! ! Ibrahim's Tale

Ibrahim Ibrahim was a shoemaker in that Persian land afar where wisest men practice crafts in side-alleys without name and teach with stories One day, Ibrahim was overcome by happiness beyond all belief while the sun moved from there to here He told his friend, who said you look the same to me He went to the doctor who said we’d better keep an eye on that, it might need an X-ray He went to the priest who said the Devil has cunning ways to tempt with gifts He went to the politician who said it’s just a way to avoid your social responsibility He went to the psychiatrist who said such delusions are uncommon but not unknown come back next week Ibrahim walked home through the market and stallholders smiled even though he bought nothing a stray dog followed him home his wife said you’re late for dinner how lucky you are to have me for a wife his children said didn’t you bring anything home for us? But here the story of Ibrahim splits into many versions; so you who know that bliss which overcame our Ibrahim must complete it for yourselves to tell to your chlldren and your children’s children so that wise men smile, and angels laugh, and poets pause, and storytellers nod to themselves, while they shape and tack their shoes, that a storyteller carries on wise shoulders a responsibility to human beings greater than any king..