Page 83 - The Book of Rumi

A Thief at Hand

n the middle of the night, a man heard footsteps in his home and quickly
Igot out of bed to investigate. Sure enough, in his sitting room there stood a

thief, his hands filled with valuable objects. Taking fright, the burglar dropped
everything he had gathered and jumped out the window onto the street, while
the owner of the house gave chase. The owner, who was young and a fast runner,
scurried after the thief for a few blocks in the darkness until the thief could run
no more. The owner grabbed him by the scruff of his neck and was about to
drag him to the police station when he heard someone calling out to him.
“Come quickly, come and see the signs left by the thief who’s ravaged
your home!” screamed the unknown voice.
“What a kind and concerned citizen,” thought the owner. “What if there’s a
second thief in my home who might hurt my wife and children? That damage can
never be undone! What good would it do me if I tie up this man but lose the true
culprit? If I don’t listen to this stranger, I might regret it for a long time to come.”
The owner quickly let go of the thief he had caught and rushed back
home. Outside the house walls, in the dark, there stood the thief’s partner
waiting for the owner to come back.
“Thank you,” gasped the owner when he saw the second thief. “You’ve
done me a great service! Tell me, why were you calling me?”
“Let me show you the footprints of the thief; the bastard has run away in
that direction,” he said, pointing to his right. “If you chase him right away you
might still be able to catch him.”
“You idiot! What on earth are you talking about? I already had caught
him! You tricked me into letting him go. I had the truth in my grip and you are
now suggesting that I look for signs?”
“I’m well aware of the truth,” said the second thief, feigning innocence.
“I’m only trying to show you the signs of the truth!”

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