Discourses of Rumi

FIHI MA FIHI V 391God created the world, heaven and earth,moon, sun and stars, good and evil, to rememberHim, serve Him and proclaim His praise. Sincethe unbelievers do not remember unless they aresuffering, and since their purpose in being createdwas to recollect God, they are sent suffering toremember Him.Believers, however, do not forget that suffering—theysee suffering as always present. In thesame way, once an intelligent child has had its feetput in stocks as punishment, they never forget thestocks. The stupid child, however, forgets andmust be put in the stocks every day. So, too, theclever horse, once it has felt the spur, does notrequire the spur again. It carries the rider forleagues without forgetting the sting of the spur.The stupid horse, however, requires the spur everymoment; it is not fit to carry anyone, so they loadit with dung.