Tiny Tales: Traditional Stories in 100 Words: Book: Sufis

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Tiny Tales from the Sufis

Welcome to Tiny Tales from the Sufis. This is a collection of two hundred stories from Sufi storytellers, and each story is just 100 words long.

PDF - EPUB - MOBI - HTML - TXT - Audio - Kindle - Print - Random

Creative Commons. This work is released with a Creative Commons license: CC BY-NC-SA 4.0. That means you can remix and reuse individual stories or the contents of the whole book with attribution for non-commercial purposes, provided that you release your work with the same license. Find out more.
Attribution: Tiny Tales from the Sufis by Laura Gibbs.
Version: October 18 2020.

You can access the book in a variety of formats, along with individual stories here at the blog (see story title list and links below).

Pressbooks. This is a web-based presentation of the book with all the stories on one page. Even better: you can highlight the stories using Hypothesis; just click on the upper right-hand corner for the Hypothesis toolbar.

Audiobook. There is a free audiobook you can listen to via SoundCloud. I've also made the mp3 files available for download if you prefer not to use SoundCloud and/or if you want to repurpose the audio (which is also released with the CC BY-NC-SA 4.0 license).

EPUB. You can use this EPUB file for ebook readers like Nook, etc.

MOBI. You can download this MOBI file to load onto your Kindle, and this Kindle MOBI file is free! Here's how to add a free MOBI file to your Kindle.

Kindle Store. You can get a Kindle version of the book for 99 cents.

Print. There is a paperback version for $5.99 from Amazon (free Prime shipping).

Randomizer. You can see a story from the book at random, and you can also get the javascript code to add the randomizer to your own blog or website if you want.

Text file. This is a plain text file, no special characters. This option might be useful if you want to repurpose the entire book with your own formatting; see Creative Commons licensing CC BY-NC-SA above.

HTML. If you want to read a web-based presentation without the Hypothesis toolbar, this is a very simple HTML version.

PDF. You can download a PDF copy of the book.

Diigo. If you are interested in searching the contents of the book, searching the Diigo bookmark collection might be useful! You can use Boolean searches of the #sufis:book items. For example: Moses.

~ ~ ~

TINY TALES FROM THE SUFIS
A Book of Two Hundred 100-Word Stories

ABOUT THIS BOOK

The Sufis are spiritual seekers of the Islamic tradition, and much Sufi wisdom is conveyed in story form. In this book you will find stories from the Persian poet Rumi and other Sufi saints, along with stories from modern Sufi teachers such as Inayat Khan. You will meet the mad lover Majnun in these pages, and also the wise fool Nasruddin. Sufi stories aim to jolt you into a new awareness of reality, and, like parables, the stories sometimes conceal their deeper meaning. Look beneath the surface; you might realize the story is about you. Find out more here:

Sufis.LauraGibbs.net

The paragraph you just read about the Sufis is 100 words long, as is this paragraph, and that's also the length of each story in this book. The stories go fast, but you can slow down when you find one you like. Read it again. Let it sink in. Maybe even write your own version of the story, using your imagination to add more details. Meanwhile, if you don't like a story, don't get bogged down; just move on to the next one. There are more 100-word stories from the Sufis, along with stories from other cultural traditions, at:

