Nasrudin and the Egg

One morning, Nasrudin – the great Sufi mystic who always pretended to be mad – wrapped an egg in a cloth, went into the town’s main square, and called the people who were there.

“Today there will be an important contest!” – he said – “Whoever discovers what is inside this cloth, will be given the egg inside it!”

The people exchanged glances, intrigued, and answered:

“How can we know? No one is capable of divination!” Nasrudin insisted:

That which is inside this cloth has a yellow center like a yolk, surrounded by a clear liquid like egg white, which in turn is contained inside a shell, which breaks very easily. It is a symbol of fertility, and reminds us of birds flying to their nests. So, who can tell me what is hidden here?

All the folk thought Nasrudin was holding an egg, but the answer

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was so obvious, no one wanted to embarrass themselves in front of everyone else.

What if it wasn’t an egg, but something more important, a product of the fertile Sufi mystic’s imagination? A yellow center might suggest the Sun; the surrounding liquid could be an alchemist’s concoction. No, the madman was definitely trying to make someone look a fool.

Nasrudin asked twice more, and no one dared say something foolish. So he unwrapped the cloth and showed everyone the egg.

“You all knew the answer” – he said – “And no one dared put it into words.”

Such are the lives of those who haven’t the courage to risk: solutions are generously provided by God, but people always seek complicated explanations, and end up doing nothing.

Reflections of the Warrior of Light II

A warrior of the light never stumbles; but he knows how to distract his adversary.

However anxious he is, he plays with the resources of strategy in order to reach his objective. When he realizes his strength is running out, he makes the enemy believe he is in no rush. When he must attack on the right, he moves his troops to the left. If he intends to begin the fight immediately, he pretends he is sleepy and prepares himself for sleep.

The friends comment: "see how he has lost his enthusiasm."

He pays these comments no attention, for his friends know not the tactics of combat.

A warrior of light knows what he wants. There is no need to spend time explaining.