In Attar's Conference of the Birds (Manteq al-Tayr), the tale of Sultan Mahmud and the Thorn-Gatherer serves as an allegory for unmerited divine grace and true humility. When the powerful Sultan steps down from his horse to help a helpless, struggling old man load thorns onto his donkey, he acts anonymously and later orchestrates a generous reward for the man. The narrative illustrates that divine mercy (Karam) often reaches seekers in their most destitute state, and that genuine spiritual nobility is expressed through compassionate, unassuming service to the lowly.