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The Grammarian And The Boatman

The Grammarian and the Boatman

A certain grammarian embarked in a boat. That self-conceited person turned to the boatman and said, “Have you ever studied grammar?”

“No,” he replied.

The other said, “Half your life has gone to waste.”

The boatman became sad, but kept silent. After a while the wind cast the boat into a whirlpool.

Then the boatman cried to the grammarian: “Tell me, do you know how to swim?”

“No,” he answered.

The boatman said: “O grammarian, your whole life has gone to waste, for the boat is sinking in these whirlpools.”

“Here, what is needed is not grammar (nahw), but self-effacement (mahw). If you have become selfless, plunge into the sea without fear.”

Source: Jalálu’ddín Rúmí

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