(Sometime between 1217 - 1273 AD)
Some butchers had purchased a heifer. They were leading her to be slaughtered when she broke free and ran. They shouted at her, which made her more crazed, so that no one could get near. Rumi was walking the same road, with his disciples some distance behind. When the heifer saw him, she trotted over and stood beside him very still, as though communing with his spirit. Mevlana (another name for Rumi] rubbed and patted her neck. When the butchers came to claim their property, he pleaded for her life. His students also joined in the discussion, and Rumi used the situation.
"If a simple animal, being led to its death, can take such lovely refuge with me, how much more beautiful must it be when a human being puts heart and soul in the care of God?" The entire group, dervishes and butchers as well, found such joy in those words that music began to be played. Dancing and spontaneous poetry continued into the night, and there was a generous outpouring of alms and clothing for the poor.
January 06, 2006 Great Falls, Montana
(Associated Press)
A cow that escaped a slaughterhouse dodged vehicles, ran in front of a train, braved the icy Missouri River and took three tranquilizer darts before being recaptured six hours later. News of the heifer's adventures prompted a number of people to offer to buy the animal. The black, 1,200 pound heifer jumped a gate at the packing plant at around 5 a.m. Thursday and apparently wandered through residential areas.
Police received reports at about 9:30 a.m. that it was in the middle of a busy intersection. With the police in pursuit, the cow ran toward the railroad tracks and darted in front of an oncoming locomotive, briefly giving the police the slip.... Police tried to catch the cow...but the heifer barreled through the fence toward the river.
The cow jumped into the icy water. As she swam to the west bank of the river, police officer Cory Reeves said she sank lower in the water and was being swept downstream. But the cow found a sandbar near the river bank and walked to shore. ...The chase began to slow as the cow ran up against several strong fences. Dr. Jennifer Evans of Big Sky Medical Center shot the cow with a tranquilizer dart. ...Two darts later, slaughterhouse workers created a makeshift pen with metal panels that led to a stock trailer. The heifer walked into the trailer .. was taken back to the slaughterhouse ..put in a pen - with a stronger fence - and given food and water.
From Say I Am You - Poetry Interspersed with Stories of Rumi and Shams
Translated by John Moyne and Coleman Barks