Amiga CD32/Amiga CD32 1994 - Brilliant PD Games.iso/literature/50.arab.5

Text File | 1994-05-11 | 89KB | 2,297 lines

Aladdin and the Wonderful Lamp


There once lived a poor tailor, who had a son
called Aladdin, a careless, idle boy who would do
nothing but play all day long in the streets with
little idle boys like himself.  This so grieved
the father that he died; yet, in spite of his
mother's tears and prayers, Aladdin did not mend
his ways.  One day, when he was playing in the
streets as usual, a stranger asked him his age,
and if he were not the son of Mustapha the tailor.

"I am, sir," replied Aladdin; "but he died a long
while ago."

On this the stranger, who was a famous African
magician, fell on his neck and kissed him, saying:
"I am your uncle, and knew you from your likeness
to my brother.  Go to your mother and tell her I
am coming."

Aladdin ran home, and told his mother of his newly
found uncle.

"Indeed, child," she said, "your father had a
brother, but I always thought he was dead."

However, she prepared supper, and bade Aladdin
seek his uncle, who came laden with wine and
fruit.  He presently fell down and kissed the
place where Mustapha used to sit, bidding
Aladdin's mother not to be surprised at not having
seen him before, as he had been forty years out of
the country.  He then turned to Aladdin, and asked
him his trade, at which the boy hung his head,
while his mother burst into tears.  On learning
that Aladdin was idle and would learn no trade, he
offered to take a shop for him and stock it with
merchandise.  Next day he bought Aladdin a fine
suit of clothes, and took him all over the city,
showing him the sights, and brought him home at
nightfall to his mother, who was overjoyed to see
her son so fine.

Next day the magician led Aladdin into some
beautiful gardens a long way outside the city
gates.  They sat down by a fountain, and the
magician pulled a cake from his girdle, which he
divided between them.  They then journeyed onwards
till they almost reached the mountains.  Aladdin
was so tired that he begged to go back, but the
magician beguiled him with pleasant stories, and
led him on in spite of himself.

At last they came to two mountains divided by a
narrow valley.

"We will go no farther," said the false uncle.  "I
will show you something wonderful; only do you
gather up sticks while I kindle a fire."

When it was lit the magician threw on it a powder
he had about him, at the same time saying some
magical words.  The earth trembled a little and
opened in front of them, disclosing a square flat
stone with a brass ring in the middle to raise it
by.  Aladdin tried to run away, but the magician
caught him and gave him a blow that knocked him
down.

"What have I done, uncle?" he said piteously;
whereupon the magician said more kindly:  "Fear
nothing, but obey me.  Beneath this stone lies a
treasure which is to be yours, and no one else may
touch it, so you must do exactly as I tell you."

At the word treasure, Aladdin forgot his fears,
and grasped the ring as he was told, saying the
names of his father and grandfather.  The stone
came up quite easily and some steps appeared.

"Go down," said the magician; "at the foot of
those steps you will find an open door leading
into three large halls.  Tuck up your gown and go
through them without touching anything, or you
will die instantly.  These halls lead into a
garden of fine fruit trees.  Walk on till you come
to a niche in a terrace where stands a lighted
lamp.  Pour out the oil it contains and bring it
to me."

He drew a ring from his finger and gave it to
Aladdin, bidding him prosper.

Aladdin found everything as the magician had said,
gathered some fruit off the trees, and, having got
the lamp, arrived at the mouth of the cave.  The
magician cried out in a great hurry:

"Make haste and give me the lamp." This Aladdin
refused to do until he was out of the cave.  The
magician flew into a terrible passion, and
throwing some more powder on the fire, he said
something, and the stone rolled back into its
place.

The magician left Persia for ever, which plainly
showed that he was no uncle of Aladdin's, but a
cunning magician who had read in his magic books
of a wonderful lamp, which would make him the most
powerful man in the world.  Though he alone knew
where to find it, he could only receive it from
the hand of another.  He had picked out the
foolish Aladdin for this purpose, intending to get
the lamp and kill him afterwards.

For two days Aladdin remained in the dark, crying
and lamenting.  At last he clasped his hands in
prayer, and in so doing rubbed the ring, which the
magician had forgotten to take from him.
Immediately an enormous and frightful genie rose
out of the earth, saying:

"What wouldst thou with me?  I am the Slave of the
Ring, and will obey thee in all things."

Aladdin fearlessly replied:  "Deliver me from this
place!" whereupon the earth opened, and he found
himself outside.  As soon as his eyes could bear
the light he went home, but fainted on the
threshold.  When he came to himself he told his
mother what had passed, and showed her the lamp
and the fruits he had gathered in the garden,
which were in reality precious stones.  He then
asked for some food.

