Page 60 - The Book of Rumi

The Sufi Who Lost His Donkey

merchant darvish would travel for several days in a row, trading his goods
A in towns and villages that he passed through. One night after a long
journey, he arrived at a remote town on the edge of the desert. As was cus-
tomary for darvishes, he sought the nearest Sufi House to spend the night.
When he located the establishment, he went directly to the stables to tend
to his exhausted donkey, who had patiently carried the merchandise all day.
He brought him plenty of water and hay, making sure that the animal lacked
nothing for want. Just to be sure of his donkey’s well-being, he tipped the
young stableboy to take extra care of him.
The other darvishes who were staying in the Sufi House were mostly poor
and hungry laborers, their hearts habitually on the verge of sin. When they
realized that the newcomer had a donkey in the stables, they decided to take
advantage of their sudden fortune. Unbeknown to the owner, they quickly
sold the donkey to another guest who was leaving that very same night and
spent the money buying food and candles for the evening.
As they began to prepare their meal, the men became progressively more
agitated, excited that tonight everything was perfectly set for a grand feast.
They extended much courtesy to the donkey’s owner, bowing to him repeat-
edly and making him feel welcome. Meanwhile, among themselves, they
silently celebrated the fact that they no longer needed to beg for a morsel of
food, nor would they have to fast for lack of resources in the coming days.
The owner, for his part, considered himself lucky to be at the Sufi House that
evening and able to enjoy a tasty meal in the company of great, generous Sufi s.
Little did he know!
Eventually, the food was served, and all enjoyed themselves, eating to their
hearts’ delight. Soon after they fi nished their meal, the men began the sama. 1
The dust rose under their feet, mingling with the smoke from the cooking,

1 Spiritual whirling dance of Sufi s.

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