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Elias:AParableAtonetimetheelderlycouplehadbeenthewealthiestintheregion,nowtheyweremerelyservantswhohadnothingbuteachother.1IntheProvinceofOufatherelivedamannamedElias.Hisfatherdiedayearafterhemarried,andlefthimapoorman.AtthattimeElias'spropertyconsistedonlyofsevenmares,twocows,andtwentysheep,butnowthathehadbecomemasterhebegantobetterhimself.Heandhiswifeworkedhardfrommorningtillnightforthirtyyears,growingrichereachyear.2Eliashadtwosonsandadaughter,allofwhomhedulymarriedoff.Inthedaysofhispovertyhissonshadworkedwithhim;butwhentheybecamerich,theybegantoindulgeinfoolishpleasures.Oneofthem,inparticular,begantodrinktoexcess.Eventuallytheelderofthetwowaskilledinafight,andtheotherone,becausehedisobeyedhisfather,wasturnedout.3Eliasturnedhimout,butatthesametimehegavehimahouseandcattle.Hisownwealthwasthusdiminishedinproportion.4Soonafterwardshissheepbecameinfectedwithdisease,andmanyofthemdied.Next,therewasayearofdrought,whennohaygrew,sothatmanycattlestarvedtodeathduringthefollowingwinter.ThentheKhirgizescameandstolethebestofhishorses,andhispropertywasdiminishedevenmore.Bythetimehehadreachedhisseventiethyear,allthepropertylefttohimconsistedoftheclothesonhisbodyandhiswife,ShamShemagi,whowasasoldashimself.Thesonwhomhehadturnedouthadgonetoadistantland,andhisdaughterwasdead;sothattherewasnoonelefttohelptheoldpeople.5Howeveraformerneighboroftheirs,namedMuhamedshah,feltsorryforthem.Hewasneitherrichnorpoor,butlivedplainlyandwasarespectableman.RememberingthedayswhenhehadbeenaguestinthehouseofElias,heaskedthecoupletocomeandlivewithhimanddosomeworkforhimiftheyliked.Eliasthankedhisgoodneighbor,andwentwithhisoldwifetoliveintheserviceofMuhamedshah.Atfirstitgrievedthemtodoso;butintimetheygotusedtoit,andsettleddowntolivethereandtoworkasmuchastheirstrengthpermitted.6Itsuitedtheirmastertohavetheminhisservice,sincetheoldpeoplehadbeeninauthoritythemselves,andsoknewhowtodothings.Moreover,theywereneverlazy,butworkedthebesttheyknew.YetMuhamedshahusedtofeelsorrytoseepeopleformerlysohighintheworldnowreducedtosuchadifficultsituation.7OnedaysomeofMuhamedshah'sfriendscametovisithim.WhentheguestslearnedthatElias,oncethewealthiestmanintheregion,wasmerelyaservantofthehost,theyweresosurprisedthattheyaskedthecoupleabouttheirformerlife.8Oldman,saidoneoftheguests,tellmewhetheritgrievesyounowasyoulookuponustorememberyourformerfortunesandyourpresentlifeofmisery?9Eliassmiledandanswered:IfIweretospeaktoyouofourhappinessormiseryyoumightnotbelieveme.Youshouldratheraskmywife.Shehasbothawoman'sheartandawoman'stongue,andwilltellyouthewholetruthaboutthatmatter.10Thentheguestcalledtotheoldwomanwhowasseatedbehindthecurtain:Tellme,oldwoman,whatyouthinkconcerningyourformerhappinessandyourpresentmisery.11AndShamShemagiansweredfrombehindthecurtain:ThisiswhatIthinkconcerningthem.Ilivedwithmyhusbandforfiftyyearsseekinghappiness,andneverfindingit;butnow,althoughweliveasservants,andthisisonlythesecondyearsincewewereleftpoor,wehavefoundtruehappiness,anddesirenoother.12Boththeguestsandtheirhostweresurprisedatthisthelatter,indeed,somuchsothatherosetohisfeettodrawasidethecurtainandlookattheoldwoman.Thereshestoodherhandsfoldedinfrontofher,andasmileuponherface,asshegazedatheroldhusbandandhesmiledbackatherinreturn.Thenshewenton:Iamtellingyouthetruth,Iamnotjoking.Forhalfacenturywesoughthappinessandneverfounditsolongaswewererich;yetnowthatwehavenothingnowthatwehavecometoliveamonghumblefolkwehavefoundsuchhappinessascouldneverbeexceeded.13Where,then,doesyourhappinesslie?askedtheguest.14WhenwewererichmyhusbandandIhadsomanycaresthatwehadnotimetotalktooneanother,orthinkofoursouls,orpraytoGod.Ifguestswerewithuswewerefullyoccupiedinthinkinghowtoentertainthem.Moreover,whenguestshadarrivedwehadtheirservantstolookafter.Inaddition,weconstantlyworriedlestawolfkilloneofourfowlsorcalves,orthievesdriveoffthehorses.Welayawakeatnightworrying,lesttheewesshouldlieontheirlambs,andwegotupagainandagaintoseethatallwaswell.Whenweretiredtorest,wewouldfindourselvesfilledwithfreshanxietiesastohowtogetfodderforthewinter,andsoon.Moreover,myhusbandandIcouldneveragree.Hewouldsaythatathingmustbedoneinthisway,andIthatitmustbedoneinthatandsowewouldbegintoquarrel.Thelifeledusonlyfromworrytoworry,butnevertohappiness.15Buthowisitnow?askedtheguest.16Now,repliedtheoldwoman,whenmyhusbandandIriseinthemorning,wealwaysgreeteachotherinloveandharmony.Welivepeacefully,havingnothingtoworryabout.Ouronlycareishowbesttoservethemaster.Weworkaccordingtoourstrength,andwithagoodwill,sothatthemasterprofitsfromourwork.Then,whenwecomein,wefinddinnerandsupperreadyforus.Wheneveritiscoldwehavefueltowarmusandsheepskincoatstowear.Moreover,wehavetimetotalktooneanother,tothinkaboutoursouls,andtopraytoGod.Forfiftyyearswesoughthappinessbutonlynowhavewefoundit.17Theguestsburstoutlaughing,butEliascried:Donotlaugh,goodsirs.Thisisnojoke,butthetruth.Wehaverevealedittoyounotforourowndiversion,butforyourgood.18Thentheguestsceasedtolaugh,andbecamethoughtful