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Abstract

The experience and knowledge of the people are transmitted through the centuries in different ways: through signs, beliefs, fairy tales ... But the quintessence folk wisdom- in parables, small instructive stories that make people think, sometimes rethink a lot and choose the right direction. This book contains the wisdom of the East, known for its philosophers and sages. And, despite the fact that these parables were created by people with a special mentality, they are universal, in their heroes you can easily recognize yourself and those around you and turn to them for advice and support.

V. A. Chastnikova

Truth of the life

Three important questions

Most valuable

Life as it is

Butterflies and fire

understand fate

Money can not buy happiness

Walk straight!

two snowflakes

great good

The Secret of Happiness

Sermon

Parable about positive thinking

How to reach the goal?

hidden treasures

And they saw god

Padishah and the beggar

Polite Rabbit

obstinate wife

Love, wealth, luck

flowers inside

On the price of happiness

Friend act

donkey training

guardian angels

donkey friends

Parable about a ripe nut

Dung beetle and bee

Happiness is near

What is good for one, bad for another

Ox and lioness

The Parable of the Two Wolves

two roosters

sick deer

Search for the truth

baklava taste

Parable about the sun and darkness

All in your hands

Mutual help

Peasant's son

Absolute Truth

Winner's Secret

The guest must leave on time

Don't judge

Three figurines

Follow your path

Fulfillment of desires

Everything that is done is for the best

Parable of Wealth

God, you didn't understand me

Taste of life

City gates and mouth

Everything passes

Dirty nests

Challenge and awe

Two friends and four wives

Grape

Owner's debt

cheap camel

Parents and children

Instruction

exemplary mother

Name of my angel

Father's instructions

Brother

Parable about wealth

Earned by your labor

Daughters as sons

Mount Obasute

Will

The cycle of love

Forgiveness

happiness and love

The most beautiful heart

Better than the one you like

Nobody deserves tears

Two halves of one whole

About the perfect woman

About the most beautiful woman

Parable about love!

The cycle of love

moon and oyster

hedgehog and star

About how a man became like God during his life

With good intentions

force of habit

three kisses

No and no

Judge us people

Be your own light

Two lines of qadi

traces of fat

The poor man imitating the rich man

If a crow croaks

Punishment before crime

When a friend is near

A story about two friends walking in the desert

Everyone knows how to die, you have to learn how to live

Wealth, friendship and love

reach paradise

friendship and success

Love and friendship

Trial

Wedding invitation

Ruler's Friend

branch of wisdom

Nine Life Lessons of Confucius

Eastern wisdom

How has the water changed?

Change the world

Heir

Other people's ideas

One phrase

Comfort of King Darius

It all depends on the weather

Stupidity, anger, self-control

Greed, obsequiousness and impossibility

Scorpion and turtle

About doubts

bad time

Nasreddin and student

accept yourself

Mulla's Wisdom

Think positive

Rich man, poor man

Rich man and poor man

heavy burden

Of the rich and the poor

Rich, poor and heaven

Bottle bag

The lives of the rich and the poor

What do you eat?

Kindness is a legacy

Poverty and wealth

Wealth - freedom or slavery?

Big difference

The poor man and the interpreter of dreams

beggar's son

Right moment

poor brahmin

poor samurai

The division of geese

Dictionary of unfamiliar words

V. A. Chastnikova

Parables of the East. branch of wisdom

The madman is comforted by the past,

weak-minded - the future,

smart - real.

Eastern wisdom.

Since ancient times, people in Russia have loved parables, interpreted Biblical ones and composed their own. True, sometimes they were confused with fables. And already in the 18th century, the writer A.P. Sumarokov called the book of his fables “Proverbs”. Parables are really like fables. However, a fable is different from a parable.

A parable is a small moralizing story, like a fable, but without morality, without direct instruction.

The parable does not teach, but gives a hint of teaching, it is a delicate creation of the people.

In parables, in an ordinary, everyday case, a universal meaning is hidden - a lesson for all people, but not everyone, but very few, is given to see this meaning.

Parables immerse us in a fictional world where everything is possible, but, as a rule, this world is just a moralizing reflection of reality.

A parable is not a fictional story, it is primarily a story about real events that have taken place at all times. From generation to generation parables, as oral folk art, passed from mouth to mouth, supplemented by details, some details, but at the same time did not lose their wisdom and simplicity. At different times, in different countries, many people, when making responsible decisions, looked for the answer in parables and instructive stories that have come down to our days.

Parables describe the stories that happen to us in Everyday life everyday. If you pay attention, you will surely notice that many of the events described in the parables are very similar to our everyday situations. And the question is how to respond to it. The parable teaches to look at things soberly and act wisely, without excessive emotionality.

At first glance, it may seem that the parable does not carry any useful information, but this is only at first glance. If you didn't like the parable, it seemed incomprehensible, stupid or meaningless - this does not mean that the parable is bad. It's just that you may not be prepared enough to understand this parable. Rereading the parables, each time you can find something new in them. The parables collected in this book came to us from the East - where people gathered in tea rooms and listened to the parables over a cup of coffee or tea.

Truth of the life

Three important questions

The ruler of one country strove for all wisdom. Rumors reached him once that there was a certain hermit who knew the answers to all questions. The ruler came to him and sees: a decrepit old man, digging a garden bed. He jumped off his horse and bowed to the old man.