"Alas!  child," she said, "I have nothing in the
house, but I have spun a little cotton and will go
and sell it."

Aladdin bade her keep her cotton, for he would
sell the lamp instead.  As it was very dirty she
began to rub it, that it might fetch a higher
price.  Instantly a hideous genie appeared, and
asked what she would have.  She fainted away, but
Aladdin, snatching the lamp, said boldly:

"Fetch me something to eat!"

The genie returned with a silver bowl, twelve
silver plates containing rich meats, two silver
cups, and two bottles of wine.  Aladdin's mother,
when she came to herself, said:

"Whence comes this splendid feast?"

"Ask not, but eat," replied Aladdin.

So they sat at breakfast till it was dinner-time,
and Aladdin told his mother about the lamp.  She
begged him to sell it, and have nothing to do with
devils.

"No," said Aladdin, "since chance has made us
aware of its virtues, we will use it and the ring
likewise, which I shall always wear on my finger."
When they had eaten all the genie had brought,
Aladdin sold one of the silver plates, and so on
till none were left.  He then had recourse to the
genie, who gave him another set of plates, and
thus they lived for many years.

One day Aladdin heard an order from the Sultan
proclaimed that everyone was to stay at home and
close his shutters while the princess, his
daughter, went to and from the bath.  Aladdin was
seized by a desire to see her face, which was very
difficult, as she always went veiled.  He hid
himself behind the door of the bath, and peeped
through a chink.  The princess lifted her veil as
she went in, and looked so beautiful that Aladdin
fell in love with her at first sight.  He went
home so changed that his mother was frightened.
He told her he loved the princess so deeply that
he could not live without her, and meant to ask
her in marriage of her father.  His mother, on
hearing this, burst out laughing, but Aladdin at
last prevailed upon her to go before the Sultan
and carry his request.  She fetched a napkin and
laid in it the magic fruits from the enchanted
garden, which sparkled and shone like the most
beautiful jewels.  She took these with her to
please the Sultan, and set out, trusting in the
lamp.  The grand-vizir and the lords of council
had just gone in as she entered the hall and
placed herself in front of the Sultan.  He,
however, took no notice of her.  She went every
day for a week, and stood in the same place.

When the council broke up on the sixth day the
Sultan said to his vizir:  "I see a certain woman
in the audience-chamber every day carrying
something in a napkin.  Call her next time, that I
may find out what she wants."

Next day, at a sign from the vizir, she went up to
the foot of the throne, and remained kneeling till
the Sultan said to her:  "Rise, good woman, and
tell me what you want."

She hesitated, so the Sultan sent away all but the
vizir, and bade her speak freely, promising to
forgive her beforehand for anything she might say.
She then told him of her son's violent love for
the princess.

"I prayed him to forget her," she said, "but in
vain; he threatened to do some desperate deed if I
refused to go and ask your Majesty for the hand of
the princess.  Now I pray you to forgive not me
alone, but my son Aladdin."

The Sultan asked her kindly what she had in the
napkin, whereupon she unfolded the jewels and
presented them.

He was thunderstruck, and turning to the vizir
said:  "What sayest thou?  Ought I not to bestow
the princess on one who values her at such a
price?"

The vizir, who wanted her for his own son, begged
the Sultan to withhold her for three months, in
the course of which he hoped his son would
contrive to make him a richer present.  The Sultan
granted this, and told Aladdin's mother that,
though he consented to the marriage, she must not
appear before him again for three months.

Aladdin waited patiently for nearly three months,
but after two had elapsed his mother, going into
the city to buy oil, found everyone rejoicing, and
asked what was going on.

"Do you not know," was the answer, "that the son
of the grand-vizir is to marry the Sultan's
daughter to-night?"

Breathless, she ran and told Aladdin, who was
overwhelmed at first, but presently bethought him
of the lamp.  He rubbed it, and the genie
appeared, saying:  "What is thy will?"

Aladdin replied:  "The Sultan, as thou knowest,
has broken his promise to me, and the vizir's son
is to have the princess.  My command is that
to-night you bring hither the bride and
bridegroom."

"Master, I obey," said the genie.

Aladdin then went to his chamber, where, sure
enough at midnight the genie transported the bed
containing the vizir's son and the princess.

"Take this new-married man," he said, "and put him
outside in the cold, and return at daybreak."

Whereupon the genie took the vizir's son out of
bed, leaving Aladdin with the princess.

"Fear nothing," Aladdin said to her; "you are my
wife, promised to me by your unjust father, and no
harm shall come to you."

The princess was too frightened to speak, and
passed the most miserable night of her life, while
Aladdin lay down beside her and slept soundly.  At
the appointed hour the genie fetched in the
shivering bridegroom, laid him in his place, and
transported the bed back to the palace.

