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From: tyagi@houseofkaos.abyss.com (nagasiva)
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Subject: PSKooshesh: (Sufi Story) The Wise Hakim
Date: 23 Aug 1997 11:21:12 -0700
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[from tariqas@world.std.com: savushoon@juno.com (Parichehr S Kooshesh mekonam)]

{This is a story from Mariam's Storypark}
The Story Of The Wise Hakim
   
   A sultan was on a ship with some of his best courtiers. One of the
   courtiers who had never taken a voyage before and was a child of the
   mountains, had never seen the coast. He sat in the empty belly of the
   ship and screamed, cried, trembled, and wailed. All were kind to him
   and tried to calm his fears, but their kindness reached only his ears
   and not his fearful heart.
   
   The sultan could hardly bear to hear the courtier's cries any more,
   and the voyage through blue waters under the clear blue sky was no
   longer a pleasure for him. Then the wise hakim, the physician,
   approached him and said, "Your Highness, with your permission, I can
   calm him down."
   
   Without a moment's hesitation, the sultan gave his permission. The
   hakim ordered the seamen to throw the courtier overboard. They did,
   only too gladly. The courtier thrashed about in the water, grabbed
   for air, clutched the side of the ship, and begged to be taken on
   board again. So the seamen pulled him out of the water, and from then
   on he sat very quietly in a corner. No one heard another word of fear
   from him. The sultan was amazed and asked the hakim, "What wisdom is
   contained in this action?"
   
   The hakim answered, "He had never tasted the salt of the sea, and he
   didn't know how great the danger was in the water. So he couldn't
   know how wonderful it is to have the sturdy planks of the ship under
   him. Only he who has faced danger can know the value of peace and
   composure.
   
   Note: The story above by Sadi of Shiraz, is an example of ancient
   anxiety therapy. Warning: Please do not try such therapy in the 20th
   Century! :-) The story is from, "Oriental Stories As Tools In
   Psychotherapy" by Nossrat Peseschkian. I titled and rewrote it in
   parts. 

EOF