THE EAGLE'S TALE

One day an eagle rose up from his rock
and, full of greed, spread all his plumage out,
arranged his wings correctly and spoke thus:
'Today the world is all beneath my wings!
If I fly high the sun no longer see me,
While I see dust specks in the ocean's depth;
and should a gnat be crawling in the dust,
My eye behold the insect's movements too !
Thus he showed off, not fearing God's decree-
What happened to him from the cruel sphere?
For suddenly from out a hidding place
an arrow came, shot from a mighty bow.
The piercing arrow hit the eagle's wing
and cast him from the cloud onto the dust.
He wriggled in the dust just like a fish
and all his plumage fell there left and right.
'How strange!' said he, 'this thing is steel and wood.
How could it be so swift, so piercing sharp?'
He looked and saw his feathers on the arrow
and screamed: 'From me come what come over me!'
Cast out your ego and your selfishness
Look at this eagle, full of selfish pride!


Refference: Make A Sheild From Wisdom
selected verses from Nasir Khusraw diwan translated by
Annemarie Schimmel