The Book of Rumi 105 Stories and Fables That Illumine, Delight, and Inform

There’s a reason Rumi’s words have lingered for over 800 years. Like the steady pull of the tide, his stories return to us again and again—whispering something new each time we listen.

As Philip Pullman, author of the His Dark Materials trilogy, once said, “after nourishment, shelter, and companionship, stories are the thing we need most in the world.” This collection answers that need beautifully.

Here you’ll find a fresh prose translation of 105 short teaching stories that form the heart of Rumi’s six-volume Masnavi. These are the tales that transform the ordinary into the extraordinary—the everyday moments of life opening, like a door, into something luminous and deeply human.

You’ll meet old friends in these pages: “Moses and the Shepherd,” “The Greek and Chinese Painters,” “Chickpeas,” and “Angel of Death.” And you’ll discover lesser-known gems waiting to be found—“The Basket Weaver,” “The Mud Eater,” and “A Sackful of Pebbles.”

Rumi’s voice shifts as you read—playful one moment, profound the next. Maryam Mafi’s translations carry the nuance of his poetry while keeping all the warmth, suspense, and quiet drama that make these stories such a joy to return to.

This is the kind of book to keep close. On the nightstand. In your bag. Open it on a salty, gray afternoon and let a single story keep you company.

A wonderful companion for anyone drawn to mindfulness, Sufi wisdom, or simply the timeless comfort of a good story. Come browse, and let it find you.

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