Gulistan of Saadi

On Weakness and Old Age

 Story 3

I was in Diarbekr, the guest of an old man, who possessed abundant wealth and a beautiful son. One
night he narrated to me that he had all his life no other son but this boy, telling me that in the locality
people resorted to a certain tree in a valley to offer petitions and that he had during many nights
prayed at the foot of the said tree, till the Almighty granted him this son. I overheard the boy
whispering to his companion: ‘How good it would be if I knew where that tree is that I might pray for
my father to die.’ Moral: The gentleman is delighted that his son is intelligent and the boy complains
that his father is a dotard.

Years elapse without thy visiting
The tomb of thy father.
What good hast thou done to him
To expect the same from thy son?

READ MORE:

Gulistan of Saadi | On Weakness and Old Age | Story 2

Gulistan of Saadi | On Weakness and Old Age | Story 1