history question essay ( only who is good in history make shake hand )

http://thekingdomwithin.net/wp - content/uploads/2015/03/The_Conference_of_the_Birds_Fardiuddin_Attar.pdf The Story of Sheikh San’an San’an was once the first man of his time. Whatever praise can be expressed in rhyme Belonged to him: for fifty years this sheikh Kept Mecca’s holy place, and for his sake Four hundred pupils entered learning’s way. He mortified his body night and day, Knew theory, practice, mysteries of great age, And fifty times had made the Pilgrimage. He fasted, prayed, observed all sacred laws – Astonished saints and clerics thronged his doors. He split religious hairs in argument; His breat h revived the sick and impotent. He knew the people’s hearts in joy and grief And was their living symbol of Belief. Though conscious of his credit in their sight, A strange dream troubled him, night after night; Mecca was left behind; he lived in Rome, Th e temple where he worshipped was his home, And to an idol he bowed down his head. ‘Alas!’ he cried, when awoke in dread, ‘Like Joseph I am in a well of need And have no notion when I shall be freed. But every man meets problems on the Way, And I shall conq uer if I watch and pray. If I can shift this rock my path is clear; If not, then I must wait and suffer here.’ Then suddenly he burst out: ‘It would seem That Rome could show the meaning of this dream; There I must go!’ And off the old man strode; Four hun dred followed him along the road. They left the Ka’abah for Rome’s boundaries, A gentle landscape of low hills and trees, Where, infinitely lovelier than the view, There sat a girl, a Christian girl who knew The secrets of her faith’s theology. A fairer ch ild no man could hope to see – In beauty’s mansion she was like a sun That never set -- indeed the spoils she won Where headed by the sun himself, whose face Was pale with jealousy and sour disgrace. The man about whose heart her ringlets curled Became a C hristian and renounced the world; The man who saw her lips and knew defeat Embraced the earth before her bonny feet.’ And as the breeze passed through her musky hair http://thekingdomwithin.net/wp - content/uploads/2015/03/The_Conference_of_the_Birds_Fardiuddin_Attar.pdf The men of Rome watched wondering in despair. Her eyes spoke promises to those in love, Th eir fine brows arched coquettishly above – Those brows sent glancing messages that seemed To offer everything her lovers dreamed. The pupils of her eyes grew wide and smiled, And countless souls were glad to be beguiled; The face beneath her curls glowed l ike soft fire; Her honeyed lips provoked the world’s desire; But those who thought to feast there found her eyes Held pointed daggers to protect the prize, And since she kept her counsel no one knew – Despite the claims of some -- what she would do. Her mo uth was tiny as a needle’s eye, Her breath as quickening as Jesus’ sigh; Her chin was dimpled with a silver well In which a thousand drowning Josephs fell; A glistering jewel secured her hair in place, Which like a veil obscured her lovely face. The Christ ian turned, the dark veil was removed, A fire flashed through the old man’s joints -- he loved! One hair converted hundreds; how could he Resist that idol’s face shown openly? He did not know himself; in sudden fire He knelt abjectly as the flames beat hig her; In that sad instant all he had been fled And passion’s smoke obscured his heart and head. Love sacked his heart; the girl’s bewitching hair Twined round his faith impiety’s smooth snare. The sheikh exchanged religion’s wealth for shame, A hopeless hea rt submitted to love’s fame. ‘I have no faith,’ he cried. ‘The heart I gave Is useless now; I am the Christian’s slave.’ When his disciples saw him weeping there And understood the truth of the affair They stared, confounded by his frantic grief, And strov e to call him back to his belief. Their remonstrations fell on deafened ears; Advice has no effect when no one hears. In turn the sheikh’s disciples had their say; Love has no cure, and he could not obey. (When did a lover listen to advice? When did a nost rum cool love’s flames to ice?) Till evening came he could not move but gazed With stupefaction in his face, amazed. When gloomy twilight spread its darkening shrouds – http://thekingdomwithin.net/wp - content/uploads/2015/03/The_Conference_of_the_Birds_Fardiuddin_Attar.pdf Like blasphemy concealed by guilty clouds – His ardent heart gave out the only light, And loved increased a hundredfold that night. He put aside the Self and selfish lust; In grief he smeared his locks with filth and dust And kept his haunted vigil, watched and wept, Lay trembling in love’s grip and never slept. ‘O Lord, when will this darkn ess end?’ he cried, ‘Or is it that the heavenly sun has died? Those night I passed in faith’s austerities Cannot com pare with this night’s agonies; But like a candle now my flame burns high To weep all night and in the daylight die. Ambush and blood have b een my lot this nig ht; Who knows what to rments day will bring to light? This fevered darkness and my wretched state Were made wh en I was made, and are my fate; The night c ontinues and the hours delay – Perhaps the world has reached its Judgement Day; Perha ps the sun’s extin guished with my sighs, Or hides i n shame from my belovèd’s eyes. This long, dark ni ght is like her flowing hair – The thought in absence comforts my despair, But love consumes m e through this endless night – I yield to love, unequal to th e fight. Where is ther e time enough to tell my grief? Where is the patience to regain belief? Where is the luck to waken me, or move Love ’s idol to reciprocate my love? Where is t he reason that could rescue me, Or by some trick prove my auxiliary? Where i s the hand to pou r dust on my head, Or lift me from the dust where I lie dead? Where is the foot t hat seeks the longed -for place? Where is th e eye to show me her fair face? Where is th e loved one to relieve my pain? Where is t he guide to help me turn again ? Where is the st rength to utter my complaint? Where is the mind to counsel calm restraint? The loved one, r eason, patience -- all are gone And I remain to suffer love alone.’ At this the fond disciples gathered round, Bewildered by his groans’ pathetic so und. ‘My sheikh,’ urge d one, ‘forget this evil sight; Rise, cleanse y ourself according to our rite.’ ‘In blood I clean se myself,’ the sheikh replied; http://thekingdomwithin.net/wp - content/uploads/2015/03/The_Conference_of_the_Birds_Fardiuddin_Attar.pdf ‘In blood, a h undred times, my life is dyed.’ Another asked, ‘Where is your rosary?’ He said: ‘I fling the beads away from me; The Christian’s belt ** is my sole sanctuary!’ One urged him to repent; he said, ‘I do, Of all I w as, all that belonged thereto.’ One counselled pray er; he said: ‘Where is her face That I may p ray toward that blessèd place?’ Another cr ied: ‘Enough of t his; you must Seek solitude and in repentant dust Bow down to God. ’ ‘I will,’ replied the sheikh, ‘Bow down in dust, but for my idol’s sake.’ And one repr oached him: ‘Have you no regret For Islam and those rites you would forget?’ He said: ‘No man repents past folly more; Why i s it I was not in love before?’ Another sa id: ‘A demon’s poisoned dart – Unknown to you -- ha s pierced your trusting heart.’ The sheikh said: ‘If a demon straight from hell Deceives m e, I rejoice and wish her well.’ One said: ‘Our no ble sheikh has lost his way; Passion has led his wandering wits astray.’ ‘True, I have l ost the fame I once held dear,’ Replied their sheikh, ‘and fraud as well, and fear.’ One said: ‘You break our hearts with this disgrace.’ He laughed: ‘T he Christian’s h eart will take their place.’ One said: ‘Stay with old friends awhile, and come – We’ll seek the Ka’ abah’s shade and journey home.’ The sheikh replied: ‘A Christian monastery And not th e Ka’abah’s shade suffices me.’ One said: ‘Return to Mec ca and repent!’ He answered: ‘Leave me here, I am content.’ One said: ‘You tr avel on hell’s road. ‘This sigh Would shri vel seven hells’ was his reply. One said: ‘In hope of heaven turn again.’ He said: ‘Her face is heaven; I remain.’ One said: ‘Before our God confess you r shame.’ He replied: ‘G od Himself has lit this flame.’ One said: ‘ Stop vacillating now and fight; Defend the ways our faith proclaims as right.’ He said: ‘P repare your ears for blasphemy; An infidel does not prate piety.’ Their words could not recall him to belief, And slowly t hey grew silent, sunk in grief. They watched; each felt the heart within him fail, Fearful of de eds Fate hid beneath her veil. http://thekingdomwithin.net/wp - content/uploads/2015/03/The_Conference_of_the_Birds_Fardiuddin_Attar.pdf At last white d ay displayed her golden shield; Black night declined his head, compelled to yield – The world lay drown ed in sparkling light, and dawn Disclosed the shei kh, still wretched and forlorn, Disputing w ith stray dogs the place before His unattainable belovèd’s door. There in the dust he knelt, till constant prayers Made him resemble on e of her dark hairs; A patien t month he waited day and night To glimpse the radiance of her beauty’s light. At last fat igue and sorrow made him ill – Her street b ecame his bed and he lay still. When he perceived he would -- and could -- not move, She under stood the fury of his love, But she pretended ignorance and said: ‘What is it, sheikh? Why is our street your bed? How can a Moslem sleep where Christians tread?’ He answered her: ‘I have no need to speak; You know why I am wasted, pale and weak. Restore t he heart you stole, o r let me see Some gli mmer in your heart of sympathy; In all you r pride find some affection for The grey -haired, lovesick stranger at your door. Accept my lov e or kill me now -- your breath Revives m e or consigns me here to death. Your face and curls comman d my life; beware Of how the bre eze displays your vagrant hair; The sight br eeds fever in me, and your deep Hypnotic eye s induce love’s restless sleep. Love mists my eyes , love burns my heart -- alone, Impatient and unloved, I weep and groan; See what a sa ck of sorrow I have sewn! I give my soul and all the world to burn, And endles s tears are all I hope to earn. My eyes beheld your face, my heart despaired; What I have seen and suffered none have shared. My heart has t urned to blood; h ow long must I Subsis t on misery? You need not try To humbl e wretchedness, or kick the foe Who in the dust submissively bows low. It is m y fortune to lament and wait – When, if, l ove answers me depends on Fate. My soul is am bushed here, and in your street Relives each night t he anguish of defeat; Your threshol d’s dust receives my prayers – I give As cheap as dust the soul by which I live. http://thekingdomwithin.net/wp - content/uploads/2015/03/The_Conference_of_the_Birds_Fardiuddin_Attar.pdf How long out side your door must I complain? Relen t a moment and relieve my pain. You ar e the sun and I a shadow thrown By you -- how then c an I survive alone? Though pain has worn me to a shadow’s edge, Like sunlight I shall leap your window’s ledge; Let me come in and I shall secretly Bring se ven heavens’ happiness with me. My soul is burnt to ash; my passion’s fire Destro ys the world with u nappeased desire. Love bin ds my feet and I cannot depart; Love holds the hand pressed hard against my heart. My fainting sou l dissolves in deathly sighs – How long must you stay hidden from my eyes?’ She laughed: ‘You sh ameless fool, tak e my advice – Prepare y ourself for death and paradise! Forget flirtati ous games, your breath is cold; Stop chas ing love, remember you are old. It is a shroud you need, not me! How could You hope for weal th when you must beg for food?’ He answered her: ‘Say what you will, b ut I In love’s unhappy torments live and die; To Love, both yo ung and old are one -- his dart Strikes with unequ alled strength in every heart.’ The girl replied: ‘There are four things you must Perform to show that you deserve my trust: Bu rn the Koran, dri nk wine, seal up Faith’s eye, Bo w down to images.’ And in reply The sheikh declare d: ‘Wine I will drink with you; The rest are things that I could never do.’ She said : ‘If you agree to my commands, To start with, you must wholly wash your hands Of Islam’s faith -- the love which does not care To bend to love’s requests is empty air.’ He yield ed then: ‘I must and will obey; I’ll do w hatever you are pleased to say. Your slave submits -- lead me with ringlets twined As chains about my neck; I am resigned!’ She smiled: ‘Come then and drink,’ and he allowed Her to escort him to a hall (the crowd Of scholar s followed, weeping and afraid) Where Christi ans banqueted, and there a maid Of matchles s beauty passed the cup around. Love humbled our poor s heikh -- without a sound He gave his he art into the Christian’s hands; His mind had fled, he bowed to her commands, http://thekingdomwithin.net/wp - content/uploads/2015/03/The_Conference_of_the_Birds_Fardiuddin_Attar.pdf And from those ha nds he took the proffered bowl; He drank, oblivion overwhelmed his soul. ‘Wine mingled with his love -- her laughter seemed To challenge him to take the bliss he dreamed. Passion fl ared up in him; again he drank, And slave -lik e at her feet contented sank – This sheikh w ho had the whole Koran by heart Felt wine spread th rough him and his faith depart; What ever he had known dese rted him, Wine conque red and his intellect grew dim; Wine sluiced away his conscience; she alone Lived in his heart , all other thoughts had flown. Now lov e grew violent as an angry sea, He watched d rink and moved instinctively – Half -fuddled with the wine -- to touch her neck. But she drew b ack and held his hand in check, Deriding h im: “What do you want, old man? Old hypoc rite of love, who talks but can Do nothing e lse? To prove your love declare That you r religion is my rippling hair. Love’s more than chil dish games, if y ou agree – For love -- to imitate my blasphemy You can e mbrace me here; if not, you may Take up your stick and hobble on your way.’ The abject sheikh had sunk to such a state That he coul d not resist his wretched fate; Now ignorant of shame and unafraid, He heard the C hristian’s wishes and obeyed – The old wind sid led through the old man’s veins And like a twis ting compass turned his brains; Old wine, y oung love, a lover far too old, Her soft arms welcoming -- could he be cold? Beside himsel f with love an d drink he cried: ‘Comm and me now; whatever you decide I w ill perform. I spurned idolatry When sober, but your beauty is to me An idol for whose sake I’ll gladly burn My faith’s K oran.’ ‘Now you begin to learn, Now you ar e mine, dear sheikh,’ she said. ‘Sl eep well, Sweet dreams; our r ipening fruit begins to swell.’ News spread among the Christians that this sheikh Had chosen their religion for love’s sake. They took him to a nearby monastery, Wh ere he accepted their theology; He burnt his derv ish cloak and set his face Against the faith and Mecca’s holy place – http://thekingdomwithin.net/wp - content/uploads/2015/03/The_Conference_of_the_Birds_Fardiuddin_Attar.pdf Afte r so many years of true belief, A young girl brough t this learnèd sheikh to grief. He said: ‘This dervish has been well betrayed; The age nt was mere passion for a maid. I must obey h er now -- wha t I have done Is worse t han any crime beneath the sun.’ (How man y leave the faith through wine! It is The mother of such evil vagaries.) ‘Whatever you required is done,’ he said. ‘What more rem ains? I have bowed down my head In love’s idolatr y, I have drun k wine; May no one pass through wretchedness like mine! Love ruins one like me, and black disgrace Now stares a once -loved dervish in the face. For fi fty years I walked an open road While in my hea rt high seas of worship flowed; Love ambushed me and at its sudden stroke For Christi an garments I gave up my cloak; The Ka’abah has become love’s secret sign, And homel ess love interprets the Divine. Consider what , for your sake, I have done – Then tell m e, when shall we two be as one? Hope for that moment justi fies my pain; Have all my troubles been endured in vain?’ The girl re plied: ‘But you are poor, and I Cannot be ch eaply won -- the price is high; Bring gold, and silver too, you innocent – Then I might pity your predicament; But you have neithe r, therefore go -- and take A beggar’s al ms from me; be off, old sheikh! Be on your travels like the sun -- alone; Be manly now and patient, do not groan!’ ‘A fi ne interpretation of your vow,’ The sheikh repli ed; ‘my love, look at me now – I have no one bu t you; your cypress gait, Your silver form, decide my wretched fate. Take back your cruel command; each moment you Confuse me by demanding something new. I have endu red your absence, promptly done All you have a sked -- what profit have I won? I’ve passed b eyond loss, profit, Islam, crime, For how m uch longer must I bide my time? Is this what w e agreed? My friends have gone, Des pising me, and I am here alone. They follow one way, you another – I Stand witle ss here uncertain where to fly; http://thekingdomwithin.net/wp - content/uploads/2015/03/The_Conference_of_the_Birds_Fardiuddin_Attar.pdf I know without you h eaven woul d be hell, Hell heave n with you; more I cannot tell. At last his protestations moved her heart, ‘You are too poor to play the bridegroom’s part,’ She said, ‘but be my swineherd for a year And then we ’ll stay together, never fear.’ The sheikh did not refuse -- a fractious way Estr anges love; he hurried to obey. This reverend sheikh kept swine -- but who does not Keep somethin g swinish in his nature’s plot? Do not imagine only he could fall; This hid den danger lurks within us all, Rearing its bestia l head whe n we begin To tread salva tion’s path -- if you think sin Has no pla ce in your nature, you can stay Conte nt at home; you are excused the Way. But if you start our journey you will find That countless sw ine and idols tease the mind – Destroy these hindrance s to love or you Must suffer tha t disgrace the sad sheikh knew. Despair unmanned h is friends; they saw his plight And turned in hel pless horror from the sight – The dust of grief anointed each bowed head; But one appro ached the hapless man and sa id: ‘We leave for M ecca now, O weak -willed sheikh; Is there some message you would have us take? Or should we all turn Christians and embrace This faith m en call a blasphemous disgrace? We get no p leasure from the thought of you Left here alone -- shall we be Chris tians too? Or since we ca nnot bear your state should we, Des erting you, incontinently flee; Forget th at you exist and live in prayer Beside the K a’abah’s stone without a care?’ The sheikh replied: ‘ What grief has filled my heart! Go where you plea se -- but quickly, now, depart; Only the Christian keeps my soul alive, And I shall stay with her while I survive. Though you a re wise your wisdom cannot know The wild frustr ations through which lovers go. If for one moment you could share my pain, We coul d be old companions once again. But now g o back, dear friends; if anyone Asks after me explain what I have done – Say that my eyes swim blood, that parched I wait Trapped in the gullet of a monstrous fate. http://thekingdomwithin.net/wp - content/uploads/2015/03/The_Conference_of_the_Birds_Fardiuddin_Attar.pdf Say Islam’s elder has out -sinned the whole Of heat hen blasp hemy, that self -control Slipped from him wh en he saw the Christian’s hair, That faith w as conquered by insane despair. Should anyone reproach my actions, say That countles s others have pursued this Way, This endl ess Way where no one is secure, Whe re danger waits and issues are unsure.’ He turned from them ; a swineherd sought his swine. His friends wept vehem ently -- their sheikh’s decline Seemed death to t hem. Sadly they journeyed home, Resigning their apostate sheikh to Rome. They skulked in corne rs, shame ful and afraid. A close com panion of the sheikh had stayed In Mecca while the group had journeyed west – A m an of wisdom, fit for any test, Who , seeing now the vacant oratory Where once his fr iend had worshipped faithfully, Asked after their lost sheikh. In tears then they Described w hat had occurred along the way; How he had bound his fortunes to her hair, And blocked the pat h of faith with love’s despair; How curls u surped belief and how his cloak Had been consumed in passion’s blackening smoke; How he’d b ecome a swineherd, how the four Acts contrary to all Islamic law Had been performed by him, how this great sheikh Lived lik e a pagan for his lover’s sake. Amazement seized th e friend -- his face grew pale, He wept and felt the heart within him fa il. ‘O crimin als!’ he cried. ‘O frailer than Weak women i n your faith -- when does a man Need fai thful friends but in adversity? You should be t here, not prattling here to me. Is this devoted love? Shame on you all, Fair -weather friends who run when great men fall . He put on Chris tian garments -- so should you; He took their fa ith -- what else had you to do? This was no frie ndship, to forsake your friend, To prom ise your support and at the end Abandon h im -- this was sheer treachery. Friend follows friend t o hell a nd blasphemy – When sorrows come a man’s true friends are found; In times of joy ten thousand gather round. Our sheikh is sa vaged by some shark -- you race To separat e yourselves from his disgrace. http://thekingdomwithin.net/wp - content/uploads/2015/03/The_Conference_of_the_Birds_Fardiuddin_Attar.pdf Love’s built on r eadiness to share love’s shame; Such self -rega rding love usurps love’s name.’ ‘Repea tedly we told him all you say,’ They cried. ‘We were companions of the Way, Sworn to a common happiness or grief; We should exchange the honors of belief For od ium and scorn; we should accept The Christian cult our sheikh could not reject. But he ins isted that we leave -- our love Seemed pointle ss then; he ordered us to move. At his ex press command we journeyed here To tell hi s story plainly, without fear.’ He answered them: ‘However hard the fight, You sho uld have fou ght for what was clearly right. Truth struggled there with error; when you went You only worsened his predicament. You have ab andoned him; how could you dare To enter Mecca’s uncorrupted air?’ They heard his speech ; not one would raise his head . And then, ‘There is no point in shame,’ he said. ‘What’s done i s done’ we must act justly now, Bury this s in, seek out the sheikh and bow Before him on ce again.’ They left their home And made t heir way a second time to Rome; They prayed a hundred thousan d pray ers -- at times With hope, at time s disheartened by their crimes. They neither at e nor slept but kept their gaze Unswerving th roughout forty nights and days. Their waili ng lamentations filled the sky, Moving the gr een -robed angels ranked on high To c lothe themse lves with black, and in the end The leader of the g roup, the sheikh’s true friend, His heart consumed by sympathetic grief, Let loose t he well -aimed arrows of belief. For forty nights he had prayed privately, Rap t in devotion’s holy ecstasy – At dawn ther e came a musk -diffusing breeze, And in h is heart he knew all mysteries. He saw t he Prophet, lovely as the moon, Whose face, Truth ’s shadow, was the sun at noon, Whose hair in two b lack heavy braids was curled – Each hair, a hundred times, outpri ced the world. As he appr oached with his unruffled pace, A smile o f haunting beauty lit his face. The sheikh’s friend r ose and said, ‘God’s Messenger, Vouchsafe your hel p. Our sheikh has wandered far; http://thekingdomwithin.net/wp - content/uploads/2015/03/The_Conference_of_the_Birds_Fardiuddin_Attar.pdf You are our Gu ide; guide him to Truth again.’ The Proph et ans wered: ‘I have loosed the chain Which bound your sheikh -- your prayer is answered, go. Thick clouds of dust have been allowed to blow Between his sight and T ruth -- those clouds have gone; I did not leave him to endure alone. I sprinkled on the fort unes of your sheikh A cleansing dew for intercession’s sake – The dust is laid; sin disappeared before His new -mad e vow. A world of sin, be sure, Shall with con trition’s spittle be made pure. The sea of ri ghteousness drowns in its waves The sins of those s inc ere repentance saves.’ With grateful happiness the friend cried out; The heave ns echoed his triumphant shout. He told th e good news to the group; again They se t out eagerly across the plain. Weeping they ran to where the swineherd -sheikh, Now cured of h is unnatural mistake, Had cast aside h is Christian clothes, the bell, The belt, the cap, freed from the strange faith’s spell. He saw ho w he had forfeited God’s grace; He ripped his c lothes in frenzies of distress; He grovelled in the dust with wretchednes s. Tears flowed like rain; he longed for death; his sighs’ Great heat con sumed the curtain of the skies; Grief dried t he blood within him when he saw How he had l ost all knowledge of God’s law; All he had once abandoned now returned And he escaped the hell in which he’d burned. He came ba ck to himself, and on his knees Wep t bitterly for past iniquities. When his d isciples saw him weeping there, Bathed in shame’s swe at, they reeled between despair And joy -- bewild ered they drew near and sighed; From gratitu de they gladly would have died. They said: ‘The m ist has fled that hid your sun; Faith has returned and blasphemy is gone; Trut h has defeated Rome’s idolatry; Grace has s urged onward like a mighty sea. The Pr ophet interceded for your soul’ The world sends up its thanks from pole to pole. Why should you mour n? You should thank God instead That out of d arkness you’ve been safely led; God who ca n turn the day to darkest night Can turn black sin to pure repentant light – http://thekingdomwithin.net/wp - content/uploads/2015/03/The_Conference_of_the_Birds_Fardiuddin_Attar.pdf He kindl es a repentant spark, the flame Burns all our sin s and all sin’s burning shame.’ I will be brief: the sheikh was purified According to the faith; his old self died – He put the dervish cloak on as before. The group set o ut for Mecca’s gates once more. And then the Christian girl whom he had loved Dreamed in her s leep; a shaft of sunlight moved Before her eyes, and from the dazzling ray A voice said: ‘Rise, follow your lost sheikh’s way; Accept his f aith, beneath his feet be dust; You tricked him once, be pure to him and just, And, as he took your path without pretense, Take his p ath now in truth and innocence. Follow his l ead; you once led him astray – Be his companion as he points the Way; You we re a robber preying on the road Where you should seek to share the traveler’s load. Wake now , eme rge from superstition’s night.’ She woke, and in her heart a stead light Beat lik e the sun, and an unwonted pain Throbbed there, a longing she could not restrain; Desire flar ed up in her; she felt her soul Slip gentl y from the intellect’s control. As yet she did not know what seed was sown – She had no friend and found herself alone In an unch arted world; no tongue can tell What then she sa w -- her pride and triumph fell Like rain fr om her; with an unearthly shout She tore the garments from her back, r an out And heaped th e dust of mourning on her head. Her frame was w eak, the heart within her bled, But she b egan the journey to her sheikh, And like a cloud that seems about to break And shed its downpour of torrential rain (The heart’s rich blood) she ran across the plain. But so on the desert’s endless vacancy Bewilde red her; wild with uncertainty, She wept and pre ssed her face against the sand. ‘O God,’ she cried, ‘extend your saving hand To one who is an outcast of the earth, To one who tricked a saint o f unmatched worth – Do not abandon me; my evil crime Was perpetrated in a thoughtless time; I did not know what I know now – accept The prayer s of one who ignorantly slept.’ http://thekingdomwithin.net/wp - content/uploads/2015/03/The_Conference_of_the_Birds_Fardiuddin_Attar.pdf The sheikh’s heart sp oke: ‘The Christian is no more; The girl you loved knocks a t religion’s door – It is o ur way she follows now; go back And be t he comforter her sorrows lack.’ Like wind h e ran, and his disciples cried: ‘Has your repentant vow so quickly died? Will you sli p back, a shameless reprobate?’ But when the sheikh explaine d the girl’s sad state, Compassion mov ed their hearts and they agreed To search fo r her and serve her every need. They found her with hair draggled in the dirt, Prone on the earth as if a corpse, her skirt Torn fro m her limbs, barefoot, her face death -pale. She saw the sheikh a nd felt her last strength fail; She fainte d at his feet, and as she slept The sheikh hu ng over her dear face and wept. She woke, and s eeing tears like rain in spring Knew he’d kept fai th with her through everything. She knelt before hi m, took his hands and said ‘The shame I brought on your respected head Burns me wit h shame; how long must I remain Behind this veil of ignorance? Make plain The mysteries of Islam to me here, And I shall t read its highway without fear.’ The sheikh spelt ou t the faith to her; the crowd Of g ratified disciples cried aloud, Weeping to see the lovely child embrace The search for Truth. Then, as her comely face Bent to his words, her heart began to feel An in expressible and troubling zeal; Slowly she felt the pal l of grief descend, Knowing hersel f still absent from the Friend. ‘Dear sheikh,’ she said, ‘I cannot bear such pain; Absence undoes me and my spirits wane. I go fr om this unhappy world; farewell World’s sheikh and mine -- further I cannot tell, Exhaustion weakens me; O sheikh, forgive …’ And saying this the dear child ceased to live. The sun wa s hidden by a mist -- her flesh Yielded the swee t soul from its weakening mesh. She was a drop returned to Truth’s great sea; She left this world, and so, like wind, must we. Whoever knows love’s path is soon aware That stories such as this are far from rare. All things are possible, and you may meet Despair, forgiveness, certainty, deceit. http://thekingdomwithin.net/wp - content/uploads/2015/03/The_Conference_of_the_Birds_Fardiuddin_Attar.pdf The Self ignores the secrets of the Way, The mysteries no mortal speech can say ; Assurance whi spers in the heart’s dark core, Not in t he muddied Self -- a bitter war Must rage betwee n these two. Turn now and mourn That your existence is so deeply torn!”