M3:76 — بس ضعیف‌اند و لطیف و بس سمین / لیک مادر هست طالب در کمین

This couplet is part of a story where a wise man warns a group of famished travelers against eating elephant calves. The travelers, exhausted and hungry, see the young elephants as easy and plentiful food. The wise man acknowledges their apparent vulnerability (" They are so delicate, so tender, and so plump ") but immediately counters this perception with a dire warning: "But their mother lies in wait, seeking them." This line introduces the crucial element of the elephant mother's protective instinct and her impending wrath. The immediate gratification of a meal is contrasted with the long-term, devastating consequences of incurring the mother's fury. The story then extends this to a Sufi allegory, where the 'elephant calves' represent God's saints or 'friends' (awliya), and the 'mother' represents God Himself, who will exact vengeance on those who harm His beloved ones. Thus, the apparent weakness of the calves is deceptive, hiding a powerful, protective force.