Khalil Gibran's The Madman 10: A Reading For Reflection

This is the parable entitled War from Khalil Gibran’s work The Madman. I invite you to take a moment to relax, listen to the short reading, and allow the words simply to fall into your awareness without intellectual grasping. Perhaps pause for a moment afterward and notice how you feel.

Transcript

A reading for reflection from Khalil Gibran's work,

The Madman,

His Parables and Poems.

War One night a feast was held in the palace,

And there came a man and prostrated himself before the prince,

And all the feasters looked upon him,

And they saw that one of his eyes was out,

And that the empty socket bled.

And the prince inquired of him,

What has befallen you?

And the man replied,

O prince,

I am by profession a thief,

And this night,

Because there was no moon,

I went to rob the money-changer's shop,

And as I climbed in through the window,

I made a mistake and entered the weaver's shop,

And in the dark I ran into the weaver's loom,

And my eye was plucked out.

And now,

O prince,

I ask for justice upon the weaver.

Then the prince sent for the weaver,

And he came,

And it was decreed that one of his eyes should be plucked out.

O prince,

Said the weaver,

The decree is just,

It is right that one of my eyes be taken,

And yet,

Alas,

Both are necessary to me in order that I may see the two sides of the cloth that I weave.

But I have a neighbour,

A cobbler,

Who has also two eyes,

And in his trade,

Both eyes are not necessary.

Then the prince sent for the cobbler,

And he came,

And they took out one of the cobbler's two eyes,

And justice was satisfied.