The story of the Donkey’s Gone from Masnavi by Rumi with some selected verse lines and a video for non-Persian speakers who like to learn the Persian language and literature
The Persian version of the Donkey’s Gone
To read the Persian version of the Donkey’s Gone, click on the link below:
The podcast of the Donkey’s Gone
The Donkey’s Gone
In the old days, a poor dervish went on a journey with his donkey. The dervish and his donkey were on the way for several days to reach the city. So, both of them reached the city very tired and hungry. The dervish asked the townspeople about a place to rest and eat. So, the people of that city showed the dervish the place of a monastery.
The monastery was a place where dervishes of the city lived together. Therefore, the poor dervish was very pleased to find a place and food for himself and the donkey. The dervish entered the monastery with dry and pale lips and face. He entrusted the donkey to the janitor of the monastery. The poor dervish, who had only one donkey in the entire world, begged the janitor to keep an eye on his donkey and give it food and water.
صوفیی در خانقاه از ره رسید *** مرکب خود برد و در آخُر کشید
One of the dervishes of the monastery saw the poor dervish’s condition from afar. The dervish of the monastery kindly came forward to welcome him, while he had drawn a plan in his head to prepare food for himself and his friends.
The dervish of the monastery said to the traveling dervish, “Welcome to our monastery. Make yourself at home. Please go inside and rest until the food is ready.”
وان مسافر نیز از راه دراز *** خسته بود و دید آن اقبال و ناز
صوفیانش یک به یک بنواختند *** نرد خدمتهای خوش می‌باختند
The poor dervish was warmly spoken and greeted among other dervishes. The host dervish took the opportunity and went to the donkey. The host dervish took the donkey to the market and sold it. With the money from selling the donkey, he bought a lot of bread, food and fruits. The dervish of the monastery returned to the monastery with his hands full of food.
از سر تقصیر آن صوفی رمه *** خرفروشی در گرفتند آن همه
هم در آن دم آن خرک بفروختند *** لوت آوردند و شمع افروختند
All the dervishes of the monastery gathered around the poor dervish. They set the dinner table. After a long time, they all ate a full stomach. Therefore, all the dervishes of the monastery, after eating so much food, rejoiced around the fire and sang: “the donkey’s gone, the donkey’s gone, and the donkey’s gone.”
The poor dervish thought that this was the ritual of the dervishes every night in the monastery. For this reason, he participated in that special ritual and shouted with them, “the donkey’s gone, the donkey’s gone, and the donkey’s gone!”
چون سماع آمد ز اول تا کران *** مطرب آغازید یک ضرب گران
خر برفت و خر برفت آغاز کرد *** زین حرارت جمله را انباز کرد
زین حرارت پای‌کوبان تا سحر *** کف‌زنان خر رفت و خر رفت ای پسر
از ره تقلید آن صوفی همین *** خر برفت آغاز کرد اندر حنین
The night ended. The poor dervish got up early in the morning to continue his journey. However, the monastery was empty and all the dervishes had left before him. The poor dervish packed up his luggage and went to the donkey. The poor dervish did not find the donkey in the manger. So, he hurried toward the janitor.
خانقه خالی شد و صوفی بماند *** گرد از رخت آن مسافر می‌فشاند
رخت از حجره برون آورد او *** تا به خر بر بندد آن همراه‌جو
تا رسد در همرهان او می‌شتافت *** رفت در آخُر خر خود را نیافت
The janitor said to him in surprise, “Donkey!!! the donkey’s gone (3)!” The poor dervish sadly grabbed the janitor’s collar and replied, “What are you talking about?? What do you mean by saying that the donkey’s gone? I had entrusted you with my donkey.”
خادم آمد گفت صوفی خر کجاست *** گفت خادم ریش بین، جنگی بخاست
گفت من خر را به تو بسپرده‌ام *** من تو را بر خر موکل کرده‌ام
The janitor pulled himself back and said: “You yourself sang this song with the other dervishes as the donkey’s gone.” They sold your donkey and bought food with the money. I came to you several times to inform you. But, I saw you accompanying them. Therefore, I also imagined that they sold the donkey with your consent. You should have thought about it when you were eating delicious food and singing happy songs, not now!”
چون نیایی و نگویی ای غریب *** پیش آمد این چنین ظلمی مهیب
گفت والله آمدم من بارها *** تا ترا واقف کنم زین کارها
تو همی‌گفتی که خر رفت ای پسر *** از همه گویندگان با ذوق‌تر
باز می‌گشتم که او خود واقفست *** زین قضا راضیست مردی عارفست
The poor dervish sighed deeply with despair and sat down in the corner of the monastery. Then he said while crying under his breath: “Alas! Blind imitation has ruined my whole life.”
گفت آن را جمله می‌گفتند خوش *** مر مرا هم ذوق آمد گفتنش
مر مرا تقلیدشان بر باد داد *** که دو صد لعنت بر آن تقلید باد
This story from Maulana or Rumi’s Masnavi popularized the Persian proverb “خر برفت و خر برفت” meaning “the donkey’s gone” among people. This Persian proverb is used for those who unknowingly get along with others and blindly imitate them while ignorant of the consequences.