- I came to get an answer to three questions: who is the most main man on earth, what is the most important thing in life, what day is more important than all the others.

The hermit did not answer and continued to dig. The ruler undertook to help him.

Suddenly he sees: a man is walking along the road - his whole face is covered with blood. The ruler stopped him kind word consoled, brought water from the stream, washed and bandaged the wounds of the traveler. Then he took him to the hermit's hut, put him to bed.

The next morning he looks - the hermit is sowing the garden.

“Hermit,” the ruler pleaded, “won’t you answer my questions?”

For many years I have been collecting wise, beautiful, instructive stories. Surprisingly, the authors of most of these masterpieces are unknown. It is probably the depth and inner beauty of these miniatures that turns them into modern folklore passed from mouth to mouth. I bring to your attention the ten best parables about the meaning of life and the important things that allow you to compare life guidelines, distinguish true greatness and spiritual wealth from the limited world of everyday fuss, although sometimes it looks solemn and magnificent. Chose to your taste, of course.

Full bank.

Most valuable

One person in childhood was very friendly with an old neighbor.
But as time went on, college and hobbies appeared, then work and personal life. Every minute the young man was busy, and he did not have time to remember the past, or even to be with loved ones.
Once he learned that a neighbor had died - and suddenly remembered: the old man taught him a lot, trying to replace the boy's deceased father. Feeling guilty, he came to the funeral.
In the evening, after the burial, the man entered the empty house of the deceased. Everything was the same as many years ago ...
Here are just a small golden box, in which, according to the old man, was kept the most valuable thing for him, disappeared from the table. Thinking that one of her few relatives had taken her, the man left the house.
However, two weeks later he received the package. Seeing the neighbor's name on it, the man shuddered and opened the box.
Inside was the same golden box. It contained a gold pocket watch engraved with "Thank you for the time you spent with me."
And he realized that the most valuable thing for the old man was the time spent with his little friend.
Since then, the man tried to devote as much time as possible to his wife and son.

Life is not measured by the number of breaths. It is measured by the number of moments that make us hold our breath.Time is slipping away from us every second. And it needs to be spent right now.

footprints in the sand(Christian parable).

One day a man had a dream. He dreamed that he was walking along a sandy shore, and next to him was the Lord. Pictures from his life flashed in the sky, and after each of them he noticed two chains of footprints in the sand: one from his feet, the other from the feet of the Lord.
As the last picture of his life flashed before him, he looked back at the footprints in the sand. And saw that often along it life path there was only one line of footprints. He also noticed that these were the most difficult and unhappy times in his life.
He became very sad and began to ask the Lord:
“Didn’t You tell me: if I follow Your path, You will not leave me. But I noticed that during the most difficult times of my life, only one chain of footprints stretched across the sand. Why did You leave me when I needed You the most?The Lord answered:
“My sweet, sweet child. I love you and will never leave you. When there were sorrows and trials in your life, only one chain of footprints stretched along the road. Because in those days I carried you in my arms.

Dream.

While flying the plane on one of the routes, the pilot turned to his friend-partner:
“Look down at this beautiful lake. I was born not far from him, over there is my village.
He pointed to a small village, which, like a perch, nestled in the hills near the lake, and remarked:
- I was born there. As a child, I often sat by the lake and fished. Fishing was my favorite pastime. But when I was a kid fishing in the lake, there were always airplanes in the sky. They flew over my head, and I dreamed of the day when I could become a pilot myself and fly a plane. This was my only dream. Now she is fulfilled.
And now every time I look down at this lake and dream of the time when I retire and go fishing again. Because my lake is so beautiful ...

Lame kitten.

The seller of one small shop attached an announcement “Kittens for sale” at the entrance. This inscription attracted the attention of the kids, and a few minutes later a boy entered the store. Having greeted the seller, he timidly asked about the price of the kittens.
- From 30 to 50 rubles, - the seller answered.
Sighing, the child reached into his pocket, took out his wallet and began to count the change.
“I have only 20 rubles now,” he said sadly. "Please, can I at least look at them," he asked the salesman hopefully.
The seller smiled and took the kittens out of the big box.
Once in the wild, the kittens meowed contentedly and rushed to run. Only one of them, for some reason, clearly lagged behind everyone. And somehow strangely pulled up the hind leg.
- Tell me, what about this kitten? the boy asked.
The seller replied that this kitten had a congenital foot defect. “It’s for life,” the vet said. - added the man.
Then the boy for some reason became very agitated.
- That's what I would like to buy.
- Are you laughing, boy? This is a defective animal. Why do you need it? However, if you are so merciful, then take it for free, I will give it to you anyway,” said the seller.
Here, to the seller's surprise, the boy's face fell.
“No, I don’t want to take it for free,” the child said in a tense voice.
- This kitten costs exactly the same as the others. And I'm willing to pay full price. I will bring you money he added firmly.
Looking at the child in amazement, the salesman's heart trembled.
- Son, you just do not understand everything. This poor thing will never be able to run, play and jump like other kittens.
At these words, the boy began to wrap the trouser leg of his left leg. And then the amazed seller saw that the boy's leg was terribly twisted and supported by metal hoops.
The child looked at the seller.
- I will never be able to run and jump either. And this kitten needs someone who would understand how hard it is for him, and who would support him, - the boy said in a trembling voice.
The man behind the counter began to bite his lips. Tears welled up in his eyes… After a short silence, he forced himself to smile.
- Son, I will pray that all kittens would have such wonderful warm-hearted owners as you.

