Story 26

  It is narrated that a tyrant who purchased wood from dervishes

forcibly gave it away to rich -people gratuitously. A pious man

passing near said:

        'Thou art a snake, stingest whom thou beholdest,

        Or an owl; wherever thou sittest thou destroyest.

        Although thy oppression may pass among us

        It cannot pass with the Lord who knows all secrets.

        Oppress not the denizens of the earth

        That their supplications may not pass to heaven.'

  The tyrant, being displeased with these words, got angry and took no

notice of him until one night, when fire from the kitchen fell into

the store of his wood and burnt all he possessed-transferring him from

his soft bed to a hot mound of ashes-the same pious man happened again

to pass and to hear him saying to his friends: 'I do not know whence

this fire has fallen into my house.' replied: 'From the smoke of the

hearts of dervishes.'

        Beware of the smoke of internal wounds

        Because at last an internal wound will break out.

        Forbear to uproot one heart as long as thou canst

        Because one sigh may uproot a world.

  Upon the diadem of Kaikhosru the following piece was inscribed:

        For how many years and long lives

        Will the people walk over my head on the ground?

        As from hand to hand the kingdom came to us

        So it will also go to other hands.