Story 16

One of the righteous saw in a dream a king in paradise and a devout ascetic in hell. He asked what raised the one to such heights and cast the other into the depths, since people had believed the exact opposite. A voice replied: this king is in paradise because he honored the poor, and this ascetic is in hell because he sought the company of kings. What good is your ragged cloak, your prayer rug, your patched robe? Keep yourself clear of shameful deeds instead. You have no need to wear a coarse woolen cap: be a dervish at heart, and you may wear a Tartar cap if you like.