The humay, beneath whose shade good fortune dwells, arrived before the assembly, he whose shadow creates kings. It is from the humay that the name humayün (fortunate) derives, because this bird is the most ambitious of all.
“Birds of the earth and sea,” said he, “I am not a bird like other birds. A lofty ambition has moved me to action, and it is to fulfil it that I have separated myself from creatures; thus I regard my doglike soul as vile. It is through me that Feridoun and Jamschid became great. Kings are raised upon the shield by the influence of my shadow; but men of a beggarly disposition do not please me. I give bones to my doglike soul to gnaw, and keep my spirit safe from it. Since I confine myself to giving bones to my soul, my spirit thereby attains a lofty rank. How can he turn his head from his glory, he whose shadow creates kings? Everyone seeks shelter beneath the shadow of his wings, in the hope of gaining some advantage from it. Why should I seek the friendship of the proud Simurgh, when royalty is at my disposal?”
“Birds of the earth and sea,” said he, “I am not a bird like other birds. A lofty ambition has moved me to action, and it is to fulfil it that I have separated myself from creatures; thus I regard my doglike soul as vile. It is through me that Feridoun and Jamschid became great. Kings are raised upon the shield by the influence of my shadow; but men of a beggarly disposition do not please me. I give bones to my doglike soul to gnaw, and keep my spirit safe from it. Since I confine myself to giving bones to my soul, my spirit thereby attains a lofty rank. How can he turn his head from his glory, he whose shadow creates kings? Everyone seeks shelter beneath the shadow of his wings, in the hope of gaining some advantage from it. Why should I seek the friendship of the proud Simurgh, when royalty is at my disposal?”
The hoopoe answered him: “O thou whom pride has enslaved! Cease to cast thy shadow, and henceforth take no further delight in thyself. At this moment, far from seating a king upon the throne, thou art occupied, like a dog, with a bone. Would to God that thou didst not seat Khosroës upon the throne, and that thou wert not occupied with a bone! Even supposing that all the kings of the earth sit upon the throne only by virtue of thy shadow, yet tomorrow they will fall into misfortune, and remain forever deprived of their royalty; whereas, had they not seen thy shadow, they would have no terrible account to render on the last day.”
A man of pure intentions, who was in the right path, saw the Sultan Mahmûd one night in a dream, and said to him: “O king, whose fortune was so happy! what is Thy condition in the realm of eternity?” He replied: “Strike my body if thou wilt, but afflict not My soul; say nothing and withdraw, for here one must not speak of kingship. My power was at once illusory and culpable. How, indeed, can sovereignty arise from a vile handful of earth? Kingship befits God alone, the Master of the universe. When I saw my weakness and incapacity, I was ashamed of my own kingship. If thou wouldst give me a title, give me that of the desolate one. God is the King of nature; call me not king also. The empire belongs to Him, and I would be happy today if I were a mere faquir upon the earth. Would to God there had been a hundred wells in which to imprison me, and that I had not been in high station! I would rather have gleaned the wheat fields than been a king. Withdraw, then; I possess nothing now, and I am called to account for the smallest things. May the wings and feathers of that humay that gave me a place beneath its shadow wither!”