Blog @ इंडिया वर्ल्ड ऑन दि नेट

Khalil Gibran (Photo: Wikimedia Commons)

One night a feast was held in the palace, and there came a man and prostrated himself before the prince, and all the feasters looked upon him; and they saw that one of his eyes was out and that the empty socket bled. And the prince inquired of him, “What has befallen you?” And the man replied, “O prince, I am by profession a thief, and this night, because there was no moon, I went to rob the money-changer’s shop, and as I climbed in through the window I made a mistake and entered the weaver’s shop, and in the dark I ran into the weaver’s loom and my eye was plucked out. And now, O prince, I ask for justice upon the weaver.”

Then the prince sent for the weaver and he came, and it was decreed that one of his eyes should be plucked out.

“O prince,” said the weaver, “the decree is just. It is right that one of my eyes be taken. And yet, alas! both are necessary to me in order that I may see the two sides of the cloth that I weave. But I have a neighbour, a cobbler, who has also two eyes, and in his trade both eyes are not necessary.”

Then the prince sent for the cobbler. And he came. And they took out one of the cobbler’s two eyes.

And justice was satisfied.

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Source of the parable: The Madman: His Parables and Poems (original title: “War”)

Available at: The Project Gutenberg, retrieved: July 20, 2015

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Khalil Gibran, according to Wikipedia, is “the third best-selling poet of all time, behind Shakespeare and Laozi”  (retrieved: July 20, 2015).

One day there passed by a company of cats a wise dog.

And as he came near and saw that they were very intent and heeded him not, he stopped.

Then there arose in the midst of the company a large, grave cat and looked upon them and said, “Brethren, pray ye; and when ye have prayed again and yet again, nothing doubting, verily then it shall rain mice.”

And when the dog heard this he laughed in his heart and turned from them saying, “O blind and foolish cats, has it not been written and have I not known and my fathers before me, that that which raineth for prayer and faith and supplication is not mice but bones.”

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Source of the parable: The Madman: His Parables and Poems

Available at: The Project Gutenberg, retrieved: July 20, 2015

—

Khalil Gibran, according to Wikipedia, is “the third best-selling poet of all time, behind Shakespeare and Laozi”  (retrieved: July 20, 2015).

Khalil Gibran (source: Wikimedia Commons)

Once I said to a scarecrow, “You must be tired of standing in this lonely field.”

And he said, “The joy of scaring is a deep and lasting one, and I never tire of it.”

Said I, after a minute of thought, “It is true; for I too have known that joy.”

Said he, “Only those who are stuffed with straw can know it.”

Then I left him, not knowing whether he had complimented or belittled me.

A year passed, during which the scarecrow turned philosopher.

And when I passed by him again I saw two crows building a nest under his hat.

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Source of the parable: The Madman: His Parables and Poems

Available at: The Project Gutenberg, retrieved: July 20, 2015

—

Khalil Gibran, according to Wikipedia, is “the third best-selling poet of all time, behind Shakespeare and Laozi”  (retrieved: July 20, 2015).