100Words.LauraGibbs.net

THE STORIES

1. A Handful of Dust
2. Noah and Canaan
3. The Child in the Shipwreck
4. Abraham in the Fire
5. The Sound of Joseph's Cup
6. Pharaoh and the Newborns
7. Moses and Khidr
8. The Language of Animals
9. Moses and the Bearded Dervish
10. Moses and the Shepherd
11. God Questions Moses
12. Moses Questions God
13. Moses Seeks Advice from Iblis
14. Azrael and King Solomon
15. The Gnat and King Solomon
16. Jesus and the Jug of Water
17. Jesus and the Name of God
18. Jesus and the Fool
19. Jesus Went Walking
20. The Dreams of the Three Travelers
21. The Sufi Who Went to Heaven
22. The Bundles of Misery
23. The Dervish and the Ship's Captain
24. The Man of Baghdad's Treasure
25. The Haunted Mosque
26. The Sultan's Seven Years
27. Turning Lead into Gold
28. The Water of Old
29. The Stream in the Desert
30. The Bread and the Ocean
31. Qays and Layla in Love
32. Majnun and Layla's Dog
33. Majnun and Layla's Beauty
34. Majnun's Eyes
35. Majnun and the Letter-Carrier
36. Majnun and the Shepherd
37. Majnun and the Caravan
38. Majnun's Feet
39. Majnun among the Beggars
40. Majnun's Blood
41. Majnun and the Tree
42. The Beggar and the King
43. Knocking at the Door
44. The Man without a Key
45. The Traveler and the Teacher
46. The Palace with One Door
47. The King's New Palace
48. The Boy and his Candle
49. The Faithful Man's Shadow
50. The Sufi and the Gravedigger
51. The King Enslaved
52. The Dervish and the Rich Man
53. A Prayer for a Tyrant
54. The Disciple Sentenced to Death
55. The Teacher in the Tavern
56. The Wisest Man in the City
57. The Old Man and the Two Strangers
58. Seeking the Tree of Heaven
59. Advice to a Seeker
60. The Death of Socrates
61. Muhammad and the Eagle
62. Ali and his Servant
63. Ali and the Knight
64. When Hallaj Grew Pale
65. The Caliph and the Pearl
66. The King's Caravansary
67. King Ibrahim on the Roof
68. King Ibrahim Hears the Voice
69. King Ibrahim and the Needle
70. King Ibrahim and the Old Sufi
71. Rabia's House
72. Rabia and the Governor of Basra
73. Rabia's Total Devotion
74. Rabia and the Blanket
75. Rabia and the Purse of Gold
76. Rabia and the Donkey
77. Rabia Breaks her Fast
78. Rabia and the Bread
79. Rabia and the Preacher
80. Rabia's Needle
81. Rabia and Hasan
82. Rabia Instructs Hasan
83. Rabia and Hasan by the Lake
84. Rabia and Sufyan
85. Rabia and Riyah al-Qaysi
86. Rabia and the Villagers
87. Rabia and Azrael
88. Rabia's Grave
89. A Vision of Rabia
90. Finding Bayazid
91. Bayazid's Pilgrimage
92. Bayazid in Ecstasy
93. Dhul-Nun the Madman
94. The Grieving Sufi and Shabli
95. The Disciple and the Dove
96. Junaid's Disciples and the Chickens
97. Junaid's New Neighbor
98. Abu Mansur and the Sultan
99. Abu Said on the Path
100. Fruits and Thorns
101. Abu Said's Recitations
102. Abu Said and the Learned Cleric
103. Abu Said and the Straight Path
104. Abu Said and God's Secret Mysteries
105. Abu Said and the Wealthy Disciple
106. Abu Said and the Wine-Merchant
107. Abu Said and the King of the Gamblers
108. Abu Said and the Bucket of Ashes
109. Abu Said and the Bags of Filth
110. Abu Said's Horse
111. Sultan Mahmud's Golden Bracelet
112. Sultan Mahmud and his Servants
113. Sultan Mahmud Watches Ayaz
114. Sultan Mahmud and the Pearl
115. Ahmad Yasawi and the Seeker
116. Abu Ali and the Old Woman
117. Jafar Seeks a Teacher
118. Little Rumi and the Angels
119. Sanai, The Court Poet
120. Chishti the Musician
121. Nimatullah and the Stolen Lamb
122. Jami and the Would-Be Disciple
123. Jami and the Physician's Son
124. Nasruddin and the Quick Learner
125. Nasruddin and the Scholar
126. Nasruddin and the Would-Be Disciple
127. A Conversation without Words
128. God Created the Camel
129. Nasruddin's Sermon
130. Nasruddin and the Pilgrims
131. Nasruddin and the Shrine
132. Nasruddin Crossing the Lake
133. Nasruddin in a New Town
134. Nasruddin Leaves the Tavern
135. Nasruddin by Night
136. Nasruddin and the Frogs
137. Nasruddin and the Man's Bag
138. Nasruddin and the Drowning Man
139. Nasruddin and the Music Teacher
140. Nasruddin at the Baths
141. A Sign for Nasruddin's Restaurant
142. Nasruddin's Duck Soup
143. Nasruddin and the Puddle
144. Nasruddin on the Way to the Cemetery
145. A Beggar at the Door
146. The Wicked Man's Thornbush
147. The Peasant and the General
148. The Farmer and the Thief
149. The Schoolboys and their Teacher
150. The Tanner who Fainted
151. The Bedouin's Pitcher of Water
152. The Bedouin and his Two Sacks
153. A First Time at Sea
154. The Patient Fisherman
155. The Woman and the Brick Wall
156. A Man Who Gathers Stones
157. A Man Seeking a House
158. The Prisoner and the Prayer Rug
159. The Princess and the Slave
160. The Contest of the Artists
161. The King Rides to Damascus
162. The Old Man and the Doctor
163. Sharing the Cucumbers
164. The Mayor's Servant and the Donkey
165. The Sufi and his Father
166. The Elephant in the Dark
167. The Lost Camel
168. The Wandering Sufi and his Donkey
169. The Thief who Stole a Snake
170. The Frozen Dragon
171. Shelter from the Storm
172. The Hunter's Divine Revelation
173. The Dog at the River
174. The Lion Tattoo
175. The Hunter of Monkeys
176. The Hypnotized Sheep
177. The Elephant's Child
178. The Child and the Monster
179. What a Cat Can Teach
180. The Camel and the Mouse
181. The Mule and the Camel
182. Camel, Ox, and Ram
183. The Ant and the Wasp
184. The Fly and the Beehive
185. The Donkey and the Stallions
186. The Gazelle and the Donkey
187. The Moths and the Candle
188. The Ants and the Pen
189. The Three Fish
190. The Jackal and the Pot of Dye
191. The Lion and the Fox
192. Lion, Wolf, and Fox
193. The Lion and the Rabbit
194. The Elephants and the Rabbits
195. A Cow on an Island
196. The Miser
197. The Bird's Advice
198. The Man and the Bear
199. The Wild Parrots of India
200. The Cook and the Chickpea

