Story 

  Several travellers were on a journey together and equally sharing

each other's troubles and comforts. I desired to accompany them but

they would not agree. Then I said: 'It is foreign to the manners of

great men to turn away the face from the company of the poor and so

deprive themselves of the advantage they might derive therefrom

because I for one consider myself sufficiently strong and energetic to

be of service to men and not an encumbrance. Although I am not

riding on a beast, I shall aid you in carrying blankets.' One of

them said: 'Do not be grieved at the words thou hast heard because

some days ago a thief in the guise of a dervish arrived and joined our

company.'

        How can people know who is in the dress?

        The writer is aware what the book contains.

  As the state of dervishes is safe, they entertained no suspicion

about him and received him as a friend.

        The outward state of Arifs is the patched dress.

        It suffices as a display to the face of the people.

  Strive by thy acts to be good and wear anything thou listest.

  Place a crown on thy head and a flag on thy back.

  The abandoning of the world, of lust, and of desire

  Is sanctity, not the abandonment of the robe only.

  It is necessary to show manhood in the fight.

  Of what profit are weapons of war to an hermaphrodite?

  We travelled one day till the night set in during which we slept

near a fort and the graceless thief, taking up the water-pot of a

companion, pretending to go for an ablution, departed for plunder.

        A pretended saint who wears the dervish garb

        Has made of the Ka'bah's robes the covering of an ass.

  After disappearing from the sight of the dervishes, he went to a

tower from which he stole a casket and, when the day dawned, the

dark-hearted wretch had already progressed a considerable distance. In

the morning the guiltless sleeping companions were all taken to the

fort and thrown into prison. From that date we renounced companionship

and took the road of solitude, according to the maxim: Safety is in

solitude.

        When one of a tribe has done a foolish thing

        No honour is left either to the low or the high.

        Seest thou not how one ox of the pasturage

        Defiles all oxen of the village?

  I replied: 'Thanks be to the God of majesty and glory, I have not

been excluded from the advantages enjoyed by dervishes, although I

have separated myself from their society. I have profited by what thou

hast narrated to me and this admonition will be of use through life to

persons like me.'

        For one rude fellow in the assembly

        The heart of intelligent men is much grieved.

        If a tank be filled with rose-water

        A dog falling into it pollutes the whole.