Once upon a time there lived an honest man who never in his entire life sought superiority over others. He was kind and hardworking, but could not succeed in life.
The point was that this man, let's call him the Simpleton, was constantly betrayed and taken advantage of by everyone who could do it. But this did not bother him at all, and he believed - and quite rightly - that the abominations of other people could not shake his determination.
The simpleton was merciful and generous, and he was also as kind as his abilities allowed him, and when they did not allow him, he was fair. Still, he was troubled, and one day he appeared on the threshold of Sufi's house and asked him what to do.
The Sufi replied:
— Brother, honesty, hard work, kindness: all these qualities are extremely important for people, if, of course, they are achieved. You must be sure that you are truly honest and that you are not replacing generosity with greed by your stubbornness to hold your own opinion about what you do.
Then the Sufi suggested to him a way of self-observation and correction, but the Simpleton did not want to listen to how his honesty was called stubbornness, and thought that even Sufis sometimes make mistakes.
However, he decided to take a journey and ask the great saint Moussa al-Qasim for advice on how to change his destiny and what to do for spiritual development. And he went out onto the road.
Soon this kind man, crossing the desert, met a terrifying tiger. The formidable animal rolled in the dust, and as soon as the Simpleton caught up with him, he asked:
-Where are you going, son of man?
- Away from the failures of your past and present, to your dubious future. I am looking for the great saint, Moussa al-Qasim, to beg him to give me advice on what to do next.
“I am a tiger, Cher is my name,” said the beast. “I ask you, when you meet a saint, ask him to help me.” I am worthy of pity, because I am somehow different from my relatives. There is something wrong with me and I need advice from those who understand.
“With joy and pleasure,” said the Simpleton and continued on his way.
After due time, he came to the river bank and saw a huge fish gasping for air with its mouth, which was half hidden in the water. The fish spoke:
-Where are you going, son of man?
The simpleton told her everything that happened to him.
- I am a fish, and my name is Mahi. Something's wrong with me. For some reason I can't swim in the water and I feel like I need help. Please, when you see a saint, ask him to send me help.
The simpleton promised her too, and went his way.
After long wanderings, the pilgrim met three people who were tirelessly digging in a piece of sandy earth. The simpleton stopped and asked why they were working on such hopeless soil.
“We are three sons of one good man, and let it be known to you that our father recently died,” they told him. “Our father left us this land as an inheritance and bequeathed to us to dig it up, which is what we are doing. However, it seems that she is so poor that nothing will appear on her soon.
They asked the Simpleton about his life and, having learned that he was going to the saint, asked him to find out what the meaning of their father's will was. The simpleton happily agreed and moved on.
He soon found the teacher sitting modestly, surrounded by several students. The Saint said: “Speak,” and the Simpleton told his story:
“I am such and such, I have come to ask for your help, but first I must fulfill what is entrusted to me, sir, by three people, a fish and a tiger, whom I met along the way and who perhaps deserve your kindness.”
When asked to continue, he spoke about the difficulties of the people, the fish and the tiger.
“Now, Your Presence, let me state my humble concerns.”
But Mussa al-Kasim interrupted him:
- My brother! The answer to your difficulties lies in what I have advised to those you have met along the way.
And the Simpleton, having listened, hurried back, wondering how to understand the words of the sage and solve his problems.
In such thoughts, he came to the three brothers who were still working on the barren land. He told them:
“I visited the saint, and I pass on his advice to you: “Let three people dig in the very center of the field, and they will find a treasure there.” This is the meaning of their father’s will.”
The simpleton helped the brothers, and soon they unearthed countless treasures, and in addition there were amazing tools that made it possible to achieve what people usually call miracles, whether to use them to serve people or otherwise.
The brothers offered Simpleton his share of wonderful tools and treasures, but he refused:
- Good friends, I was just doing my duty! All this belongs to you, and I have no rights to it. Be in peace! - and with these words he left.
Soon he reached the fish, who asked if he had brought her healing.
- Oh fish! Know that the great saint, thanks to his sensitivity, was able to alleviate the lot of the three poor brothers by pointing them to the treasure. His advice to you was: “Let someone hit the left side of the fish’s head, and it will gain the ability to swim and play in the water, like all fish.”
The fish asked the Simpleton to do this, and he took his staff and hit the fish where the sage pointed. As soon as he did this, the fish gained the ability to swim and jump out of the water and play like all fish. She swam up to Simpleton and thanked him deeply.
But the Simpleton said to the fish:
“Mahi, when I hit you on the head, a stone fell out of your gill, which prevented you from swimming and upset your balance.”
- Yes, yes! - Mahi said, - but now it doesn’t matter. The main thing is that I am healthy and free!
- Yes, but... this stone is a diamond of the purest water, the size of a pumpkin. Here it lies on the shore, and if you don’t take it, someone will probably drag it away.
- What good do diamonds benefit me, a fish? - said the fish and swam away into the depths, thanking its benefactor.
- My sister! You will be robbed if this stone remains here,” and he threw it after the fish, which disappeared into the depths.
Finally, the Simpleton came to the place where the unfortunate tiger was sitting. He recounted his adventures and the tiger asked what was intended for him.
“The saint said: “Your situation can only be improved if you eat some idiot.” Once you do this, you won't have any more problems.
“Just like you,” the tiger growled, jumping on the Simpleton.
Translated from Russian · original on wisdomlib.ru