STORY SOURCES

Arberry, A. J. Tales from the Masnavi and More Tales from the Masnavi.

Arnold, Edwin. The Gulistan; being the Rose-garden of Shaikh Sa'di.

Borrow, George. The Turkish Jester.

Chatterjee, Debjani. Sufi Stories from Around the World.

Edwards, A. Hart. The Bustan of Sadi.

Jamnia, Mohammad Ali and Mojdeh Bayat. Under the Sufi's Cloak: Stories of Abu Said and His Mystical Teaching.

Johnson, Mansur. Big Tales (of Hazrat Inayat Khan).

Khan, Adalut. The rose-necklace, being the selections from the Gulistan and the Anwaar-i Suhaili.

Mahfuzdur, Her Hakki. 202 Jokes of Nasreddin Hodja.

Muhaiyaddeen, M. R. Baw. Come to the Secret Garden: Sufi Tales of Wisdom.

Nakosteen, Mehdi. Mulla's Donkey and Other Friends.

Neruda, Nico. The Little Book of Sufi Parables.

Nott, S. C. The Conference of the Birds by Farid Ud-Din Attar.

Nurbakshsh, Javad. Sufi Women.

Rahman, Imam Jamal. Sacred Laughter of the Sufis.

Shah, Idries. Knowing How to Know.

Shah, Idries. Learning How to Learn.

Shah, Idries. Seeker After Truth.

Shah, Idries. Tales of the Dervishes.

Shah, Idries. The Dermis Probe.

Shah, Idries. The Hundred Tales of Wisdom.

