The wisest of the wise was Wise Ali

A man asked him: “Oh wise one - probably

Wiser even than the wise Solomon -

Tell me where is the Philosopher’s Stone?”

Ali – whilst stroking his curly beard – said:

“I had last seen that Stone in my childbed.

I lost it then, I’m still searching for it,

But it is missing now, I must admit.”

With mocking smile the man to Ali said:

“Oh wisest of the wise, how very sad,

But I do feel that the Stone from your cot

Must have dropped right into your chamber pot.”

Ali’s eyes lit up: “Oh Allah be praised!

I just found the stone; my spirit is raised!”

He stepped nearer: “My mind must have been blurred!

Oh, how could I miss it, oh, how absurd!”

And whilst his face hidden disgust mirrored

He grabbed his hand: “That Stone just turned to turd!”

© P. J. Oszmann (1954 – in Hungarian. English transliteration: 2004)

© Illustration created in Photoshop (2005)