Sheikh Saadi and His Dress

Turned away in plain clothes and honoured in a rich robe, Saadi feeds the robe instead of himself.

The story begins: Sheikh Saadi was a great Persian poet. Once he was invited to a feast at the house of a rich man. He went there in his ordinary, simple dress.

The Story

Sheikh Saadi, the great poet of Persia, was once invited to a grand feast at the house of a wealthy man. He was a simple person and cared nothing for fine clothes, so he went in the plain garments he wore every day.

When he reached the house, the servants looked at his shabby dress and took him for a beggar. They did not admit him to the hall where the guests were seated, but pushed him aside and gave him a place near the door.

Nobody spoke to him. No food was brought to him. The rich man himself passed by without a glance, and Saadi sat neglected while the other guests were served with dish after dish.

After some time Saadi rose quietly and went home. There he put on a rich and costly robe, of the kind a nobleman might wear, and returned to the same house.

Now everything was different. The servants bowed low before him and led him to the best seat in the hall. The host came forward, welcomed him warmly, and ordered the finest dishes to be placed before him.

Saadi looked at the food for a moment. Then, to the astonishment of everyone, he began to put it into the sleeves and folds of his robe, saying, "Eat, my dress, eat."

The host was amazed and asked him what he meant. Saadi replied calmly, "An hour ago I came to this house in my ordinary clothes and was turned away from the door. Now I come in this fine robe and am given the seat of honour."

"It is clear," he went on, "that the invitation was not to me but to my dress. So it is only just that my dress should eat what has been set before it."

The rich man's face turned red with shame. He understood the rebuke and begged the poet's pardon, and it is said that he never again judged a guest by his clothes.

Moral: Judge a person by character, not by dress.