Shah, Idries. The Magic Monastery.

Shah, Idries. The Sufis.

Shah, Idries. The Way of the Sufi.

Shah, Idries. Thinkers of the East.

Shah, Idries. Wisdom of the Idiots.

Corrigenda: None thus far.

~ 1. A Handful of Dust ~

Laura Gibbs · 1. A Handful of Dust

God told Gabriel, "Fetch me a handful of Earth's dust."

"No!" said Earth. She didn't want God to create Adam.

God sent Michael. Earth refused.

Then Seraphiel. Earth refused.

Finally, God sent Azrael.

"I cannot fail to accomplish God's command," Azrael said to Earth.

They debated back and forth, and when Earth was distracted by their argument, Azrael snatched the handful of dust.

God then appointed Azrael as the Angel of Death.

"But everyone will hate and fear me," said Azrael.

"I will create fevers and sicknesses," God replied, "and weapons of war. They will bear the blame, not you."

Inspired by: The English prose version of Rumi in More Tales from the Masnavi by A. J. Arberry.
Notes: This is story 145 in the book.

~ 2. Noah and Canaan ~

Laura Gibbs · 2. Noah and Canaan

Inspired by: The English prose version of Rumi in Tales from the Masnavi by A. J. Arberry.
Notes: This is story 72 in the book. Different versions in the Muslim tradition give different names to Noah's recalcitrant son. Rumi tells the story about Canaan.

(Miniature from Hafiz-i Abru’s Majma al-tawarikh)

~ 3. The Child in the Shipwreck ~

Laura Gibbs · 3. The Child in the Shipwreck

"Why are you grieving?" God asked Azrael, Angel of Death.

"Because of the child from the shipwreck," said Azrael. "Remember? I saw a mother and child clinging to a plank. You let me save the mother, but not the child. I'm still grieving."

"Hear what happened next," God replied. "I told the waves to bear the child to an island. A leopardess nursed him. The fairies taught him. But that blessed child grew up to become Nimrod, an unbeliever who curses my name and persecutes my prophet Abraham, casting him into the fire. That's the child for whom you grieve!"

Inspired by: The English prose version of Rumi in More Tales from the Masnavi by A. J. Arberry.
Notes: This is story 199 in the book. For more about Azrael and about Nimrod, see Wikipedia.

~ 4. Abraham in the Fire ~

Laura Gibbs · 4. Abraham in the Fire

There is a living fire that gives life, and a death-dealing fire that brings fear. All believers should burn with the living fire as Abraham did, the son of Azar.

Azar was a maker of idols, but Abraham smashed the idols of the temple with an ax. Abraham spared only the largest idol, putting the ax in the idol's hands.

"Who smashed the idols?" shouted the people.

"Just ask the idol with the ax in its hands!" Abraham replied.

Enraged, King Nimrod threw Abraham into the fire, but with God's help, Abraham did not die in the fire: Abraham lived.

Inspired by: Under the Sufi's Cloak: Stories of Abu Said and His Mystical Teaching by Mohammad Ali Jamnia and Mojdeh Bayat
Notes: This story is on p. 28 of the book. You can read more about Nimrod and Ibrahim (Abraham) at Wikipedia.

(Ibrahim in the fire)

~ 5. The Sound of Joseph's Cup ~

Laura Gibbs · 5. The Sound of Joseph's Cup

During a famine, Joseph's brothers came to Egypt for relief.

Joseph received them, his face covered with a veil.

As they spoke, Joseph kept striking a cup which resounded mournfully.

Finally, Joseph's brothers could bear it no longer. "What is the meaning of this mournful sound?" they asked.

Joseph struck the cup. "The cup says you had a brother named Joseph."

Again. "It says you threw Joseph into a well."

Again. "You sold him into slavery."

Again. "You told your father his son was dead."

Joseph's brothers all wept and were afraid.

Now they were the ones in the well.

