There was once a great king who was approached by a hermit. “O mighty one’, he said, ‘I have here a staff and a beautiful glass chalice which is worth your entire kingdom. Do you wish to buy them from me?
The king was mesmerized by them and paid all the hermit asked in order to obtain these two prized objects.
Then before him appeared a most handsome gentleman; “Who are you?” asked the king. “I am your wealth and your riches, I have come to bid you farewell for you have no value for me.
Then came another man, more handsome than the first. “Who are you?”, questioned the king. “I am your gold and your jewels, come to bid you farewell for you did not pay heed to our value – you chose a patency staff and cup over us!
He was followed by yet another gentleman, who was even more handsome. I am your intellect come to take leave of you, for you have committed a most foolish act, rash and unthinking with no basis in reason!
“All of you leave!”, commanded the angry king.
At last a most wondrous and glorious visage appeared, “I am your unwavering courage now come to take leave of you”. “Why do you wish to leave me my friend, for I have not let you go?”, and he firmly held him. “It is only because of you that I risked my entire kingdom on a staff and a glass”.
“Indeed, if you have not forsaken me, then I will remain true to you and stand steadfastly by your side”
The next day the king awoke to find that Allah had granted him much more than what he had given to the hermit.
