An oilman possessed a parrot which used to amuse him with its agreeable prattle, and to watch his shop when he went out. One day, when the parrot was alone in the shop, a cat upset one of the oil-jars. When the oilman returned home he thought that the parrot had done this mischief, and in his anger he smote the parrot such a blow on the head as made all its feathers drop off, and so stunned it that it lost the power of speech for several days. But one day the parrot saw a bald-headed man passing the shop, and recovering its speech, it cried out, "Pray, whose oil-jar did you upset?" The passers-by smiled at the parrot's mistake in confounding baldness caused by age with the loss of its own feathers due to a blow.

Worldly senses are the ladder of earth, The health of the former is sought of the leech, The health of the latter from "The Friend." The health of the former arises from tending the body, The kingly soul lays waste the body, Happy the soul who for love of God Has lavished family, wealth, and goods! Has destroyed its house to find the hidden treasure, And with that treasure has rebuilt it in fairer sort; Has dammed up the stream and cleansed the channel, And then turned a fresh stream into. the channel;

Has cut its flesh to extract a spear-head, Causing a fresh skin to grow again over the wound; Has razed the fort to oust, the infidel in possession, Who can describe the unique work of Grace? Sometimes it presents one appearance, sometimes another. Yea, the affair of religion is only bewilderment. Not, such as occurs when one turns one's back on God, The latter has his face ever turned to God, The former's face shows his undisciplined self-will. Watch the face of each one, regard it well, It may be by serving thou wilt recognize Truth's face.

As there are many demons with men's faces, When the fowler sounds his decoy whistle, That the birds may be beguiled by that snare, The birds hear that call simulating a bird's call, And, descending from the air, find net and knife. So vile hypocrites steal the language of Darveshes, The works of the righteous are light and heat, They make stuffed lions to scare the simple, But Musailma retained the name of "Liar," And Muhammad that of "Sublimest of beings." That wine of God (the righteous) yields a perfume of musk;