The Parrot died and become free

There (once) was a merchant. And he had a parrot,

imprisoned in a cage-- a beautiful parrot.

(Now) when the merchant prepared for a journey (and) was about

to travel to India,

He spoke to each male and female slave (and asked), out of

generosity, "What shall I bring (back) for you? Answer quickly!"

Each one asked him for something wished, (and) that good

man gave (his) promise to all.

(Then) he said to the parrot, "What present from the journey do

you want, so that I may bring it to you from the region of India."

The parrot answered him "When you see the parrots there,

explain my situation (and) say,

"'The parrot so-and-so, who is yearning to see you, is in my

prison by the decree of the heavens.

"She sends you greetings of peace and wants justice, and desires

a remedy and the path of right guidance.

"She said, 'Is it proper that I, in (such a state of) yearning,

should give (up my) life here (and) die in separation?

"'Is it right that I (should be) in (such) strict bondage, while

you (are) sometimes on the green grass (and) sometimes on the

trees?

"'Is the faithfulness of (true) friends like this, (that) I (am) in

prison and you (are) in the rose garden?'

"O great ones, bring (to mind) the memory of this weeping

bird, (by drinking) a dawn cup (of wine) among the grassy

meadows!"

. . . . . . .

(Since) the story of the [ordinary] parrot of the soul is like

this, where is one who is the [chosen] confidant of the birds?

Where is a bird (who is) helpless and without sin, and (yet)

within him (is a) Solomon with (his entire) army?

When he cries out bitterly, (but) without gratitude or

complaint, a clamor [to aid him] occurs in the seven heavens!

. . . . . . .

The man of trade accepted this message (and agreed) that he

would deliver the greeting from her to (her on) kind.

When he reached the farthest regions of India, he saw some

parrots in a wilderness.

He held back (his) mount (from going), then gave a shout: he

delivered the greeting and returned that (which he had been given

in) trust.

Among those parrots, one parrot trembled greatly, fell, died, and

stopped breathing.

The merchant became sorry about telling (such) news, (and)

he said, "I went in destruction of (that) animal.

"Is this one, perhaps, a relative of that little parrot? (Or) was

this, perhaps, (a case of) two bodies and one spirit?

"Why did I do this? Why did I deliver the message (and) burn

up the helpless (creature) by means of this crude speech?"

. . . . . . .

The merchant finished his trading (and) returned to (his)

home, satisfying (the best hopes of his) friends.

He brought a present to each male slave (and) gave a share to

each female slave.

The parrot said, "Where is (this) slave's present? Tell what you

saw and said!"

(The merchant) replied, "No. I am myself (very) sorry about that,

(and am) chewing my hands and biting (my) fingers (over it).

"Why did I foolishly bring (such) a crude message out of

ignorance and thoughtlessness?"

(The parrot) said, "O master, why are you (so) regretful? What is

it that calls for (all) this anger and sorrow?"

He replied, "I told your complaints to a group of your

fellow parrots.

"That one parrot-- her heart broke from getting wind of your pain,

and she trembled and died.

"I became regretful (and thought), 'Why was (the use of)

saying this?' But since I had (already) spoken, what was the benefit

of remorse?"

. . . . . . .

When she heard about what that parrot did, she then

trembled, fell, and became cold.

When the master saw her fallen like this, he jumped up and hurled

(his) cap on the ground.

(And) when the master saw her with this appearance and

condition, he leaped up and tore the upper front (of his robe).

He said, "O beautiful and sweet-crying parrot, what happened to

you? Why did you become like this?

"Oh what sorrow! My sweet-sounding bird! Oh what misery!

My close companion and confidant!

"Oh what regret! My sweet-singing bird! The wine of (my) spirit,

(my) garden, and my sweet basil!

"If Solomon (could have) had a bird like you, he never would

have become occupied with (all) those (other) birds.

"Oh what a pity! The bird which I got (so) cheaply! (Yet how)

quickly I turned my face away from her face!

"O tongue! You are a great injury to mankind! (But) since you

are talking, what can I say to you?

"O tongue! You are both the fire and the harvest stack. How

long will you set fire to this harvest stack?

"(My) soul is lamenting in secret because of you, even

though it keeps doing everything you tell it (to do)."

. . . . . . .

The merchant, in (a state of) burning, and agony, and

yearning, kept saying a hundred scattered and disturbed (things)

such as this.

. . . . . . .

After that, he threw her out of the cage. The little parrot flew

to a high branch--

The dead parrot made such a (swift) flight, (it resembled) the sun

when it charges forth, like a Turk, from the sky [and rises up at

dawn].

The merchant became bewildered by the bird's action. All of a

sudden, (still) without understanding, he saw (that there were)

secrets involving the bird.

He raised his head and said, "O nightingale, share a portion (of

wisdom) with us in explanation of the situation.

"What did (that parrot) do so that you learned (something),

prepared a trick, and burned us (with sorrow)?"

The parrot answered, "She gave me advice by her (very)

action, meaning, 'Escape from (attachment to) elegance of voice

and joyful expansion [of your breast in song].

"'Because your voice is keeping you in shackles.' She herself

acted dead for the sake of (sending me) this advice,

"Meaning, 'O (you who) have become a singer to (both)

commoners and the elite: become "dead" like me so that you may

find deliverance!'"

. . . . . . .

The parrot gave him one or two (pieces of) advice, full of

(spiritual) discrimination. After that, he said to him the

"salaam of parting."

The merchant said to her, "Go in the protection of god. You have

now shown me a new path."

The merchant (then) said to himself, "This is the advice for me: I

will take her path, for this path is luminous.

"How should my soul be inferior to a parrot? The soul ought to

(follow) such as this, for it is a (very) good track (indeed)!"

The body resembles a cage. The body has become a thorn to the

soul because of the deceptions of those (who are) inside and

outside.

This one tells her, "I am your confidant," and that one tells

her, "No, I am your companion."

This one tells her, "There is none like you in existence with (such)

beauty, and grace, goodness, and generosity."

(And) that one tells her, "Both this world and the next are yours,

(and) all our souls are the (eager) uninvited guests of your soul

When he sees the people drunk from (being with) him, he loses

control of himself and goes (about full) of pride and arrogance.

He doesn't know that the Devil has thrown thousands (just)

like him into the river's water.