There was once a man named Mojud. 

He lived in a town where he had obtained a post as a small official, 

and it seemed likely that he would end his days 

as a civil servant of weights and measures.

One day when he was walking through the gardens of an ancient building 

near his home, Khidr the mysterious Guide of the Sufis, 

appeared to him, dressed in shimmering green.

Khidr said: `Man of bright prospects! 

Leave your work and meet me at the riverside in three days time.' 

Then he disappeared.

Mojud went to his superior in trepidation and said that he had to leave. 

Everyone in the town soon heard of this and they said: 

`Poor Mojud! He has gone mad' 

But, as there were many candidates for his job,

they soon forgot him.

On the appointed day, Mojud met Khidr, who said to him: `

Tear your clothes and throw yourself into the stream, perhaps someone will save you.' 

Mojud did so, even though he wondered if he were mad. 

Since he could swim, he did not drown, 

but drifted a long way before a fisherman hauled him into his boat, saying:

'Foolish man! The current is strong. What are you trying to do?'

Mojud said: 'I do not really know.'

`You are mad,' said the fisherman, 

`but I will take you into my reed-hut by the river yonder, 

and we shall see what can be done for you.'

When he discovered that Mojud was well spoken, 

he learned from him how to read and write.

In exchange, Mojud was given food 

and helped the fisherman with his work.

After a few months, Khidr again appeared, 

this time at the foot of Mojud's bed, and said:

'Get up now and leave this fisherman. 

You will be provided for.'

Mojud immediately quit the hut, dressed as a fisherman, 

and wandered about until he came to a highway. 

As dawn was breaking he saw a farmer on a donkey on his way to market. `

Do you seek work?' asked the farmer, 

Because I need a man to help me to bring back some purchases.'

Mojud followed him. 

He worked for the farmer for nearly two years, 

by which time he had learned a great deal about agriculture but little else

One afternoon when he was baling wood, 

Khidr appeared to him and said: '

Leave that work, walk to the city of Mosul, 

and use your savings to become a skin merchant.'

Mojud obeyed.

In Mosul he became known as a skin merchant, 

never seeing Khidr while he plied his trade for three years. 

He had saved quite a large sum of money, and was thinking of buying a house, 

when Khidr appeared and said: '

Give me your money, walk out of this town 

as far as distant Samarkand, and work for a grocer there.'

Mojud did so.

Presently he began to show undoubted signs of illumination. 

He healed the sick, served his fellow men in the shop during his spare time, 

and his knowledge of the mysteries became deeper and deeper. 

Clerics, philosophers, and others visited him and asked:

`Under whom did you study?

`It is difficult to say,' said Mojud.

His disciples asked: 'How did you start your career?'

He said: `As a small official.'

`And you gave it up to devote yourself to self-mortification?'

`No, I just gave it up.'

People approached him to write the story of his life.

`What have you been in your life?' they asked.

`Well.I jumped into a river, 

became a fisherman, 

then walked out of his reed-hut in he middle of one night. 

After that, I became a farmhand.

While I was baling wood I changed 

and went to Mosul, where I became a skin merchant.

I saved some money there, but gave it away.

Then I walked to Samarkand where I worked for a grocer.

And this is where I am now.'

`But this inexplicable behavior 

throws no light upon your strange gifts 

and wonderful examples,' said the biographers.

`That is so,' said Mojud.