The parrot, when he perceived the tablet of the dirvesh’s aspect clear as the polished mirror, immediately began to talk; and in the manner of the acquainted with the rules of compli­ment, uttered strains of gratulation. The good-hearted hermit, from the sweet eloquence of the bird, glowed with zeal­ous admiration of the works of God; and, like Solomon,* attending to his condition, enquired his situation; saying,

“O emerald feathered soarer, elo­quent as Jesus, from whose roseate beak the living water of eloquence distils, what affair art thou engaged in? and in whose search hast thou extended the wings of desire? for from thy soul-delighting words, the scent of truth and constancy pervades my sense.”

The parrot replied, “O Adorner of the garden of divinity, and acquainted with the mysteries of sacred love! since the reflection of the beloved object of this tired wanderer can be best seen on the world-display­ing mirror of thy gracious mind, what occasion is there for thy servant’s engaging in impertinent detail?

The dawn-like minded sage, having by his internal light developed the mysteries of the parrot, commanded him to bring the prince to his presence. And the bird, exulting with joy at such felicitous tidings, laughing and caw­cawing* like the cockatoo, conveyed himself at one flight to his master. His crimson beak, like the rose-bud at the waving of the zephyr, seemed to blush with a brighter glow.

The prince, who from despondency and weariness being bound in sorrow and distress, had his eye fixed on the path of his parrot, smiled in hope at his lively manner of approach, and impa­tiently demanded his adventures. The joyful bird, having informed him of the circumstances, became his guide to the hermit, immersed in the wine of unity, whose auspicious meeting was the key of the gates of attainment. The prince, whose every hair was bound in obli­gation to the kindness and fidelity of the parrot, without delay hastened to obtain the felicitous interview with the Jesus-like dirvesh. When he arrived near his bounty-giving threshold, and his view was gratified by the sight of his enlightened countenance, having performed the customary obedience of disciples, he advanced, and seating himself on the earth before his door, (which was as a collyrium to the eye of hope) expressed his wants in the following verse. “The sea and mountains are in my path. Assist my design, O vir­tuous sage!”

The dirvesh replied, “O fortunate youth, praise be to the Lord of the universe, who is the dispeller of the difficulties of his servants. Be faith­ful, for faith is the opener of the por­tal of attainment. Depend upon the strong hold of the sacred prayer in the Koraun, (we submit ourselves to thee, we entreat help of thee), for, except God, there is no true helper to beseech, and, excepting him, none can help. Plant the foot of hope on the strong bridge of resignation, for it is the safest passage of our objects. Go alone, for solitude is a secure path to enjoyment. Shut thy eyes to every other object, if thou desirest to meet thy beloved.”

The prince, agreeably to the orders of the Khizzer-like dirvesh, having dis­missed his domestics and attendants, closed his eyes upon his own existence. When he opened them, he found him­self with the parrot on the other side of the lake.

Though the passage of the stormy lake, and the company of the wise and eloquent bird was a source of pleasure and gratification to the prince’s heart, and the gentle converse of the feathered poet gave ease to his mind; yet, from solitude and deprivation of the accom­paniment of his domestics in such a boundless desart, he became overwhelmed in a sea of despondency, and, like those who have lost their way, plunged in difficulty. As desire after the country of his beloved forcibly impelled him, and love guided the reins of his mind, like Mujjenou, he measured the wilder­ness. From deep distress, tears of crim­son hue bedewed his cheeks. He heed­lessly trod over sharp thorns and pointed rocks. Relying on the divine favour, the consoler of those who sit in the dark­ness of the night of confusion, and the guide of lonely wanderers in the wilder­ness of error, he made the nightingale of speech melodious in this verse:

When the prince, his lips parched in the sands of affliction, and over­come by the fumes of frenzy, in this dreadful wilderness, (at whose horror even the wild and savage natives were panic-stricken) had proceeded some fer­sungs on a road which had no resting-place — suddenly, an old man, whose body from excessive weakness appeared bowed like a waning crescent, but whose forehead beamed with the light of devo­tion, advancing from a straw hut, said to him, “Thou hast done me a kindness, and brought good fortune with thee, by casting the shadow of royalty over my humble dwelling. Two days have elapsed since I expected a guest, and have had my eye stretched upon the road. God be thanked that my desire is accomplished, and that thy gracious approach has gladdened my eyes.”

The prince, regarding this occurrence as an omen of good fortune, accepted the company of the old man, and par­took with him of what he had ready; the delicacy of which brought to recol­lection the miraculous meals of Jesus. When refreshment was afforded him from weariness and hunger, he entreated the old man’s assistance in the attainment of his object. The dirvesh replied;

“Unfortunate young man! Before this about thirty years, I out of curiosity travelled over the regions of the globe, and surveyed with the eyes of observation the good and the bad of the universe. When I became fully acquainted with its concerns, having cast from my mind all desire for its vanities, I withdrew my feet within the skirt of retirement; and departing from the confines of popu­lation, took up my abode in this wilderness. I have now no object in view but my creator, nor do I con­cern myself with the affairs of men, thou must excuse my interference in thine. However, since thou hast advanced thy foot in the path of love, every dew-drop of which is as a burning ocean, shrink not from trouble, but boldly rush on through the fires of affliction and toil. Throwing aside cautious policy, be satisfied with the preparations of resignation and self-devotion, taking poverty for thy guide, and solitude as thy companion.

As the gale of bounty waved not on the rose-bud of hope from the point of the secluded traveller, and from the cup of his genius no drops of assisting cordial reached the throat of the prince, he became involved again in the sea of perplexity, seeing no path to the object of his search, wandering in the maze of disappointment, and tormented by his unlucky stars. Love at first appears pleasing, but at length it becomes full of difficulties. His lip parched with desire in the misty vapour of deception, and his heart devoted to death, he uttered the following strains:

The parrot now said, “Ah! thou chief of the afflicted in the path of love, whose every step requires a sacrifice of life, and at whose every advance it is necessary to offer up a head resignedly; this murmuring despondency is unbecoming thy charac­ter. The brave in the path of distress, the firm amid the tortures of sincere love, esteem every drop of blood that flows from their agonizing breasts as the promising fruit of attainment. In love, fortitude is required. Steel then thy heart. Never open thy lip in complaint and lamentation, nor let thy tongue vibrate, like the idle bell, with useless moans. For a while lay fast hold on patience; while I fly abroad in search of relief, and, amid the darkness of perplexity, explore an outlet to deliverance.” When he had said this, the parrot hasted towards the four points of search, to find out a remedy for his master; who, becoming somewhat cheared, took up his abode with the hermit, till the return of his bird. As the sage was wholly occupied by his penances and devotions, he conversed but little with the prince; but the heart of a Sharok,* who was one of the inhabitants of the hut, was touched with his sorrows, and courted his society with sympathy and gentleness. Under­taking to divert his melancholy by amusing tales, he in some degree eased the wounds of his impatience, by the balsamic unguent of consolation.