The Bawa Muhaiyaddeen Fellowship
Children's Stories
The Arrogance of the Puffed-Up Frogs
My love you, my grandchildren, my brothers and sisters, my sons and daughters.
It is twilight now, and the sun is low in the sky. Shall we go out for some
fresh air? Come with me. This park is a very nice place. Everybody comes here
to breathe in the fresh air and feel healthy. Do you see the well over there?
People can draw water from it when they are thirsty. Let's go closer and look
inside the well.
Oh, look at all the frogs down there! They eat the germs and bacteria in the
water, making it cleaner for drinking. Look at them jumping up and down, leaping
here and there, and pulling on each other. They seem to be fighting. But why?
Are they fighting over food? Are they competing for insects? Let's watch some
more and see if we can discover why they are fighting.
Ah, there is the cause! It's not food they are fighting over. The two biggest
frogs are both claiming that they are the greatest. Each one thinks he should
be the leader. All the other frogs are frightened by their size and are diving
deeper into the well to escape. But the two big frogs are challenging each
other. They are full of pride and the qualities of the I. Look, my grandchildren,
they are trying to swallow each other! But both of them are the same size.
What do you think will happen? Let's watch and see. Don't chase them away.
If we break up the fight now, they will only start another fight later. Let
them finish their quarrel, or they will never have any peace.
Look, the first one has a good hold on his opponent and has swallowed his
front legs. Do you see how his stomach is beginning to swell. But the second
one has also swallowed the hind legs of the first and he too is puffing himself
up. Now both of them have lost all the strength in their free legs, which
are tiny and useless in comparison to their inflated bodies. Neither of them
can jump any more. Each frog has swallowed half of the other, and they can't
breathe.
Oh, no! Both frogs have died! They tried to swallow each other, and as a result
both have suffocated and are floating belly up in the water.
My grandchildren, sometimes men also try to swallow each other, like these
puffed-up frogs. And just like the little frogs who dove deeper into the well,
good people become afraid and try to escape when they meet a man who is puffed
up with pride and the arrogance of the I. It does not take long, however,
until another arrogant man comes along to challenge him. They each boast,
"I am the greatest!" Then, just like the big frogs, each man catches
hold of the other and swallows half of him. They torture each other, and in
the end they both die.
Frogs challenge each other out in the open, one on one. But men torment each
other in a devious, vengeful, and jealous way. One person kills another, then
a third person attacks the winner, and soon they all die, just like frogs.
My grandchildren, a female frog lays so many millions of eggs, and hundreds
of thousands of them hatch. They all live together, but then, because of their
arrogance, they fight with each other and die. Like this, animals and human
beings have been slaughtering each other for two hundred million years. And
this destruction has been growing worse all the time. You have seen this fighting,
haven't you? You must be very careful not to catch this disease. Each man
causes his own death by letting them grow inside himself. Eventually, someone
else with the same disease will come looking for him, and soon both will die
from their arrogance.
When you see arrogance, do not confront it. Why should you point out people's
arrogance to them? Their time will come, and they will destroy themselves.
Those with wisdom who are devoted to God and trust Him must hide from the
karma, arrogance, illusion, and pride of the world. Like the little frogs
who dove into the well to escape from the big frogs, you have to hide. People
with wisdom must dive in God, truth, and wisdom. They must escape by disappearing
into love, peace, and tranquility.
This is what you must do in your lives, my grandchildren. Become human beings
and search for the qualities of peace. Arrogance will always take on new forms,
so you must be alert and do your best to escape. Hide in the truth. Hide yourselves
in the qualities of the One who is unfathomable grace. Take on the natural
and beautiful light form which is God's compassionate, just, and loving form.
Reflect wisely and try to fill yourselves with good thoughts. You and I must
try to live in God's protection.
My love you, my grandchildren. God is sufficient for us. He will protect us
Amin. Amin.
- M. R. Bawa Muhaiyaddeen
Come to the Secret Garden:
Sufi Tales of Wisdom