Page 44 - The Book of Rumi

“You dare speak of yourself in my presence?” snapped the lion. “Fancy-
ing that you even exist while in the company of an unrivaled, majestic king is
blasphemy! Come forward quickly,” he ordered.
As soon as the wolf took his fi rst step, the lion lifted his monstrous paw
and ripped his head off, then shredded his body, leaving just a shell. “This
low-born creature was entirely ruled by his ego! No room for him in my king-
dom!” announced the lion nobly.
Once he was fi nished with the wolf, the lion turned to the fox. “Fox, it’s
your turn to divide the loot. Hurry up, as I’m feeling peckish.”
The fox bowed respectfully, swallowing his fear. “Your honor, this fat
bull is for your delightful breakfast,” he said with nervous discomfort. “The
mountain goat will be appropriate for your lunch, and the rabbit will suffi ce
for your delectable supper.”
“Where did you learn how to divide the loot in this manner?” asked the
surprised lion king.
“From watching the desecrated body of the wolf, your honor.”
“You’re a smart fox,” the lion admitted. “You’ve been absorbed into your
love for me, and you’ve stopped regarding yourself as separate from the object
of your love. Now you can only see me while you no longer exist; that’s why I
will let you have all three catches. Take them and be gone; I’ll never hurt you.
You may not only have the prey but I, too, am yours now! One who learns a
lesson from watching his friends’ mistakes is indeed the wisest one.”
The fox couldn’t believe his luck, silently giving thanks to God that the
lion had fi rst chosen the wolf to divide the loot; otherwise, it would have been
his dead corpse sprawled over the prairie.

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