In Book 3 of Jalaluddin Rumi's Masnavi, the continuation of the tale of the schoolboys highlights the tragic and ironic consequences of deception. As the deluded schoolmaster takes to his bed in imaginary pain, his wife is silenced by the fear that attempting to correct his delusion will only provoke paranoid accusations. Rumi anchors this psychological deterioration with a prophetic tradition: 'If you feign illness, you shall truly fall ill.' This illustrates how false imagination acts as a self-fulfilling prophecy, transforming a fabricated ailment into genuine physical and spiritual suffering. Furthermore, the narrative reveals the ironic outcome of the students' trickery. Although they successfully incapacitated their teacher, they remain trapped as 'prisoners,' forced to quietly recite their lessons in sorrow. Rumi demonstrates that schemes built on a foundation of deceit ultimately fail to provide true liberation, leaving the perpetrators burdened by the consequences of their actions.