… It really doesn't matter who you are, but the fact that there is SOMEONE who will truly appreciate you for who you are, who will accept and love you without any reservations. After all, the one who comes to you at that time how the whole world goes FROM you, and there is a real Friend.

Cups of coffee.

A group of graduates of a prestigious university, successful, having made a wonderful career, came to visit their old professor. During the visit, the conversation turned to work: graduates complained about numerous difficulties and life problems.
Having offered coffee to his guests, the professor went to the kitchen and returned with a coffee pot and a tray filled with a variety of cups: porcelain, glass, plastic, crystal. Some were simple, others expensive.
When the graduates took apart the cups, the professor said:
- Please note that all the beautiful cups were dismantled, while the simple and cheap ones remained. And although it is normal for you to want only the best for yourself, but this is the source of your problems and stress. Realize that the cup alone does not make the coffee better. Most often, it is simply more expensive, but sometimes it even hides what we drink. In reality, all you wanted was just coffee, not a cup. But you deliberately chose the best cups, and then looked at who got which cup.
Now think: life is coffee, and work, money, position, society are cups. They are just tools for maintaining and maintaining Life. What cup we have does not determine or change the quality of our Life. Sometimes, concentrating only on the cup, we forget to enjoy the taste of the coffee itself.

The happiest people are not those who have the best, but those who make the best of what they have.

your cross(Christian parable).

One person seemed to have a very hard life. And one day he went to God, told about his misfortunes and asked him:
“May I choose a different cross for myself?”
God looked at the man with a smile, led him into the vault, where there were crosses, and said:
- Choose.
A man entered the vault, looked and was surprised: “There are so many crosses here - small, and large, and medium, and heavy, and light.” For a long time a man walked around the vault, looking for the smallest and lightest cross, and, finally, he found a small, small, light, light cross, approached God and said:
“God, can I have this one?”
"Yes," God replied. - This is your own and is.

Glass in outstretched hand.

The professor began his lesson by taking a glass with a small amount of water in his hand. He held it up so that everyone could see it and asked the students:
How much do you think this glass weighs?
- 50 grams, 100 grams, 125 grams, - the students answered.
"I really won't know until I weigh it," said the professor, "but my question is: what would happen if I held it, as I do now, for a few minutes?"
“Nothing,” the students said.
- Well, what would happen if I held it like now, for an hour? the professor asked.
“Your arm would start to hurt,” said one of the students.
"You're right, but what would happen if I held it all day?"
“Your hand would go numb, you would have a severe muscular disorder and paralysis, and you would have to go to the hospital just in case.
- Very well. But while we were discussing here, has the weight of the glass changed? the professor asked.
- Not.
- And what makes the arm hurt and causes muscle breakdown?
The students were puzzled.
What do I need to do to fix this? the professor asked again.
“Put down the glass,” one of the students said.
- Exactly! the professor said. It's always like that with life's problems. Just think about them for a few minutes and they are with you. Think about them a little longer and they start to itch. If you think even longer, they will paralyze you. You can't do anything.
It is important to think about the problems in life, but it is even more important to be able to put them off: at the end of the working day, the next day. So you do not get tired, wake up every day fresh and strong. And you can manage any problem, any kind of challenge that comes with you along the way.

All in your hands(eastern parable)

Long time ago in ancient city the Master lived, surrounded by disciples. The most capable of them once thought: "Is there a question that our Master could not answer?" He went to a flowering meadow, caught the most beautiful butterfly and hid it between his palms. Butterfly paws clung to his hands, and the student was ticklish. Smiling, he approached the Master and asked:
- Tell me, which butterfly is in my hands: alive or dead?
He firmly held the butterfly in his closed palms and was ready at any moment to squeeze them for the sake of his truth.
Without looking at the student's hands, the Master replied:
- All in your hands.

fragile gifts(parable from M. Shirochkina).

Once a wise old man came to a village and stayed to live. He loved children and spent a lot of time with them. He also liked to give them gifts, but he gave only fragile things. No matter how hard the children tried to be neat, their new toys often broke. The children were upset and wept bitterly. Some time passed, the sage again gave them toys, but even more fragile ones.
One day, the parents could not stand it and came to him:
“You are wise and wish only the best for our children. But why do you give them such gifts? They try their best, but the toys still break and the children cry. But the toys are so beautiful that it is impossible not to play with them.
“Very few years will pass,” the old man smiled, “and someone will give them his heart. Maybe it will teach them how to handle it priceless gift a little more careful?

Once upon a time there was a rich man who never thought about God. He was always busy with his worldly business - collecting money. He made his living by lending money, and took such a great interest in it that he became very rich without doing anything.

One day he went with his account books to a neighboring village to visit his debtors. After completing his business, he found that it was getting dark and to get home, he had to walk 3-4 miles. He asked if there...

