Welcome, O Hoopoe, leader of the auspicious way! For it was you who flew across the desolate wilderness to Solomon, bearing the crown of truth upon your head.

The birds of the world, both known and unknown, gathered together in council. They said: 'No country in the universe is without a king; how then can our kingdom of birds remain without a sovereign? Let us search together and find our true Emperor, for we cannot live in chaos and separation.'

The Hoopoe stepped forward, his crest glowing with holy zeal: 'O birds of the earth, I have known the King! His name is the Simorgh, the radiant sovereign who dwells behind Mount Qaf. He is close to us, yet we are far from Him. A thousand veils of light and darkness hide His throne, and no tongue can declare His majestic beauty.'

'To reach His court, we must cross vast seas, burn through fiery deserts, and climb insurmountable heights. Who among you has the heart to undertake this quest?'

One by one, the birds trembled at the journey and offered their excuses.

The Nightingale stepped forth, weeping passionately: 'The secret of love is known to me alone! All night long I sing to the Rose, and my song breaks open the crimson petals. How can I leave my beloved Rose to wander through bitter deserts?'

The Hoopoe replied: 'O Nightingale, chained to outward beauty! The beauty of the rose fades in a few fleeting days. Do not squander your immortal longing upon that which perishes before your eyes.'

The Parrot excused himself: 'I am imprisoned in a golden cage, dreaming of the water of immortality. I have not the courage for wild mountain passes.' The Duck said: 'I am pure only in water; my life is the quiet pool.'

To each the Hoopoe answered: 'You love the cage more than the open heavens! Cast off the clinging chains of comfort, for the Beloved awaits beyond your little ponds!'

The Hoopoe spoke: 'Between us and the throne of the Simorgh lie Seven Valleys. Until you cross them, you will remain a stranger to your own soul.'

'The First Valley is the Valley of the Quest (Talab). Here you must renounce all possessions and expectations, seeking without assurance of finding.'

'The Second Valley is the Valley of Love (‘Ishq). Reason drowns here in holy madness; the pilgrim burns in the fire of desire, counting all hardship as honey.'

'The Third Valley is the Valley of Insight (Ma‘rifat). Here the heart receives inner light; the sun of illumination rises upon the traveler, and each pilgrim sees according to the purity of his vision.'

'The Fourth Valley is the Valley of Detachment (Istighna). The pilgrim becomes indifferent to both worlds; empires fall and stars burn out, and it is no more than a drop of water vanishing in the sea.'

'The Fifth Valley is the Valley of Unity (Tawhid). The multiple is revealed as One; you see that all plurality was but reflections in a shattered mirror.'

'The Sixth Valley is the Valley of Bewilderment (Hayrat). The pilgrim forgets his name, his journey, and his past, stunned into silent awe by the majesty of the Unseen.'

'The Seventh Valley is the Valley of Poverty and Annihilation (Fana wa Baqa). The drops merge with the ocean; the self ceases to exist, and only the Eternal One endures.'

Out of thousands of birds that took flight, only thirty (Si-morgh) survived the arduous trials, starved of self, stripped of pride, their wings singed with divine fire.

They arrived at last at the majestic palace of the King beyond Mount Qaf. The Chamberlain opened the jewel-encrusted portals and led them into the Hall of Countless Mirrors.

They trembled, expecting to behold an emperor of terrifying majesty. But as they lifted their eyes to gaze upon the throne, they looked into the radiant mirror: they saw themselves, and they saw the King was Thirty Birds!

When they looked toward the Simorgh, it was they themselves who were there; and when they looked toward themselves, it was the Simorgh who looked back!

A divine voice echoed in the chamber: 'You wandered through worlds of longing seeking Me, but you were the travelers and the destination, the seeker and the sought, the mirror and the light!'