A young man of strong body, weakened by hunger, sat on the walker’s
portion of the street stretching his hand toward all who passed,
begging and repeating his hand toward all who passed, begging and
repeating the sad song of his defeat in life, while suffering from
hunger and from humiliation.
When night came, his lips and tongue were parched, while his hand was still as empty as his stomach.
He
gathered himself and went out from the city, where he sat under a tree
and wept bitterly. Then he lifted his puzzled eyes to heaven while
hunger was eating his inside, and he said, "Oh Lord, I went to the rich
man and asked for employment, but he turned me away because of my
shabbiness; I knocked at the school door, but was forbidden solace
because I was empty- handed; I sought any occupation that would give me
bread, but all to no avail. In desperation I asked alms, but They
worshippers saw me and said "He is strong and lazy, and he should not
beg."
"Oh Lord, it is Thy will that my mother gave birth unto me, and now the earth offers me back to You before the Ending."
His
expression then changed. He arose and his eyes now glittered in
determination. He fashioned a thick and heavy stick from the branch of
the tree, and pointed it toward the city, shouting, "I asked for bread
with all the strength of my voice, and was refused. Not I shall obtain
it by the strength of my muscles! I asked for bread in the name of
mercy and love, but humanity did not heed. I shall take it now in the
name of evil!"
The passing years rendered the youth a robber,
killer and destroyer of souls; he crushed all who opposed him; he
amassed fabulous wealth with which he won himself over to those in
power. He was admired by colleagues, envied by other thieves, and
feared by the multitudes.
His riches and false position
prevailed upon the Emir to appoint him deputy in that city - the sad
process pursued by unwise governors. Thefts were then legalized;
oppression was supported by authority; crushing of the weak became
commonplace; the throngs curried and praised.
Thus does the
first touch of humanity’s selfishness make criminals of the humble, and
make killers of the sons of peace; thus does the early greed of
humanity grow and strike back at humanity a thousand fold!