Once Khoja Nasreddin went to the bazaar and walked back and forth along the stalls for a long time, asking the price, but not buying anything. The market guard watched from a distance for some time, but, in the end, turned to him with admonition:

Dear, I see that you have no money, you are only in vain tugging at the merchant people. Give you this and that, change the style and size, weigh and cut, and the benefits to the merchant are not a penny. If I didn’t know that you were Khoja Nasreddin, I would have thought that a thief was wound up in the market: he was waiting for the merchant ...

Gui Zi always speaks in riddles, one of the courtiers once complained to Prince Liang. - Lord, if you forbid him to use allegories, believe me, he will not be able to sensibly formulate a single thought.

The prince agreed with the petitioner. The next day he met Guy Tzu.

From now on, please leave your parables and speak directly, - said the prince.

In response, he heard:
- Imagine a person who does not know what a catapult is. He asks what it is, and you...

One man named Ali worked hard and hard. He mined salt and took it to the city to sell it. But from childhood he had a dream - Ali wanted to save up money and buy a white Arabian horse for them in order to travel on horseback to Samarkand. And then one day, having accumulated a sufficient amount of money, Ali went with a passing caravan to a large camel market, where the best camels and horses were sold. Early in the morning, at dawn, he arrived at the place. Ali's eyes widened at the sight of so many choicest...

Chuang Tzu was born into a poor family, and there was often not enough food in the house. And then one day his parents sent him to borrow some rice from a rich man. He replied:

Of course I can help. Soon I will collect taxes from my village and then I can lend you three hundred pieces of silver. Is that enough?

Chuang Tzu looked at him angrily and said:

Yesterday I was walking along the road and suddenly someone called me. I looked around and saw a gudgeon in a roadside ditch. “I am the lord of the waters of the Eastern Ocean,” said the gudgeon. - Not...

at Nasreddin at Khoja's
there were two buckets:
in one - everything was "brilliance and chic"
in the other - there was a hole

He walked with them on the water

To the nearest stream
one thing - he brought full,
another - no fuck

And first, being proud of yourself,
laughed at the second...
the second wept, ashamed
your stupid hole...

And here, a bucket with a hole
Hodge said:
"Well, what are you running around with me
which year already?
you better throw me away
away, I pray
I will only shame you
and pour water for nothing!

Vedru answered...

The old father, before a long journey, gave his last instructions to his young son:

Fear, like rust, slowly and constantly corrodes the soul and turns a man into a jackal!

Therefore, be sinless! Sinless in everything! And then - no one will ever disgrace you.

And then there will be no vile fear in you. Then natural nobility will sprout in you, and you will become worthy of your name and Family.

Be prudent to become rich. Puffy people lose their dignity, and with it their wealth ...

One day a caravan was going through the desert.
Night fell, and the caravan stopped for the night.
The boy looking after the camels asked the caravan guide:

There are twenty camels, but only nineteen ropes, what to do?

He replied:
- A camel is a stupid animal, go up to the last one and pretend that you are tying it, it will believe and behave calmly.

The boy did as the guide told him to, and the camel did indeed stand still.

The next morning the boy counted...

Eastern parable- in fact, short story written in simple, understandable language. it special form transmission of vital information. What is difficult to describe in ordinary words is presented in the form of a story.

Features of perception

An adult has a well-developed logic, the habit of thinking in words, in abstract categories. This way of thinking was diligently mastered throughout the school years. In his childhood, he used figurative language more actively - lively, informal, using the resources of the right hemisphere of the brain, which is responsible for creativity.

Eastern parable, bypassing logic and pragmatism, appeals directly to the heart. In some example, something very important is revealed, but usually eluding attention. With the help of metaphors and allegories, the imagination is activated, the deep strings of the soul are touched. A person does not think so much as feels at this moment. She may even shed a tear, or even cry at all.

Insight as a consequence

Small instructive story, which is an oriental parable, can, in a completely incomprehensible way, start a reboot of the usual thought process. A person suddenly becomes aware of something that for a long time could not break into his consciousness. He gets an insight.

Thanks to insight, a person's self-perception and attitude change. For example, oppressive feelings of duty or guilt are transformed into deep self-acceptance. The feeling of hostility and injustice - in the understanding that the world is beautiful and multifaceted. Reasons for any difficult situation finally find a way out of it.

The value of the parable

Oriental cultures have always been famous for their special atmosphere, mystery, and a penchant for contemplation. Philosophical views were distinguished by a holistic approach to life. Ancient spiritual teachings focused on the balance of human relations with nature, the expansion of the mental and physical capabilities of his body.

Therefore, the Eastern parable is saturated with harmonizing truths. It aligns people with enduring life values. Since ancient times, it has been used as a form of verbal support. This is her great gift.

She shows the way

Oriental parables about life put certain patterns, rules, instructions in the focus of a person's attention; show the versatility of the world, the relativity of everything. Such is the parable of the elephant and the blind elders studying it from different angles - trunk, tusk, back, ear, leg, tail. Despite all the inconsistencies, even outright contradictions in judgments, everyone turns out to be right in his own way. Such examples help to overcome categoricalness, develop understanding, tolerance both for oneself and for others.

Eastern draws a person's attention to his inner world encourages reflection. It forces you to take a closer look at your priorities, the choices made every day, to reveal the predominance of a tendency to negativism, destruction or constructiveness and creation. It helps to understand what motives control actions: fear, envy, pride or love, hope, kindness. By analogy with the parable of the two wolves, what is fed, then multiplies.