Presently the Sultan came to wish his daughter
good-morning.  The unhappy vizir's son jumped up
and hid himself, while the princess would not say
a word, and was very sorrowful.

The Sultan sent her mother to her, who said:  "How
comes it, child, that you will not speak to your
father?  What has happened?"

The princess sighed deeply, and at last told her
mother how, during the night, the bed had been
carried into some strange house, and what had
passed there.  Her mother did not believe her in
the least, but bade her rise and consider it an
idle dream.

The following night exactly the same thing
happened, and next morning, on the princess's
refusing to speak, the Sultan threatened to cut
off her head.  She then confessed all, bidding him
ask the vizir's son if it were not so.  The Sultan
told the vizir to ask his son, who owned the
truth, adding that, dearly as he loved the
princess, he had rather die than go through
another such fearful night, and wished to be
separated from her.  His wish was granted, and
there was an end of feasting and rejoicing.

When the three months were over, Aladdin sent his
mother to remind the Sultan of his promise.  She
stood in the same place as before, and the Sultan,
who had forgotten Aladdin, at once remembered him,
and sent for her.  On seeing her poverty the
Sultan felt less inclined than ever to keep his
word, and asked the vizir's advice, who counselled
him to set so high a value on the princess that no
man living could come up to it.

The Sultan then turned to Aladdin's mother,
saying:  "Good woman, a Sultan must remember his
promises, and I will remember mine, but your son
must first send me forty basins of gold brimful of
jewels, carried by forty black slaves, led by as
many white ones, splendidly dressed.  Tell him
that I await his answer." The mother of Aladdin
bowed low and went home, thinking all was lost.

She gave Aladdin the message, adding:  "He may
wait long enough for your answer!"

"Not so long, mother, as you think," her son
replied "I would do a great deal more than that
for the princess."

He summoned the genie, and in a few moments the
eighty slaves arrived, and filled up the small
house and garden.

Aladdin made them set out to the palace, two and
two, followed by his mother.  They were so richly
dressed, with such splendid jewels in their
girdles, that everyone crowded to see them and the
basins of gold they carried on their heads.

They entered the palace, and, after kneeling
before the Sultan, stood in a half-circle round
the throne with their arms crossed, while
Aladdin's mother presented them to the Sultan.

He hesitated no longer, but said:  "Good woman,
return and tell your son that I wait for him with
open arms."

She lost no time in telling Aladdin, bidding him
make haste.  But Aladdin first called the genie.

"I want a scented bath," he said, "a richly
embroidered habit, a horse surpassing the
Sultan's, and twenty slaves to attend me.  Besides
this, six slaves, beautifully dressed, to wait on
my mother; and lastly, ten thousand pieces of gold
in ten purses."

No sooner said than done.  Aladdin mounted his
horse and passed through the streets, the slaves
strewing gold as they went.  Those who had played
with him in his childhood knew him not, he had
grown so handsome.

When the Sultan saw him he came down from his
throne, embraced him, and led him into a hall
where a feast was spread, intending to marry him
to the princess that very day.

But Aladdin refused, saying, "I must build a
palace fit for her," and took his leave.

Once home he said to the genie:  "Build me a
palace of the finest marble, set with jasper,
agate, and other precious stones.  In the middle
you shall build me a large hall with a dome, its
four walls of massy gold and silver, each side
having six windows, whose lattices, all except
one, which is to be left unfinished, must be set
with diamonds and rubies.  There must be stables
and horses and grooms and slaves; go and see about
it!"

The palace was finished by next day, and the genie
carried him there and showed him all his orders
faithfully carried out, even to the laying of a
velvet carpet from Aladdin's palace to the
Sultan's.  Aladdin's mother then dressed herself
carefully, and walked to the palace with her
slaves, while he followed her on horseback.  The
Sultan sent musicians with trumpets and cymbals to
meet them, so that the air resounded with music
and cheers.  She was taken to the princess, who
saluted her and treated her with great honour.  At
night the princess said good-bye to her father,
and set out on the carpet for Aladdin's palace,
with his mother at her side, and followed by the
hundred slaves.  She was charmed at the sight of
Aladdin, who ran to receive her.

"Princess," he said, "blame your beauty for my
boldness if I have displeased you."

She told him that, having seen him, she willingly
obeyed her father in this matter.  After the
wedding had taken place Aladdin led her into the
hall, where a feast was spread, and she supped
with him, after which they danced till midnight.

Next day Aladdin invited the Sultan to see the
palace.  On entering the hall with the
four-and-twenty windows, with their rubies,
diamonds, and emeralds, he cried:

"It is a world's wonder!  There is only one thing
that surprises me.  Was it by accident that one
window was left unfinished?"

