Sufi parable from Rumi One merchant, also known for owning a learned parrot, once went to Hindustan on trade matters. Before setting off, he asked all his children and household members who would like to receive what kind of gift from a distant land. And each of them expressed his wish. The merchant also asked the parrot, who asked the owner:
- When you come to my father’s land, tell all the parrots of Hindustan that I am tormented by separation from them, that I constantly think about them in my captivity, and say that I am waiting for advice from them on how to cope with my sadness. After all, my motley-winged idol, my dear, lives somewhere - she and I were like Laili and Majnun, and now I remember her with love. Let her, having received the news from me, remember me too, and let her shed a tear in memory of me in the hour of joy.
The merchant swore to fulfill the parrot's request, and when he arrived in Hindustan and saw so many happy birds there, he immediately remembered his oath and accurately conveyed the bird's words. When he finished his story in front of them, one of the parrots exclaimed loudly and fell dead, spreading his exhausted wings. The merchant felt guilty for the death of the bird and for a long time scolded himself for giving vent to words and so accurately retelling what his own parrot told him.
Meanwhile, his trading affairs came to an end, and he, having purchased the promised gifts, set off on his way back.
When he returned, the parrot asked him:
-Did you fulfill my request?
- I completed it, but now I myself repent that I did it. The fact is that as soon as I told the birds how you were languishing here, one of the birds, out of compassion, became so upset that it fell dead, and neither I nor the other birds could help it.
As soon as the learned parrot heard this story, he suddenly drooped his head and fell to the bottom of his gilded cage. There he trembled and froze as strangely as his Hindustani relative. Seeing that the bird had died, its owner in grief tore off his turban, began to tear his clothes and lament:
-You were so sweet-voiced! Why did you do this to yourself? Am I now never going to hear your singing and your speech? Am I not going to bring you back to life? After all, there were no people like you even in the gardens of King Solomon!
The merchant spent the whole day in such lamentations and tears, and only in the evening he calmed down, took the cage into the garden and carefully laid out the dead bird from it. But the parrot, feeling free, suddenly came to life, opened its eyes and fluttered onto a branch.
Seeing this, the merchant was at first dumbfounded, and then cried out:
- How did you come up with this trick? Did I myself, without knowing it, bring you from Hindustan some advice from your brothers?
“You brought me news from my brothers,” answered the parrot. “They told me through you to stop pleasing people with singing, because the louder and more melodic it is, the stronger the locks on the cage, and my brother also gave me advice to pretend to be dead and thus go free.” Farewell, my master! I will never forget that I was freed thanks to your care!
The merchant thought about the parrot’s words and said:
- May the Lord protect you, for by your actions you have brought me closer to understanding the Truth. Thank you for the lesson. And now - goodbye and fly to your Hindustan.
Translated from Russian · original on wisdomlib.ru