The disciple examined the pebble by the light of the moon, and saw that
it was a large ruby, exceedingly clear and brilliant, not to be found
in the treasuries of kings.
Utterly astounded, he shrieked out, and swooned away; awaking the whole
company with his shout; for he was a very loud-voiced man. On recovery,
he told the others what had occurred. He also expressed to Jelāl his
contrition for the temerity of his reflections.
Jelāl told him to carry the stone to the queen, and to mention how he
had become possessed of it. The queen accepted it, had it valued, and
gave to him a hundred and eighty thousand pieces of silver in return,
besides rich gifts. She also distributed presents to all the members of
the fraternity.
35.
A certain sheykh, son of a sheykh, and a man of great reputation for
learning, came to Qonya, and was respectfully visited by all the people
of eminence residing there.
It so happened that Jelāl and his friends were gone that day to a
mosque in the country; and the new-comer, offended at Jelāl’s not
hasting to visit him, made the remark in public: “Has Jelāl never heard
the adage: ‘The newly-arrived one is visited’?”
One of Jelāl’s disciples chanced to be present, and heard this remark.
On the other hand, Jelāl was expounding sublime truths in the mosque
to his disciples, when suddenly he exclaimed, “My dear brother! I am
the newly-arrived one, not thou. Thou and those like thee are bound to
visit me, and so gain honour to yourselves.”
All his audience were surprised at this apostrophe; wondering to whom
it was addressed. Jelāl then spake a parable: “One man came from
Bagdād, and another went forth out of his house and ward; which of the
two ought to pay the first visit to the other?”
All agreed in opinion that the man from Bagdād ought to be visited
by the other. Then Jelāl explained, thus: “In reality, I am returned
from the Bagdād of _nulliquity_, whereas this dearly beloved son of a
sheykh, who has come here, has gone forth from a ward of this world. I
am better entitled, therefore, to be visited than is he. I have been
hymning in the Bagdād of the world of spirits the heavenly canticle: ‘I
am the Truth,’ since a time anterior to the commencement of the present
war, ere the truth obtained its victory.” The disciples expressed their
concurrence, and rejoiced exceedingly.
By and by, the sheykh’s son was informed of this wonder. He at once
arose, went on foot to visit Jelāl, uncovered his head, and owned
that Jelāl was right. He further declared himself Jelāl’s disciple,
and said: “My father enjoined me to put on ironed sandals, taking an
iron-shod staff in my hand, and go forth in quest of Jelālu-’d-Dīn,
since it is a duty of all to visit and reverence him who has spoken
the truth and reposes on the truth. But the majesty of Jelāl is a
hundredfold greater than what my father explained to me.”
36.