' The Mosquito's Complaint '...

One day a mosquito went to the court of King Solomon the Wise.

"O great Solomon, upon thee be peace," he cried, "I come to seek
redress at your court for the injustices which are daily being
performed against me."

Solomon said: "State your complaint, and it will certainly be
heard."

Said the mosquito: "Illustrious and all-just one, my complaint
is against the Wind.

Whenever I go out into the open, the Wind comes
along and blows me away. I therfore have no hope of reaching the
places which I regard as my lawful destination."

King Solomon spoke: "In accordance with the accepted principles
of justice, no compaint can be accepted unless the other party is
present to answer the charge."

He turned to his courtiers and commanded: "Call the Wind to make
out his own case."

The Wind was called up, and presently the breeze which heralded
his coming was felt to rustle slowly, then stronger.

And the mosquito shouted: "O Great KIng! I withdraw my
complaint, because the air is driving me round and round in circles,
and before the Wind is actually here I shall have been swept away."

Thus were the circumstances imposed both by the plaintiff and
the court found to be impossible to the cause of justice.



-as collected by Idries Shah