Eastern people help a person to place accents in his life in such a way that he finds more reasons and reasons to feel happy, rather than vice versa. Always remember the most important, appreciate, cherish and enjoy it. And because of the secondary, do not grieve, do not become discouraged. Find inner peace, balance.

Well of wisdom

Tell interesting stories- a fairly stable tradition of mankind. This is a fun and exciting pastime. Often even very informative. This is how experience is exchanged, knowledge is transferred. Parables about life are popular today. It's great, because they are hidden innumerable treasures - grains of life-giving wisdom.

Parables bring many benefits to people. Simply, unobtrusively, they help to refocus attention from the secondary to the main, from problems to positive moments. They teach the desire for self-sufficiency, the achievement of balance. They remind you of the need to accept yourself, others, the world around you as it is. They urge you to relax and just be yourself, because that's how it should be.

Change begins with a parable

Wisdom, packaged in a parable, allows you to take a different look at a particular event or life as a whole. And as a result, redistribute accents in the perception of familiar situations, change priorities, see hidden patterns, cause-and-effect relationships. Thanks to this, it becomes possible to evaluate your beliefs, actions from a new position and, if desired, make adjustments.

Life is made up of little things. By changing small habits, a person changes actions, behavior, character. Then his fate changes. So the right parable at the right time can work wonders.

© Design. AST Publishing House LLC, 2017

Arabic parables and legends

2 x 2 = 4½

The Arabs, as you know, my friend, and everything is Arabic. in Arabic State Duma, - they call it Dum-Dum, - they finally decided to start issuing laws.

Returning from their places, from their camps, the chosen Arabs shared their impressions. One Arab said:

“It seems that the population is not particularly pleased with us. One of them hinted at this to me. Called us slackers.

Others agreed.

“And I have heard hints. We are called parasites.

- They called me a bum.

- And they set fire to me with a stone.

And they decided to take up the laws.

- It is necessary to issue such a law at once, so that its truth is evident to everyone.

And that he did not stir up any disputes.

- Everyone should agree with him.

And so that he does not bring loss to anyone.

He will be wise and kind to everyone!

The chosen Arabs thought and came up with:

“Let’s make a law that two and two make four.”

- Truth!

- And it doesn't hurt anyone.

Someone objected:

“But everyone already knows this.

They reasonably replied:

Everyone knows that stealing is not allowed. However, the law says so.

And the Arab elects, gathered in a solemn assembly, decided:

- It is declared a law, ignorance of which no one can excuse, that always and under all circumstances twice two will be four.

Upon learning of this, the viziers - that's how Arab ministers are called, my friend - were very worried. And they went to the grand vizier, who was as wise as gray.

They bowed and said:

“Have you heard that the children of misfortune, the chosen Arabs, have begun to legislate?

The Grand Vizier stroked his gray beard and said:

- I'll stay.

- That they have already issued a law: twice two is four?

The Grand Vizier replied:

- I'll stay.

“Yes, but they will reach Allah knows what. They will issue a law so that it is light during the day and dark at night. So that the water is wet and the sand is dry. And the inhabitants will be sure that it is light during the day, not because the sun is shining, but because the children of misfortune, the chosen Arabs, decided so. And that the water is wet and the sand is dry, not because Allah created it that way, but because they decreed it that way. People will believe in the wisdom and omnipotence of the chosen Arabs. And they will think of themselves Allah knows what!

The Grand Vizier calmly said:

“Whether Dum-Dum legislates or not, I remain. If it exists, I remain, and if it does not exist, I also remain. It will be twice two four, or one, or a hundred, - no matter what happens, I stay, stay and stay, as long as Allah wants me to stay.

Thus spoke his wisdom.

Wisdom is dressed in serenity, like a mullah in a white turban. And the excited viziers went to the meeting of the sheikhs ... This is something like their State Council, my friend. They went to the assembly of sheikhs and said:

- You can't leave it like this. It is impossible for the elected Arabs to take away such power in the country. And you must take action.

And a great meeting of sheikhs gathered, with the participation of viziers.

The first among the sheikhs, their chairman, stood up, did not bow to anyone out of importance and said:

- Glorious and wise sheikhs. The children of misfortune, the chosen Arabs, did what the most skillful conspirators, the most malicious rebels, the greatest robbers and the most vile swindlers did: they announced that two times two makes four. Thus they forced the very truth to serve their vile purposes. Their calculation is clear to our wisdom. They want to accustom the stupid population to the idea that the truth itself speaks through their lips. And then, no matter what law they issue, the stupid population will consider everything to be true: “After all, it was decided by the elected Arabs, who said that twice two is four.” To crush this villainous design and discourage them from legislating, we must repeal their law. But how to do it when two times two is really four?!

The sheikhs were silent, arranging their beards, and finally turned to the old sheikh, the former grand vizier, the sage, and said:

You are the father of misfortune.

So, my friend, the Arabs call the constitution.

- The doctor who made the incision should be able to heal it. May your wisdom open its mouth. You were in charge of the treasury, made lists of income and expenses, lived all your life among numbers. Tell us if there is any way out of the hopeless situation. Is it true that twice two is always four?

