One day Molavi invited Shams Tabriz to his home. Shams accepted the invitation, but after he arrived there asked for a glass of wine. Jalaluddin Rumi astonished: “Do you drink wine?” “Yes” Shams answered.
– “but I didn’t know!”
– “You know now, so bring some wine.”
– “But it is too late, how can I bring it?”
– “Ask one of your servants.”
– “But how can I ask them to wine? You know it is not appropriate for me.”
– “So, go and buy some wine yourself.”
– “People know me in this city, how can I go to wine-sellers’ neighborhood?”
– “If I am your guest, you should bring some wine for me, because I cannot eat nor drink without wine.”
That was how Jalaluddin Rumi took a bottle and went to wine-sellers’ neighborhood. Nobody noticed him until he entered the neighborhood. “What is Molavi here for?” people asked themselves and followed him. They saw that he bought a bottle of wine from the only open store and came out from the bar.
So, a number of people followed him and asked the others to join them. After a while a large number of people gathered; therefore, one of his adversaries shouted: “O people, Sheikh Jalaluddin Rumi your liturgist just bought a bottle of wine.”
People began to curse and insult Molavi. At this time, Shams arrived and shouted: “why are you insulting your liturgist? The bottle is vinegar not wine; O people!”
When they discovered the truth, they kissed Molavi’s hands again.”
“Why did you played with me tonight?” Jalaluddin Rumi asked. “I arranged it, because you should have known that what you have is just a mirage. You thought that having respect between common people is an eternal wealth. Now you experienced that a bottle of wine will ruin all of it in just a minute. If your wealth was what you lost in a minute tonight, so rely on something else.”
