The conference of the birds
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The conference of the birds - Farid ud-Din Attar
Table of Contents
PART 1. THE PARLIAMENT OF THE BIRDS - The Parliament of The Birds
The Princess and The Dervish
A Miser’s Fate
A Handsome King
Story of Shaykh San‘An
PART 2. ON TO THE CITY OF GOD - On, To The Bound of The Waste, On, To The City of God
Sultan Mahmud and The Orphan Lad
A Grave-Digger’s Experience
A Saint’s Dream
A King’s Palace
A Father’s Love
Shaykh Ahmed Guri and Sultan Sanjar
A Faithful Infidel and A Deceitful Crusader
The Magic Cup of Joseph
The Advice of Satan
Sultan Mahmud and Ayaz
PART 3. THROUGH THE SEVEN VALLEYS - The Valley of The Quest
Majnun’s Search of Layla
Mahmud and The Rag-Picker
The Valley of Love
A Love-Sick Nobleman
Majnun’s Stratagem
The Valley of Knowledge
The Man of Stone
The Beloved Who Found Her Lover In The Arms of Morpheus
A Love-Sick Sentinel
Sultan Mahmud and The Fanatic
The Valley of Detachment
An Analogy From Astrology
The Fly and The Bee-Hive
The Valley of Unity
Advice Given To A Shaykh By A Woman
The Valley of Bewilderment and Stupefaction
A Mother’s Grief
The Lost Key
The Valley of Poverty and Annihilation
Nasir-Ud-Din Tusi’s Advice To His Disciple
The Assemblage of Butterflies In Search of The Candle
PART 4. RECEPTION AT THE ROYAL COURT
THE CONFERENCE OF THE BIRDS
by
FARID UD-DIN ATTAR
First digital edition 2018 by Gianluca Ruffini
PART 1. THE PARLIAMENT OF THE BIRDS - The Parliament of The Birds
Once upon a time, in the dim old days, all the birds of the world assembled in solemn conclave to consider a momentous question.
Ever since the dawn of Creation the inhabitants of every city had had a king or leader, called Shahryar, or the friend of the city, but these feathered souls had no king to befriend them. Theirs was an army without a general, a position most precarious. How could they be successful in the battle of life without a leader to guide the weak-winged party through the perils of earthly existence? Many an eloquent speaker addressed the assembly, deploring their helpless plight in plaintive terms, bringing tears to the eyes of thetiny ones, and it was unanimously agreed that it was highly desirable, nay, absolutely necessary, that they should place themselves without delay under the protection of a king.
At this stage, full of fervour, leapt forward the Hoopoe (Hud-hud) renowned in the Muslim scriptures for the part she had played as King Solomon’s trusted emissary to Bilqis, the Queen of Sheba. She had on her bosom the crest symbolizing her spiritual knowledge and on her head shone the crown of faith.
Dear birds
, she said, I have the honour to belong to the Celestial Army. I know the Lord and the secrets of creation. When one carries, as I do, the name of God writ large upon its beak, one may be given the credit of knowing many a secret of the spiritual world.
In the same vein of exultation, she recounted her physical and mental qualities. She had the gift of divining underground sources of water and had directed the genii to them by pecking the earth. She had gone around the globe in the days of the Deluge and had accompanied Solomon in his journey through dales and deserts. She was the forerunner of his army and his faithful messenger.
We have a king, my friends,
said she, I have obtained an indication of His court; but to go alone in quest of Him is beyond my power. If, however, you accompany me, I think we may hope to reach the threshold of His Majesty. Yea, my friends, we have a king, whose name is Simurg, and whose residence is behind Mount Caucasus. He is close by, but we are far away from Him. The road to His throne is bestrewn with obstructions; more than a hundred thousand veils of light and darkness screen the throne. Hundreds of thousands of souls burn with an ardent passion to see Him, but no one is able to find his way to Him. Yet none can afford to do without Him. Supreme manliness, absolute fearlessness and complete self-effacement are needed to overcome those obstacles. If we succeed in getting a glimpse of His face, it will be an achievement indeed. If we do not attempt it, and if we fail to greet the Beloved, this life is not worth living.
The Hoopoe then described to her winged friends how the Simurg had first made His appearance on earth.
"During the early days of Creation, He passed one midnight in His radiant flight over the land of China. A feather from His wing fell on Chinese soil. Instantly there was great tumult throughout the world. Everyone was seized with a desire to take a picture of