The sage, the former grand vizier, the father of misfortune, stood up, bowed and said:

“I knew you would ask me. Because, although they call me the father of misfortune, with all the dislike for me, they always ask me in difficult times. So a person who tears his teeth does not give pleasure to anyone. But when nothing helps with a toothache, they send for him. On the way from the warm shore where I lived, contemplating how the purple sun plunges into the azure sea, stripes of its gold, I recalled all the reports and paintings that I made, and found that twice two can be anything. Looking as needed. And four, and more, and less. There were reports and murals where twice two was fifteen, but there were where twice two was three. Looking at what needed to be proven. Rarely twice two was four. At least I don't remember such a case. So says the experience of life, the father of wisdom.

Listening to him, the viziers were delighted, and the sheikhs were in despair and asked:

- What is arithmetic, after all? Science or art?

The old sheikh, the former Grand Vizier, the father of misfortune, thought, became embarrassed and said:

- Art!

Then the sheikhs, in despair, turned to the vizier, who was in charge of learning in the country, and asked:

– In your position, you constantly deal with scientists. Tell us, vizier, what do they say?

The vizier stood up, bowed, smiled and said:

- They say: "What do you want." Knowing that your question would not escape me, I turned to those scientists who remained with me and asked them: “How much is two times two?” They bowed and replied: "As many as you order." So, no matter how much I asked them, I could not get any other answer than: "as you please" and "as you command." Arithmetic has been replaced by obedience in my schools, as have other subjects.

Sheikhs fell into deep grief. And they exclaimed:

- It does honor, O vizier, head of scholarship, and to those scientists that you have left, and to your ability to choose. Perhaps such scientists will lead the youth on the right path, but they do not lead us out of the difficulty.

And the sheikhs turned to Sheikh-ul-Islam.

- By your duties, you always deal with mullahs and are close to divine truths. Tell us the truth. Twice two is always four?

Sheikh-ul-Islam stood up, bowed on all sides and said:

- Venerable, most noble sheikhs, whose wisdom is covered with gray hairs, like a dead man with a silver veil. Live and learn. Two brothers lived in the city of Baghdad. God-fearing people, but people. And they had a concubine. On the same day, the brothers, who acted in harmony with each other in everything, took concubines for themselves, and on the same day the concubines conceived from them. And when the time of childbirth approached, the brothers said to themselves: “We want our children to be born not from concubines, but from our lawful wives.” And they called the mullah to bless their two marriages. Mulla rejoiced in his heart at such a pious decision of the brothers, blessed them and said: “I am crowning your two unions. Now there will be one family of four.” But the minute he said this, both newlyweds were relieved of their burdens. And twice two became six. The family began to consist of six people. This is what happened in the city of Baghdad, and what I know. And Allah knows more than me.

The sheikhs listened with delight to this case from life, and the vizier in charge of the country's trade rose and said:

- Not always, however, twice two is six. This is what happened in the glorious city of Damascus. One man, foreseeing the need for a small coin, went to the robber ...

The Arabs, my friend, do not yet have the word "banker." And they just say "robber" in the old way.

- I went, I say, to the robber and exchanged two gold ones for silver piastres. The robber took the exchange and gave the man one and a half gold pieces of silver. But it did not happen as the man expected, and he did not need a small silver coin. Then he went to another robber and asked him to exchange silver for gold. The second robber took the same amount for exchange and gave the man one gold piece. So twice exchanged two gold turned into one. And twice two turned out to be one. That's what happened in Damascus and it's happening, sheikhs, everywhere.

Sheikhs, listening to this, were indescribably delighted:

“This is what life teaches. Real life. And not some chosen Arabs, children of misfortune.

They thought and decided:

- The chosen Arabs said that two times two makes four. But life refutes them. It is impossible to issue lifeless laws. Sheikh-ul-Islam says that two times two is six, and the vizier in charge of trade pointed out that two times two is one. In order to maintain complete independence, the assembly of sheikhs decides that twice two is five.

And they approved the law decreed by the elected Arabs.

“Let them not say that we do not approve their laws. And they only changed one word. Instead of "four" put "five".

The law read like this:

- It is declared a law, ignorance of which no one can excuse, that always and under all circumstances twice two will be five.

The case was submitted to the conciliation commission. Everywhere, my friend, where there is “unhappiness”, there are conciliation commissions.

There was a fierce dispute. Representatives of the council of sheikhs said:

"Aren't you ashamed to argue over one word?" Only one word has been changed to you in the whole law, and you are making such a fuss. Be ashamed!

And the representatives of the elected Arabs said:

“We cannot return to our Arabs without victory!”

We argued for a long time.

And finally, the representatives of the elected Arabs declared emphatically:

“Either you give in, or we leave!”

The representatives of the council of sheikhs consulted among themselves and said:

- Good. We will make you a concession. You say four, we say five. Let no one be offended. Not your way, not ours. We give up half. Let two and two be four and a half.

The representatives of the elected Arabs consulted among themselves:

Still, some law is better than none.

“Still, we forced them to make a concession.

- You won't get any more.

And they announced:

- Good. Agree.

And a conciliation commission from the elected Arabs and the council of sheikhs declared:

- It is declared a law, ignorance of which no one can excuse, that always and under all circumstances twice two will be four and a half.

