Story No. 17

A few wandering dervishes were among my companions, outwardly upright and devout. A certain nobleman thought highly of this group and had granted them a fixed allowance, until one of them did something unbecoming a dervish. The man's good opinion soured and their fortunes collapsed. I wanted to find some way to secure my friends' livelihood, so I set out to see him. His doorkeeper would not let me in and treated me harshly, but I forgave him, for wise men have said: Do not hover around the door of a prince, a minister, or a king without a proper connection. When a dog and a doorkeeper find a stranger, one grabs his collar and the other his hem. As soon as the nobleman's close attendants became aware of my situation, they welcomed me with honor and set a high seat for me. But out of humility I sat lower down, and said: Let me stay your lowly servant, so I may sit in the ranks of the servants. He said: 'Good heavens! What place is there for such talk?' 'If you sit upon my head and eyes, I will bear your weight, for you are precious.' In short, I took my seat and spoke of this and that, until the matter of my friends' misstep came up, and I said: What fault did the ever generous Lord ever see, that he lets his servant grow low in his own eyes? To God alone belong true greatness and the right to judge, for he sees the sin yet keeps the bread flowing. The ruler was greatly pleased by these words and ordered that my friends' means of living be restored as before, and that they be paid for the days their allowance had been cut off. I gave thanks for the favor, kissed the ground in service, apologized for my boldness, and as I was leaving, said: Since the Kaaba became the shrine of every need, people travel to see it from distant lands, across many miles. You must put up with the likes of us, for no one throws stones at a tree that bears no fruit.