The Story of How True Men See Themselves as Lowly

A wise young man of good and honest roots came in from the sea to a harbor in Anatolia. They saw in him learning, humility, and discernment, so they gave him lodging in a place of honor. One day the head of the pious men said to him, 'Sweep the dust and litter from the mosque.' The moment the traveler heard these words, he walked out, and no one saw him there again. The elder and the others took it to mean that the poor man had no wish to serve. The next day a servant stopped him on the road: 'You did wrong, with a warped and stubborn mind.' 'Didn't you know, you self-satisfied boy, that true men rise to greatness through service?' He began to weep from a deep and burning sincerity: 'My dear, soul-nourishing, heart-lighting friend,' 'I saw no dust or dirt in that holy place; I myself was the filth in that clean spot.' 'So I drew my steps back, of course, because the mosque is cleaner without dust and me.' For the humble dervish there is no other path than to keep his own self cast down low. If you want to rise, choose humility, for that rooftop has no ladder but this one.