This was announced through heralds in all the bazaars. And everyone was delighted.

The viziers were delighted:

- They gave a lesson to the chosen Arabs, so that even twice two four was proclaimed with caution.

Sheikhs were delighted:

- It didn't work out the way they did!

The chosen Arabs were delighted:

- Still, the council of sheikhs was forced to make concessions.

Everyone congratulated themselves on their victory.

And the country? The country was in the greatest delight. Even chickens - and they were having fun.

There are such things, my friend, in the world of Arabian tales.

fairy tale

One day

Allah Akbar! By creating a woman, you have created a fantasy.

She said to herself:

- Why not? There are many houris in the prophet's paradise, many beauties in the earthly paradise - in the caliph's harem. In the gardens of the prophet, I would not have been the last of the houris, among the wives of the padishah, perhaps, I would have been the first of the wives, and among the odalisques, the first of his odalisques. Where corals are brighter than my lips, and their breath is like the air of noon. My legs are slender, and like two lilies my chest is like lilies, on which specks of blood appeared. Happy is he who bows his head on my chest. He will have strange dreams. Like the moon on the first day of the full moon, my face is bright. My eyes burn like black diamonds, and the one who, in a moment of passion, looks into them close, close - no matter how great he is! – will see himself in them so small, so small that he will laugh. Allah created me in a moment of joy, and all of me is a song to my creator.

I took it and went. Dressed only in her beauty.

On the threshold of the palace, a guard stopped her with horror.

- What do you want here, a woman who forgot to put on more than just a veil!

- I want to see the glorious and powerful Sultan Harun al-Rashid, padishah and caliph, our great sovereign. Allah alone will be the ruler on earth.

May the will of Allah be in everything. What is your name? shamelessness?

– My name is Truth. I'm not angry with you, warrior. Truth is often mistaken for shamelessness, just as lies are for shame. Go and report me.

In the palace of the caliph, everyone was excited when they learned that the Truth had come.

– Her arrival often means departure for many! Grand Vizier Giaffar said thoughtfully.

And all the viziers sensed the danger.

But she is a woman! Giaffar said. - It is customary for us that the one who does not understand anything in it is engaged in any business. That is why eunuchs are in charge of women.

He turned to the great eunuch. The guardian of peace, honor and happiness of the padishah. And said to him:

“The greatest of eunuchs!” There came a woman relying on her beauty. Delete her. Remembering, however, that all this takes place in the palace. Delete her in a courtly manner. So that everything was beautiful and decent.

The great eunuch came out onto the porch and looked with dead eyes at the naked woman.

Do you want to see the Caliph? But the Caliph should not see you like this.

- Why?

This is how they come into this world. In this form, they leave him. But you can't walk like this in this world.

Truth is only good when it is naked truth.

“Your words sound right, like the law. But the padishah is above the law. And the padishah will not see you like this!

“Allah created me this way. Beware, eunuch, to condemn or blame. Condemnation would be madness, censure would be insolence.

“I do not dare to condemn or condemn what Allah has created. But Allah created the potatoes raw. However, before the potatoes are eaten, they are boiled. Allah created lamb meat full of blood. But in order to eat lamb meat, it is first fried. Allah created rice as hard as bone. And to eat rice, people boil it and sprinkle it with saffron. What would be said about a person who would eat raw potatoes, raw mutton meat and gnaw raw rice, saying: “This is how Allah created them!” So is a woman. In order to be undressed, she must first be dressed.

“Potatoes, lamb, rice!” Truth exclaimed indignantly. - And what about apples, and pears, fragrant melons? Are they also boiled, eunuch, before they are eaten?

The eunuch smiled the way eunuchs and toads smile.

- The rind is cut off the melon. Skin is removed from apples and pears. If you want us to do the same with you...

The truth hastened to leave.

– With whom did you speak this morning, at the entrance to the palace and, it seems, spoke sternly? - Haroun al-Rashid asked the guardian of his peace, honor and happiness. “And why was there such confusion in the palace?”

- Some woman, shameless to the point that she wants to walk the way Allah created her, wanted to see you! replied the great eunuch.

- Pain will give birth to fear, and fear will give birth to shame! the caliph said. - If this woman is shameless, do with her according to the law!

We do your will before it's even spoken! - said Grand Vizier Giaffar, kissing the ground at the feet of the ruler. “That’s what happened to a woman!”

And the Sultan, looking at him with benevolence, said:

- Allah Akbar!

Allah Akbar! By creating woman, you have created stubbornness.

It occurred to the truth to enter the palace. To the palace of Haroun al-Rashid himself.

Truth put on a sackcloth, girded herself with a rope, took a staff in her hand and again came to the palace.

- I am Rebuke! she said sternly to the guard. “In the name of Allah, I demand that I be admitted to the caliph.

And the guard was terrified - the guards are always horrified when a stranger approaches the Caliph's palace - the guard ran in horror to the Grand Vizier.

“That woman again! - he said. “She is covered with a sackcloth and calls herself Rebuke. But I saw in her eyes that she was the Truth.

The viziers were excited.

“What disrespect for the Sultan to go against our will!”

And Giaffar said:

- Conviction? This is about the Grand Mufti.

He called the Grand Mufti and bowed to him:

May your righteousness save us! Act pious and courtly.

