Sufi parable from Rumi King Solomon knew the language of birds and animals, although by the grace of God it was not only this that he was elevated above people. And one morning the birds of the air gathered around the king, and each of them showed him her skill. When it was the hoopoe’s turn, he said:
“I am the only one of all birds endowed with the gift of seeing underground rivers and lakes, and I will be very useful to you, O Solomon, in your campaigns through the steppes and deserts!”
Solomon liked the words of the hoopoe, and he answered him:
“Well, you will really be useful to us in the arid lands, where only you can determine the location of underground water.”
Suddenly, a raven, overcome with envy, intervened in the conversation between the king and the hoopoe.
“He’s all lying,” croaked the raven. “If he could really see the water, then he would also see the nets in which he gets caught, like all other birds!”
“Maybe the raven isn’t lying this time,” the king doubted. - And you, hoopoe, are not so sharp-sighted?
The hoopoe answered Solomon with dignity:
“Don’t listen, king, to what my enemy will tell you!” My gaze is sharp almost always, I see everything, but I don’t notice only what threatens me, as if some kind of darkness is covering my eyes and even the bright sun is darkening!
Translated from Russian · original on wisdomlib.ru