his soul (life) and made his throat a sacrifice to the Creator.

383. He offers his throat, like Ismá‘íl (Ishmael): the knife can not do anything to (hurt) his throat.

384. On this account, then, the martyrs are living in joy: do not, infidel-like, look at the body (alone),

385. Since God hath given them in return the spirit of everlastingness—a spirit safe from grief and pain and misery.

386. The debtor Shaykh acted in this fashion for years, taking and giving like a steward.

387. He was sowing seeds till the day of death, that on the day of death he might be a most glorious prince.

388. When the Shaykh's life reached its end and he saw in his (bodily) existence the signs of death,

389. The creditors were seated together around him, (while) the Shaykh was gently melting on himself, like a candle.

390. The creditors had become despairing and sour-faced: the pain in (their) hearts was accompanied by pain in (their) lungs.

391. “Look at these evil-thinking men,” said the Shaykh. “Hath not God four hundred gold dinars?”

392. A boy outside shouted “Halwá!” and bragged of (the excellence of) the halwá in hope of (getting) some dángs.

393. The Shaykh with (a nod of) his head directed the famulus to go and buy the whole of the halwá,

394. (Saying to himself), “so that the creditors, when they eat the halwá, for a (short) while may not look bitterly on me.”

395. The famulus at once went out through the doorway to buy with gold the halwá entire.

396. He said to the boy, “How much is the halwá in the lump?” The boy said, “Half a dinar and some small change.”

397. “Nay,” he replied; “don't ask too much from Súfís: I will give you half a dinar. Say no more.”

398. The boy put the tray before the Shaykh. Behold (now) the mysterious secret thoughts of the Shaykh!

399. He made a sign to the creditors (as though to say), “Look, this gift (of sweetmeat) is a present (to you): eat this gladly, it is lawful (food).”

400. When the tray was emptied, the boy took it and said, “Give me the gold, O Sage.”

401. The Shaykh said, “From where shall I get the money? I am in debt and going towards non-existence.”

402. The boy in (his) grief dashed the tray upon the ground; he raised (his voice in) lamentation and weeping and moaning.

407. He came to the Shaykh and said, “O cruel Shaykh, know for sure that my master will kill me (with blows).

408. If I go (back) to him empty-handed, he will kill me: wilt thou give (him) leave (to do that)?”

409. And those creditors too turned to the Shaykh with disbelief and denial, saying, “What game was this? 410. Thou hast devoured our property and art carrying off thy iniquities (to the next world): for what reason was this other injustice (put) on the top (of all the rest)?”

411. Till afternoon prayers the boy wept; the Shaykh closed his eyes and did not look at him.

412. The Shakyh, unconcerned with abuse and opposition, had withdrawn his moon-like face under the coverlet,

413. Pleased with eternity, pleased with death, joyous, unconcerned with revilement and the talk of high or low.

414. He in whose face the Beloved smiles sweetly, what harm can befall him from the sour looks of (other) people?

415. He on whose eye the Beloved bestows a kiss, how should he grieve at Heaven and its anger?

424. The division of (the money due to) the boy (amongst the creditors) would have been (only a few dángs (for each to pay); (but) the Shaykh's (spiritual) influence stopped that generosity,

425. So that no one should give the boy anything: the power of the Pírs is even greater than this.

426. (When) it was (time for) afternoon prayers, a servant came with a tray in his hand from one like Hátim,

427. A man of property and condition: he sent it as a present to the Pír (Shaykh), for he knew about him.

428. (There were) four thousand dinars, and in a corner of the tray another half-dinar in a piece of paper.

429. The servant advanced and did honour to the Shaykh, and laid the tray before the peerless Shaykh.

430. When he (the Shaykh) uncovered the face of the tray, the people beheld the miracle (manifested) from him.

431. Immediately cries of sorrow and lamentation arose from all —“O head of the Shaykhs and (spiritual) kings, what was (the meaning of) this?

432. What secret is this? Once more, what sovereignty is this, O lord of the lords of mystery?

440. The secret of this (matter) was that I besought God: consequently He showed me the right way,

441. And said, ‘Though that dinar is little, yet (the payment of) it is dependent on the boy's outcry. 442. Until the halwá-selling boy weeps, the sea of (My) mercy is not aroused’.”

443. O brother, the child (boy) is the child (pupil) of your eye: know surely that (the gaining of) your desire is dependent on (tears of) distress.

444. If you wish that robe of honour (which you desire) should come (to you), then make the child (pupil) of your eye weep over your body.

479. O eye, thou makest lament for others: sit down awhile and weep for thyself!

480. The bough is made green and fresh by the weeping cloud, for the (same) reason that the candle is made brighter by (its) weeping.

481. Wheresoever people are lamenting, sit you there (and lament), because you have a better right to moan (than they have),

482. Inasmuch as they are (concerned) with parting from that which passes away, and are forgetful of the ruby of everlasting-ness that belongs to the mine (of Reality);

483. Inasmuch as the stamp of blind imitation is (as) a lock upon the heart;-go, scrape off (dissolve) its lock with tears,

498. The beggar says “God” for the sake of bread; the devout man says “God” from his soul.

499. If the beggar distinguished (God as He really is) from his own saying (the name of God), neither less nor more would remain before his eye.

How a peasant stroked a lion in the dark, because he thought it was his ox.

503. A peasant tied an ox in the stable: a lion ate his ox and sat in its place.

504. The peasant went into the stable to (see) the ox: the man, groping into corners, was seeking the ox at night.

505. He was rubbing his hand on the limbs of the lion, back and side, now above, now below.

506. The lion said, “If the light were to become greater, his gall-bladder would burst and his heart would turn to blood.

507. He is stroking me like this so boldly because in this (dark) night he thinks I am the ox.”

508. God is saying, “O blind dupe, did not Túr (Sinai) fall in pieces at My Name?

509. For if We had sent down (revealed) a Book to the mountain, it would have been riven asunder, then cut to pieces, and then it would have departed (disappeared).

510. If Mount Uhud had been acquainted with Me, blood would have gushed in jets from the mountain.”

511. You have heard this from your father and mother; in consequence you have embraced it thoughtlessly.

512. If you become acquainted with Him without blind imitation, by (His) grace you will become immaterial, like a voice from Heaven.

513. Hear this (following) story as a deterrent, in order that you may know the banefulness of blind imitation.