The Dervish Who Tested His Servant
Once upon a time, in a quiet lodge embraced by dense pine forests, there lived a virtuous dervish. This frail old sage wished to test the will of Cihan, his young disciple who had served him faithfully for years. While the cool winds of the magical valley made the leaves whisper, the dervish finally decided to give the young man a hard test. He took an ornate copper bowl from his wooden table and filled it with a healing honey scented with amber. He called his disciple to his side, looked at him with weary eyes and explained the secret of the bowl in a solemn voice. "My child, until I go to the assembly of dervishes, you must guard this bowl of honey like your own eyes," said the wise old man. "Until the sun rises, no matter what happens, you shall not taste even a single drop of this honey."
The young man bowed his head with respect and promised to protect his master's trust at the cost of his own life. When night fell and the stars covered the sky, a delicious sweet scent began to fill the inside of the hut. Cihan's throat had gone dry, and his hunger and his thirst had reached an unbearable degree. Just then a mysterious shadow that slipped in through the window tried to tempt the young man's mind. "If you taste just one spoonful, how would your master ever know?" whispered the dark voice. Cihan stretched his hand towards the bowl, but at that very moment he remembered the wise words his master had said about loyalty. Taking a deep breath, he moved away from the bowl, closed his eyes and stood in prayer with patience.
As the dawn burst from behind the mountains, the dervish came in through the door with a smile. He looked for a long time at the bowl on the table and at the determined face of the young man who was waiting patiently. It turned out that the mysterious shadow which had tested the young man in the night was a phantom the dervish had created from his own breath. The wise man kissed his disciple on the forehead and congratulated him from the heart on his loyalty and his will. That day Cihan understood that the greatest victory is to overcome the desires of one's own soul. A trust guarded with will and loyalty is the brightest crown that raises a person to the true rank. Though patience is bitter, its fruit is always sweet.