- There was a greengrocer who had a parrot, a sweet-voiced green talking parrot.
- بود بقالی و وی را طوطیی ** خوش نوایی سبز و گویا طوطیی
- (Perched) on the bench, it would watch over the shop (in the owner's absence) and talk finely to all the traders.
- بر دکان بودی نگهبان دکان ** نکته گفتی با همه سوداگران
- In addressing human beings it would speak (like them); it was (also) skilled in the song of parrots.
- در خطاب آدمی ناطق بدی ** در نوای طوطیان حاذق بدی
- (Once) it sprang from the bench and flew away; it spilled the bottles of rose-oil. 250
- جست از سوی دکان سویی گریخت ** شیشه‌‌های روغن گل را بریخت
- Its master came from the direction of his house and seated himself on the bench at his ease as a merchant does.
- از سوی خانه بیامد خواجه‌‌اش ** بر دکان بنشست فارغ خواجه‌‌وش
- (Then) he saw the bench was full of oil and his clothes greasy; he smote the parrot on the head: it was made bald by the blow.
- دید پر روغن دکان و جامه چرب ** بر سرش زد گشت طوطی کل ز ضرب
- For some few days it refrained from speech; the greengrocer, in repentance, heaved deep sighs,
- روزکی چندی سخن کوتاه کرد ** مرد بقال از ندامت آه کرد
- Tearing his beard and saying, “Alas! the sun of my prosperity has gone under the clouds.
- ریش بر می‌‌کند و می‌‌گفت ای دریغ ** کافتاب نعمتم شد زیر میغ
- Would that my hand had been broken (powerless) at the moment when I struck (such a blow) on the head of that sweet-tongued one?” 255
- دست من بشکسته بودی آن زمان ** که زدم من بر سر آن خوش زبان
- He was giving presents to every dervish, that he might get back the speech of his bird.
- هدیه‌‌ها می‌‌داد هر درویش را ** تا بیابد نطق مرغ خویش را