Inspired by: The Conference of the Birds by Farid Ud-Din Attar, translated by S. C. Nott
Notes: This is in section 31: Joseph and his Brethren.

~ 6. Pharaoh and the Newborns ~

Laura Gibbs · 6. Pharaoh and the Newborns

Pharaoh's astrologers predicted the night of Moses's conception, and nine months later, Pharaoh summoned the Israelite mothers and their newborns.

"Bring your babes," Pharaoh proclaimed, "and I will give you golden gifts."

Then, when the women came, Pharaoh's soldiers executed every male child.

Moses's mother was more cautious. She didn't go to Pharaoh, and when soldiers came looking for her, she hid Moses in the oven.

"God protect him!" she prayed as she threw Moses into the fire.

The soldiers came, and they did not find the child.

By God's grace, Moses survived the fire: it did not burn him.

Inspired by: The English prose version of Rumi in Tales from the Masnavi by A. J. Arberry.
Notes: This is story 68 in the book. You can read more about the Islamic legends of Moses at Wikipedia.

~ 7. Moses and Khidr ~

Laura Gibbs · 7. Moses and Khidr

Moses was traveling with Khidr, his teacher.

"Obey," Khidr told Moses, "and be silent."

They saw a child drowning in a river. "Save him!" shouted Moses.

"Be silent," Khidr said, "and obey."

They saw a ship sinking in a lake. "Save them!" shouted Moses.

"You are not being silent," said Khidr. "You are not obeying."

Only later did Khidr explain. "The boy who drowned would have led the world into cataclysmic war if he had lived. The boat was full of pirates who were ready to attack a ship of pilgrims. God is behind it all; be silent, and obey."

Inspired by: Big Tales by Hazrat Inayat Khan, compiled and edited by Mansur Johnson. the Hazrat Inayat Khan Study Database.
Notes: This is a story in Part 1 of the book: Khidr, the Murshid of Moses. You can find out more about al-Khidr at Wikipedia. This story is inspired by a famous episode of the Quran: Moses and Khidr.

~ 8. The Language of Animals ~

Laura Gibbs · 8. The Language of Animals

A man said to Moses, "Teach me the language of animals!"

"You'll regret it," Moses warned him, but the man insisted.

So Moses taught him.

The man then understood what the animals said.

"Cock-a-doodle-doo! Horse will die today!" shouted the rooster.

So the man sold his horse.

The next morning: "Cock-a-doodle-doo! Slave will die today."

So the man sold his slave.

The next morning, the man was shocked to hear: "Cock-a-doodle-doo! Master will die today."

The man ran to Moses for help. "Save me from this doom!"

"Go sell yourself if you can," said Moses. "There's nothing I can do."

Inspired by: The English prose version of Rumi in Tales from the Masnavi by A. J. Arberry.
Notes: This is story 89 in the book. In the original story, the rooster's words are in a dialogue with the dog: the two animals are arguing about food, so each time the rooster makes the prediction it is in the context of the dog getting something good to eat, and the dog gets angrier and angrier. I had to leave out one of the predictions; in Rumi's story, it goes horse-mule-slave-master.

~ 9. Moses and the Bearded Dervish ~

Laura Gibbs · 9. Moses and the Bearded Dervish

A dervish begged Moses for help. "Please ask God why I can't make spiritual progress despite my endless prayers and deep devotion."

When Moses asked God, God explained, "That dervish is obsessed with his beautiful bushy beard. He even interrupts his prayers to comb his beard. His beard obsession is blocking his progress."

Moses told the dervish what God said, and the dervish immediately began tearing out his beard, wailing.

The angel Gabriel then appeared to Moses. "Look at that poor dervish!" Gabriel scoffed. "While tearing out his beard, he's just as obsessed with it now as he was before."

Inspired by: The Conference of the Birds by Farid Ud-Din Attar, translated by S. C. Nott
Notes: This is in section 34: A Dervish Who Possessed a Beautiful Beard.

