- Set againstThe Dīvān-e Shams-e TabrīzīAttested
Rūmī's two bodies of verse: the lyric odes that carry Shams's name, and this teaching poem whose preface names Ḥusām al-Dīn, at whose request it was written.
- Attributed toRūmīAttested
Its Arabic preface speaks in Rūmī's own name, "Muḥammad son of Muḥammad son of al-Ḥusayn of (the city of) Balkh", who dictated the six books to Ḥusām al-Dīn.
- Derives fromThe Song of the ReedTraditional
Tradition has the poem grow from its opening: when Ḥusām proposed the book, Rūmī is said to have produced a paper already bearing the eighteen lines of the reed.
- IncludesThe Chickpea to the CookAttested
Book III of the Masnavi, lines 4159–4208 — the tale of the chickpea and the housewife.
- IncludesThe Elephant in the DarkAttested
A tale from Book III of the Masnavi, beginning about line 1259.
- IncludesThe Dream of the Treasure in CairoAttested
A tale from Book VI of the Masnavi: the man of Baghdad who dreamt of treasure in Cairo.
- IncludesThe Song of the ReedAttested
The first eighteen lines of Book I — the prologue that opens the whole Masnavi.
- IncludesThe King and the HandmaidenAttested
Book I, lines 35–246: the poem's first tale, told straight after the reed's complaint that opens it.
- IncludesThe Greengrocer and the ParrotAttested
Book I, lines 247–323: the poem's second tale, with the long moral that follows it.
- IncludesThe Lion and the HareAttested
Book I, lines 900–1389, sent by Rūmī to the book of Kalíla and Dimna for its origin.
- IncludesThe Merchant and the ParrotAttested
Book I, lines 1547–1912, the tale and Rūmī's gloss on it, just before the old harper.
- IncludesThe Old HarperAttested
Book I, lines 1913–2222, the tale of the harper, ʿUmar and the graveyard of Medina.
- IncludesThe Moaning PillarAttested
Book I, lines 2113–2160, set inside the tale of the old harper.
- IncludesThe Grammarian and the BoatmanAttested
Book I of the Masnavi, vv. 2835–2847, set inside the long tale of the Bedouin's jug and the Caliph of Baghdad.
- IncludesWho Is at the Door?Attested
Book I of the Masnavi, vv. 3056–3078, following the lion's hunt with the wolf and the fox.
- IncludesThe Chinese and the Greek PaintersAttested
Book I of the Masnavi, vv. 3467–3485, with Rūmī's gloss on the mirror of the heart running on to v. 3499.
- IncludesʿAlī and the KnightAttested
Book I of the Masnavi, vv. 3721–3989, the last story before the book ends at v. 4003.
- IncludesMoses and the ShepherdAttested
Book II of the Masnavi, vv. 1720–1791, begun after the date Rūmī gives at II.7, A.H. 662.
- IncludesThe Man Who Planted ThornsAttested
Book II of the Masnavi, vv. 1227–1240, closing a meditation on youth and old age that begins at II.1215.
- IncludesThe Bear and the FoolAttested
Book II of the Masnavi, begun at II.1932 and concluded at II.2124–2130.
- IncludesMuʿāwiya and IblīsAttested
Book II, lines 2604–2792; the passage printed here is the confession and reply at II.2780–2792.
- IncludesThe Four Men and the GrapesAttested
Book II, lines 3680–3692, between the tale of the tree of life and the reconciling of the Aws and Khazraj.
- IncludesThe Sufi's DonkeyAttested
Book II, lines 514–584; the passage printed here is the servant's answer, the Sufi's curse and Rūmī's gloss at II.559–568.
- IncludesThe Mouse and the CamelAttested
Book II, lines 3436–3452; the passage printed here runs from the halter to the mouse's answer at the river, II.3436–3447.
- IncludesThe Snake-Catcher and the Frozen SnakeAttested
Book III, lines 976–1066; the passage printed here is the thaw and Rūmī's gloss, III.1040–1053.
- IncludesI Died as a MineralAttested
Book III, lines 3901–3909, inside the story of the Ṣadr-i Jahān's wakīl, which begins at III.3686.
- IncludesThe Embryo in the WombAttested
Book III, lines 53–65, between the weaning lines and the story of those who ate the young elephant.
- Includes‘Allah’ and ‘Here Am I’Attested
Book III, lines 189–197, between God's command to Moses and the lines on Pharaoh's griefless ease.
- IncludesDaqūqī and the Seven CandlesAttested
Mathnawī III.1984–1995, in the tale of Daqūqī that begins at III.1924.
- IncludesThe Lover and the Night PatrolAttested
Begun at Mathnawī III.4749 and concluded at IV.40–65; the passage here is IV.53–65.
- IncludesThe Tanner in the Perfume MarketAttested
Mathnawī IV.269–279, inside the story at IV.257–293.
- IncludesThe Three FishAttested
Mathnawī IV.2272–2280, inside the tale of the three fishes at IV.2202–2300.
- IncludesThe Bird's Three CounselsAttested
Mathnawī IV.2252–2263, inside the bird's story at IV.2245–2265.
- IncludesThe Garden WithinAttested
Mathnawī IV.1358–1365, inside the story at IV.1358–1372, which interrupts the story of Solomon and the carob.
- IncludesThe Journey Through the KingdomsAttested
Mathnawī IV.3637–3649, near the end of Book IV.
- IncludesAyāz and His SheepskinAttested
Book V, lines 3251–3259 in Nicholson's numbering, part of the story of Maḥmūd and Ayāz that runs through the book.
- IncludesThe Sage and the PeacockAttested
Book V, lines 553–558 in Nicholson's numbering, from the tale of the sage and the peacock (V.536 onward).
- IncludesThe Ruby and the SunAttested
Book V, lines 2029–2038 in Nicholson's numbering, inside the story of Maḥmūd and Ayāz.
- IncludesThe Turkish Amir and the MinstrelAttested
Book VI, lines 704–707 in Nicholson's numbering, from the story of the drunken Turk and the minstrel.
- IncludesThe Faqir and the Hidden TreasureAttested
Book VI, lines 2353–2362 in Nicholson's numbering, the resolution of the story of the faqir and the treasure-scroll.
- IncludesThe Three TravellersAttested
Book VI, lines 2486–2497 in Nicholson's numbering, from the story of the three travellers (VI.2376–2509).
