"God's fool" 


Once there came from the desert to the great city of Sharia a man who
was a dreamer, and he had naught but his 
garment and staff. And as he walked through the streets he gazed with
awe and wonder at the temples and towers and palaces, for the city of
Sharia was of surpassing beauty. And he spoke often to the passers-by,
questioning them about their city - but they understood not his language,
nor he their language. 

At the noon hour he stopped before a vast inn. It was built of yellow
marble, and people were going in and coming 
out unhindered. “This must be a shrine,’ he said to himself, and he too
went in. But what was his surprise to find himself in a hall of great
splendour and a large company of men and women seated about many
tables. They were eating and drinking and listening to the musicians. 

‘Nay,’ said the dreamer. ‘This is no worshipping. It must be a feast given
by the prince to the people, in celebration of a great event.’ 

At that moment a man, whom he took to be the slave of the prince,
approached him, and bade him be seated. And he 
was served with meat and wine and most excellent sweets. When he was
satisfied, the dreamer rose to depart. At the door he was stopped by a
large man magnificently arrayed. 

‘Surely this is the prince himself,’ said the dreamer in his heart, and he
bowed to him and thanked him. 

Then the large man said in the language of the city: 

‘Sir, you have not paid for your dinner.’ And the dreamer did not
understand, and again thanked him heartily. Then 
the large man bethought him, and he looked more closely upon the
dreamer. And he saw that he was a stranger, 
clad in but a poor garment, and that indeed he had not wherewith to pay
for his meal. Then the large man clapped 
his hands and called - and there came four watchmen of the city. And they
listened to the large man. Then they took 
the dreamer between them, and they were two on each side of him. And
the dreamer noted the ceremoniousness of 
their dress and of their manner and he looked upon them with delight.
‘These,’ said he, ‘are men of distinction.’ 
And they walked all together until they came to the House of Judgement
and they entered. 
The dreamer saw beofre him, seated upon a throne, a venerable man
with flowing beard, robed majestically. And he 
thought he was the king. And he rejoiced to be brought before him. 

Now the watchmen related to the judge, who was the venerable man, the
charge against the dreamer, and the judge 
appointed two advocates, one to present the charge and the other to
defend the stranger. And the advocates rose, 
the one after the other, and delivered each his argument. And the
dreamer thought himself to be listening to 
addresses of welcome, and his heart filled with gratitude to the king and
the prince for all that was done for him. 
Then sentence was passed upon the dreamer, that upon a tablet about his
neck his crime should be written, and that 
he should ride through the city on a naked horse, with a trumpeter and a
drummer before him. And the sentence was carried out forthwith. 

Now as the dreamer rode through the city upon the naked horse, with the
trumpeter and the drummer before him, 
the inhabitants of the city came running forth at the sound of the noise,
and when they saw him they laughed one 
and all, and the children ran after him in companies from street to street.
And the dreamer’s heart was filled with 
ecstasy, and his eyes shone upon them. For to him the tablet was a sign of
the king’s blessing and the procession was in his honour. 

Now as he rode, he saw among the crowd a man who was from the desert
like himself and his heart swelled with joy, and he cried out to him with a shout: 

‘Friend! Friend! Where are we? What city of the heart’s desire is this?
What race of lavish hosts, who feast the 
chance guest in their palaces, whose princes companion him, whose
kings hangs a token upon his breast and opens 
to him the hospitality of a city descended from heaven?’ 

And he who was also of the desert replied not. He only smiled and slightly
shook his head. And the procession 
passed on. And the dreamer’s face was uplifted and his eyes were
overflowing with light.