It happened once upon a time that a seeker, riding upon his faithful donkey, came to a place where there was living a group of Sufis. Thinking that he would be wise to profit from this opportunity, the seeker left his donkey in care of the gate-keeper, and entered.

The Sufis were, as one might expect, humble children of the hardest poverty. At this moment it was perhaps three days since they had eaten their last crust of bread. Rousing themselves from their contemplations, they welcomed the seeker very warmly, but they had nothing to set before him but some water in a cracked cup.

Shortly, however, the gate-keeper came to the Shaikh of the group, murmured a few words in his ear, and gave him a small purse of money. “Praise be to God,” said the Shaikh, and ordered food for all.

Soon the whole assembly was feasting – for to a starving person, even a piece of bread is a banquet – and after, they brought out instruments and began to sing heartfelt praises to the Divine Provider.

One song in particular made a deep impression on the seeker. Again and again, in ecstasy, the Sufis sang, “The donkey has gone! The donkey has gone!” And the seeker, swept up in their rapture, sang with them, “The donkey has gone!” He knew there was some mystery to the song he did not understand, but he abandoned himself to the joy of the group and felt transported to another world.

In the morning, after taking his leave of the Shaikh and the assembly, the seeker came to the gate-keeper, and asked for his donkey.

But the gate-keeper looked at him as if at a fool. ‘How can you say this,” he demanded, “when you yourself sang louder than anyone, ‘The donkey has gone!’? Be grateful for the joy of the assembly, brother, and do not commit the error of seeking to undo your gift.”