The Morals of Dervishes
dinâr from my belt by way of gratification, and placed them before the musician, whom I embraced and thanked. My friends, who saw that my appreciation of his merits was unusual, attributed it to the levity of my intellect and laughed secretly; one of them, however, lengthened out his tongue of objection, and began to reproach me, saying that I had committed an act repugnant to intelligent en by bestowing a portion of my professional dress upon a musician who had all his life not a dirhem laid upon the palm of his hand, nor filings of silver or gold placed on his drum.
A musician! Far be he from this happy abode!
No one ever saw him twice in the same place!
As soon as the shout rose from his mouth,
The hair on the bodies of the people stood on end;
The fowls of the house, terrified by him, flew away,
Whilst he distracted our senses, and tore his throat!
I said: "It would be proper to shorten the tongue of objection, because his talent has become evident to me." He then asked me to explain the quality of it in order to inform the company, so that all might apologise for the jokes they had cracked about me. I replied: "Although my Sheikh had often told me to abandon musical entertainments, and had given me abundant advice, I did not mind it. This night my propitious horoscope and my august luck have guided me to this place, where I have, on hearing the performance of this musician, repented [and vowed] never again to attend at singing and convivial parties.
A pleasant voice, from a sweet palate, mouth and lips, whether employed in singing or not, enchants the heart; but the melodies of lovers, of Isfahân, or of the Hejâz, from the windpipe of a bad singer, are not nice.
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