In this parable from Farid al-Din Attar's Asrar Nameh, a proud king offers to grant a madman any wish. The madman simply requests that the king keep the flies away from him. When the king admits he has no authority over flies, the madman mocks his supposed power, noting that a king who cannot even control a single fly should be ashamed of his worldly title. This allegory employs the archetype of the 'wise fool' to expose the illusion and fragility of earthly power, emphasizing the ultimate impotence of worldly rulers.