~ 10. Moses and the Shepherd ~

Laura Gibbs · 10. Moses and the Shepherd

Moses overheard a shepherd in the desert. "I will darn your socks!" said the shepherd. "I will kiss your hands and rub your feet! I will comb your hair and remove all the lice!"

"Surely you're not speaking to me," Moses called out. "Who are you talking to?"

"To the Creator! God! My beloved!" replied the shepherd.

"You can't talk to God like that," said Moses indignantly.

Ashamed, the faithful shepherd began to weep.

Then God rebuked Moses. "How dare you scoff at this shepherd's devotion? I hear the heart, not the words. Let love's fire burn in every heart!"

Inspired by: The English prose version of Rumi in Tales from the Masnavi by A. J. Arberry.
Notes: This is story 40 in the book.

11. God Questions Moses

Laura Gibbs · 11. God Questions Moses

"Moses!" God called. "Moses! Why didn't you visit me when I was sick?"

"I don't understand," Moses replied. "You are All-Powerful and All-Perfect! How could you be sick?"

But God didn't answer Moses's question. Instead, God said, "When I was sick, why didn't you ask after me?"

"God, I still don't understand," replied Moses. "How could you be sick?"

"When my servant is sick, then I am sick," God replied. "Why didn't you visit me when I was sick?"

Moses wept and said, "O God, now I understand. I will ask after your servants and visit them in their sickness."

Inspired by: The English prose version of Rumi in Tales from the Masnavi by A. J. Arberry.
Notes: This is story 45 in the book.

12. Moses Questions God

Laura Gibbs · 12. Moses Questions God

Moses once asked God, "Why do you destroy the life you have brought forth?"

God did not answer the question but only said, "Go sow a field with seed, and then you will know."

Moses sowed, the crop grew, and the ears of wheat waved in the wind. Moses took a sickle and began the harvest.

Then God's voice rang out. "Why do you destroy the life you have brought forth?"

"Because I must separate the straw and grain on the threshing floor," Moses replied.

"If you understand how to do that," replied God, "then know that I do likewise."

Inspired by: The English prose version of Rumi in More Tales from the Masnavi by A. J. Arberry.
Notes: This is story 125 in the book.

13. Moses Seeks Advice from Iblis

Laura Gibbs · 13. Moses Seeks Advice from Iblis

"Moses!" said God. "I see that you are troubled. Go ask Iblis for advice."

So Moses went to see Iblis, who had once been a heavenly angel but who had rebelled and been cast out.

"God sent me to you for advice," Moses said to Iblis.

"My advice is simple," replied Iblis. "Never say "I" about anything. Set aside all ego. That way you won't become like me. Your vanity and self-pride, your resentment, your envy and your anger are like dragons. Yet instead of subduing them, you pet them and cherish them, and you do so at your peril."

Inspired by: The Conference of the Birds by Farid Ud-Din Attar, translated by S. C. Nott
Notes: This is in section 34: God Speaks to Moses. You can read more about Iblis at Wikipedia. In the original, the narrator is the one who speaks of dragons, but I attributed those words to Iblis.

14. Azrael and King Solomon

Laura Gibbs · 14. Azrael and King Solomon

"Save me, King!" shouted Solomon's courtier. "The angel of death looked at me angrily in the marketplace!"

"I cannot save you from Azrael," Solomon replied.

"Command the winds to transport me to India; that way I'll escape."

Solomon commanded the winds; whoooosh... the winds carried the man to India.

The next day, Azrael visited Solomon's court.

"Why did you look upon my courtier so angrily that he fled to India?" Solomon asked.

"I wasn't angry at him," Azrael replied. "I was simply astonished to see him there because I knew he was fated to die later that day in India."

Inspired by: The English prose version of Rumi in Tales from the Masnavi by A. J. Arberry, 6.
Notes: See Wikipedia for more about King Solomon in folklore and also about Azrael, the angel of death.

Here is a manuscript illustration of King Solomon attributed to Mirza Ghulam (Walters Art Museum); Solomon is talking to the hoopoe bird, who is part of another legend about Solomon (hoopoe legends here).