The Grand Mufti went out to the woman, bowed to the ground and said:

- Are you Rebuke? May your every step on earth be blessed. When the muezzin from the minaret sings the glory of Allah and the faithful gather in the mosque for prayer, come. The sheikh's chair, decorated with carvings and mother-of-pearl, I bow to you. Rebuke the faithful! Your place is in the mosque.

“I want to see the caliph!”

- My child! The state is a mighty tree, the roots of which are deeply rooted in the earth. The people are the leaves that cover the tree, and the padishah is the flower that blooms on this tree. And the roots, and the tree, and the leaves - all in order for this flower to bloom magnificently. And fragrant, and decorated the tree. This is how Allah created it! That is what Allah wants! Your words, the words of Rebuke, are truly living water. May every drop of this water be blessed! But where did you hear, child, that the flower itself should be watered? Water the roots. Water the roots so that the flower blooms more magnificently. Water the roots, my child. Get out of here in peace, your place is in the mosque. Among the simple believers. Rebuke there!

And with tears of anger in her eyes, Truth left the gentle and gentle mufti.

And Harun al-Rashid asked that day:

“This morning, at the entrance to my palace, you were talking to someone, Grand Mufti, and you spoke meekly and kindly, as always, but for some reason there was an alarm in the palace at that time?” Why?

The mufti kissed the ground at the feet of the padishah and replied:

- Everyone was worried, and I spoke meekly and kindly, because it was crazy. She came in a sackcloth and wanted you to wear sackcloth too. It's funny to even think! Is it worth it to be the ruler of Baghdad and Damascus, Beirut and Belbek, to walk in a sackcloth! It would mean being ungrateful to Allah for his gifts. Such thoughts can only come insane.

“You are right,” said the caliph, “if this woman is insane, she must be treated with pity, but made so that she cannot harm anyone.”

- Your words, padishah, serve as praise for us, your servants. That's what we did with the woman! Giaffar said.

And Harun-al-Rashid looked with gratitude at the sky that sent him such servants:

- Allah Akbar!

Allah Akbar! By creating woman, you have created cunning.

It occurred to the truth to enter the palace. To the palace of Haroun al-Rashid himself.

Truth ordered to get colorful shawls from India, transparent silk from Broussa, gold-woven fabrics from Smyrna. From the bottom of the sea, she got herself yellow ambers. She has adorned herself with the feathers of birds so small that they look like golden flies and are afraid of spiders. She adorned herself with diamonds that looked like large tears, rubies like drops of blood, pink pearls that seem to be kissed on the body, sapphires like pieces of the sky.

And, telling miracles about all these wonderful things, cheerful, joyful, with burning eyes, surrounded by an innumerable crowd that listened to her with greed, delight, with bated breath, she approached the palace.

- I'm a fairy tale. I am a fairy tale, colorful like a Persian carpet, like spring meadows, like an Indian shawl. Listen, listen to how my wrists and bracelets on my arms and legs ring. They ring in the same way as golden bells ring on the porcelain towers of the Chinese Bogdykhan. I will tell you about it. Look at these diamonds, they look like tears that a beautiful princess shed when her beloved went to the ends of the world for fame and gifts for her. I will tell you about the most beautiful princess in the world. I will tell you about a lover who left the same kiss marks on the chest of his sweetheart as this pink pearl. And her eyes at that time became dull with passion, large and black, like night or this black pearl. I'll talk about their caresses. About their caresses that night, when the sky was blue-blue, like this sapphire, and the stars shone like this diamond lace. I want to see the padishah, may Allah send him as many decades of life as there are letters in his name, and double their number and double again, because there is no end and limit to the generosity of Allah. I want to see the padishah so I can tell him about the forests of palm trees curled with vines, where these birds fly like golden flies, about the lions of the Abyssinian Negus, about the elephants of the Raja of Jaipur, about the beauty of the Taj Magal, about the pearls of the ruler of Nepal. I am a fairy tale, I am a colorful fairy tale.

And having heard her stories, the guard forgot to report her to the viziers. But the Tale was already seen from the windows of the palace.

- There's a fairy tale! There's a colorful tale!

And Giaffar, the Grand Vizier, said, stroking his beard and smiling:

- Does she want to see the padishah? Let her go! Should we be afraid of inventions? The one who makes knives is not afraid of knives.

And Harun al-Rashid himself, hearing a cheerful noise, asked:

– What is there? In front of the palace and in the palace? What's the talk? What's that noise?

- It's a fairy tale! Fairy tale dressed up in miracles! Everyone in Baghdad is now listening to it, everyone in Baghdad, from young to old, and they cannot hear enough. She came to you, lord!

- May Allah have one master! And I want to hear what each of my subjects hears. Let her go!

And all the carved, and ivory, and mother-of-pearl doors opened before the Tale.

And among the bows of the courtiers and the prostrate of the fallen slaves, the Tale passed to the caliph Harun al-Rashid. He greeted her with an affectionate smile. And the Truth in the form of a fairy tale appeared before the caliph.

He said to her with a gentle smile:

“Speak, my child, I am listening to you.

Allah Akbar! You created Truth. It occurred to the truth to enter the palace. To the palace of Haroun al-Rashid himself. Truth will always get its way.