The child at once replied: “In a very dark night, if a lighted taper be brought into a large room or hall, it instantly devours all the darkness, and yet remains a little taper.” Jelāl jumped up from his seat, ran to his son, took the child to his bosom, kissed him with effusion, and then said: “May God bless thee, my child! Verily, thou hast strung a pearl of the very first water on the string of illustration.” 2. Sultan Veled’s elder brother, ‘Alā’u-’d-Dīn, was killed in the tumult for which the police authorities of Qonya put to death the Sheykh Shemsu-’d-Dīn of Tebrīz. Sultan Veled ruled the dervish community, in room of his father (after the death of Husāmu-’d-Dīn), for many years (from A.H. 683 to 712, being twenty-nine lunar years). He composed three volumes of poetry in couplets, like the Mesnevī (hence styled _Mesneviyāt_, Mesnevian Poems), and a volume (_Dīwān_) of odes in the Arabian style, arranged in the alphabetical order of their rhymes. 3. It is related that when Husāmu-’d-Dīn was in his last illness, Sultan Veled came to visit him. Finding the sickness was unto death, he began to wail and lament, asking what would become of himself after the removal of so dear a friend and so able a director. Husām collected himself, and, leaning on Sultan Veled, sat up. He then addressed the latter thus: “Be of good cheer, and let not thy heart be dismayed through my departure in the body. In another form, I will ever be near thee still. Thou shalt never be in need of counsel from another. In all difficulties and troubles that may beset thee, I will always be present, and in the visions of the night will I solve every doubt, and direct thee in each matter, whether it relate to the spirit and religion, or whether it pertain to the flesh and mundane affairs. Whenever thou shalt receive counsel in this manner, know of a surety that it is I who suggest it to thee--it will be none other than I myself. I will show myself to thee in thy visions; and I will be thy counsel and thy guide.” Sultan Veled was the first who narrated his dreams in his poems. Seek them there; there shalt thou find them consigned. 4. One day a great man asked Sultan Veled whether God ever speaks to His servant--man. This inquirer had frequently had the idea to send an offering to Sultan Veled; but had hesitated between a gift of money and one of Indian muslins. Sultan Veled answered his inquiry thus: “God does certainly speak to His servants. And as to the method by which He addresses them, I will relate to thee an anecdote.” “There was in Balkh a preacher, who was also one of God’s most precious saints. He had many disciples, who loved him dearly. I heard him once say, during one of his discourses: ‘Long hath God spoken to you in words; but you will not hearken to Him. This conduct is strangely improper on the part of obsequious servants. In God’s name, therefore, I warn you that you ought to hearken to God’s words, and yield obedience to His commands.’