15. The Gnat and King Solomon

Laura Gibbs · 15. The Gnat and King Solomon

A gnat came to King Solomon's court with a complaint.

"We gnats beg you for protection from the wind!" shouted the gnat. "He blows us wherever he wants; we are powerless under his sway."

"Let us hear what the wind says about this," said King Solomon. "Wind, I summon you here to face your accuser!"

The wind rushed in, and the gnat flew away.

"Where are you going?" shouted Solomon. "The accused must confront his accuser!"

"The wind is my doom!" the gnat's voice cried faintly from far away. "I cannot breathe when he blows: in his presence, I'm nothing."

Inspired by: The English prose version of Rumi in Tales from the Masnavi by A. J. Arberry.
Notes: This is story 100 in the book.

16. Jesus and the Jug of Water

Laura Gibbs · 16. Jesus and the Jug of Water

Jesus and his companion drank from a stream.

"How sweet this water is!" Jesus said.

They filled a jug with water from the stream and continued their journey.

When Jesus felt thirsty, he drank from the jug but immediately spat it out. "I don't understand!" he exclaimed. "It's the same water. Why does it taste bitter?"

The jug itself answered Jesus. "I'm old as earth, made and remade many times, taking many forms; this time my form is that of a jug. I always carry the bitterness of death, and it is death's bitterness you just tasted in my water."

Inspired by: The Conference of the Birds by Farid Ud-Din Attar, translated by S. C. Nott
Notes: This is in section 26: Jesus and the Pitcher of Water.

17. Jesus and the Name of God

Laura Gibbs · 17. Jesus and the Name of God

A fool kept begging Jesus for the secret of resurrection. "Teach me the name of God that restores the dead to life!"

But Jesus refused.

"Look! Some bones!" the fool exclaimed. "You can recite the secret name and bring the bones to life."

Jesus prayed, and God brought the bones back to life.

They were a lion's bones, and the raging lion tore the fool to pieces.

"Why don't you eat him?" Jesus asked the lion.

"I ate all I needed in life," said the lion. "I killed this fool not for food, but so others can see and learn."

Inspired by: The English prose version of Rumi in Tales from the Masnavi by A. J. Arberry.
Notes: This is story 23 in the book.

18. Jesus and the Fool

Laura Gibbs · 18. Jesus and the Fool

A fool chased Jesus through the wilderness; Jesus fled as though from a lion.

"Why are you fleeing?" shouted the fool.

"I'm fleeing from you, fool!"

"But aren't you Jesus who heals the deaf and the blind?"

"Yes."

"Who brings life to birds made of clay?"

"Yes."

"Then why are you afraid of me?" asked the fool.

"I can heal the sick and I can quicken lifeless matter, but there is nothing I can do for the fools. I have tried to save them, but a fool's heart is hard; it is the sand in which no green can grow."

Inspired by: The English prose version of Rumi in Tales from the Masnavi by A. J. Arberry.
Notes: This is story 83 in the book. The story of Jesus and the clay birds is in the Koran, Sura 5 verse 110.

19. Jesus Went Walking

Laura Gibbs · 19. Jesus Went Walking

The great teacher Al-Ghazali told this story about Jesus.

Jesus went walking along the road and saw a group of richly dressed people who all looked very sad.

"What's wrong?" he asked.

"We are sorrowing because of our fear of Hell," they replied.

Jesus continued walking and saw some more sad-looking people.

"What's wrong?" he asked.

"We are anxious that we will not attain Paradise," they replied.

Jesus continued and met a third group of people. Their clothes were humble, but their faces shone with joy.

"Rejoice!" they said. "We have seen the Truth!"

And Jesus rejoiced with those people.

Inspired by: The Way of the Sufi by Idries Shah, free to read online at the Idries Shah Foundation.
Notes: This is on p. 59 in the book. You can read about Al-Ghazali and Islamic traditions about Isa-ibn-Maryan (Jesus) at Wikipedia.