M6:2518 — که ز ده دلقک به سیران درشت / چند اسپی تازی اندر راه کشت

Translation: What has happened that, by the jester's rough riding, several swift Arab horses have been killed on the way? Meaning: People are bewildered by the messenger's unprecedented speed and ferocity, wondering what critical news compelled him to ride so hard that multiple fast horses perished en route.

This verse, situated within the tale of the jester of Termez, paints a vivid picture of the chaos and anxiety a sudden piece of news can unleash upon a city. Rumi masterfully illustrates the psychology of popular reaction to unusual events. We witness how the unexpected arrival of a messenger, who reaches the king's presence 'from the dust of the road' without ceremony, incites not only the courtiers but also the common folk to 'fuch-fuch' (whispering). These whispers and conjectures rapidly escalate into a 'gholghol o tashvish' (clamor and agitation); 'the hearts of the elite and common people alike slipped from their hands,' and each, driven by their imagination, cast lots (made guesses) as to 'what fire had fallen into the blanket' of their lives.

The present verse specifically points to the cost incurred by the jester's haste: 'several swift Arab horses have been killed on the way.' This expression reveals the extreme urgency of the news, compelling the messenger to ride his steeds 'in such a manner' that they perished. In ancient times, to convey critical news, especially reports of enemy attacks, it was customary for riders to gallop their swift horses to the point of death, taking fresh horses along the way to reach their destination as quickly as possible. This scene powerfully conveys the gravity of the news and the latent fear of a potential threat.

The key insight here lies in the people's reaction. Rumi demonstrates how individuals become 'enslaved by their imaginations,' quickly spiraling into negative conjectures from an unusual event. They ask themselves, 'Is a conquering enemy intent on us, or has a deadly calamity arisen from the unseen?' This situation is a prime example of how susceptible the human psyche is to fantasy and illusion, and how a mind ignorant of truth often mistakes its own mental constructs for reality. The verse, in itself, describes the messenger's hardship and the death of the horses, but within the narrative's broader context, it becomes a pretext and a mirror for showcasing the dominance of illusion and imagination over the public consciousness.

Key takeaways

• The messenger's unprecedented speed and haste come at the cost of the horses' lives, signaling the extreme urgency and importance of the news.
• An unusual individual action can quickly become a source of whispers and rumors among the populace.
• Public opinion, when faced with the unknown, is prone to negative and baseless imaginings and conjectures.
• Rumi's vivid portrayal illustrates the psychology of fear and anxiety stemming from ignorance and illusion within society.