"No, sir, by design," returned Aladdin.  "I wished
your Majesty to have the glory of finishing this
palace."

The Sultan was pleased, and sent for the best
jewelers in the city.  He showed them the
unfinished window, and bade them fit it up like
the others.

"Sir," replied their spokesman, "we cannot find
jewels enough."

The Sultan had his own fetched, which they soon
used, but to no purpose, for in a month's time the
work was not half done.  Aladdin, knowing that
their task was vain, bade them undo their work and
carry the jewels back, and the genie finished the
window at his command.  The Sultan was surprised
to receive his jewels again and visited Aladdin,
who showed him the window finished.  The Sultan
embraced him, the envious vizir meanwhile hinting
that it was the work of enchantment.

Aladdin had won the hearts of the people by his
gentle bearing.  He was made captain of the
Sultan's armies, and won several battles for him,
but remained modest and courteous as before, and
lived thus in peace and content for several years.

But far away in Africa the magician remembered
Aladdin, and by his magic arts discovered that
Aladdin, instead of perishing miserably in the
cave, had escaped, and had married a princess,
with whom he was living in great honour and
wealth.  He knew that the poor tailor's son could
only have accomplished this by means of the lamp,
and travelled night and day till he reached the
capital of China, bent on Aladdin's ruin.  As he
passed through the town he heard people talking
everywhere about a marvellous palace.

"Forgive my ignorance," he asked, "what is this
palace you speak of?"

"Have you not heard of Prince Aladdin's palace,"
was the reply, "the greatest wonder of the world?
I will direct you if you have a mind to see it."

The magician thanked him who spoke, and having
seen the palace knew that it had been raised by
the genie of the lamp, and became half mad with
rage.  He determined to get hold of the lamp, and
again plunge Aladdin into the deepest poverty.

Unluckily, Aladdin had gone a-hunting for eight
days, which gave the magician plenty of time.  He
bought a dozen copper lamps, put them into a
basket, and went to the palace, crying:  "New
lamps for old!" followed by a jeering crowd.

The princess, sitting in the hall of
four-and-twenty windows, sent a slave to find out
what the noise was about, who came back laughing,
so that the princess scolded her.

"Madam," replied the slave, "who can help laughing
to see an old fool offering to exchange fine new
lamps for old ones?"

Another slave, hearing this, said:  "There is an
old one on the cornice there which he can have."

Now this was the magic lamp, which Aladdin had
left there, as he could not take it out hunting
with him.  The princess, not knowing its value,
laughingly bade the slave take it and make the
exchange.

She went and said to the magician:  "Give me a new
lamp for this."

He snatched it and bade the slave take her choice,
amid the jeers of the crowd.  Little he cared, but
left off crying his lamps, and went out of the
city gates to a lonely place, where he remained
till nightfall, when he pulled out the lamp and
rubbed it.  The genie appeared, and at the
magician's command carried him, together with the
palace and the princess in it, to a lonely place
in Africa.

Next morning the Sultan looked out of the window
towards Aladdin's palace and rubbed his eyes, for
it was gone.  He sent for the vizir, and asked
what had become of the palace.  The vizir looked
out too, and was lost in astonishment.  He again
put it down to enchantment, and this time the
Sultan believed him, and sent thirty men on
horseback to fetch Aladdin in chains.  They met
him riding home, bound him, and forced him to go
with them on foot.  The people, however, who loved
him, followed, armed, to see that he came to no
harm.  He was carried before the Sultan, who
ordered the executioner to cut off his head.  The
executioner made Aladdin kneel down, bandaged his
eyes, and raised his scimitar to strike.

At that instant the vizir, who saw that the crowd
had forced their way into the courtyard and were
scaling the walls to rescue Aladdin, called to the
executioner to stay his hand.  The people, indeed,
looked so threatening that the Sultan gave way and
ordered Aladdin to be unbound, and pardoned him in
the sight of the crowd.

Aladdin now begged to know what he had done.

"False wretch!" said the Sultan, "come hither,"
and showed him from the window the place where his
palace had stood.

Aladdin was so amazed that he could not say a
word.

"Where is my palace and my daughter?" demanded the
Sultan.  "For the first I am not so deeply
concerned, but my daughter I must have, and you
must find her or lose your head."

Aladdin begged for forty days in which to find
her, promising if he failed to return and suffer
death at the Sultan's pleasure.  His prayer was
granted, and he went forth sadly from the Sultan's
presence.  For three days he wandered about like a
madman, asking everyone what had become of his
palace, but they only laughed and pitied him.  He
came to the banks of a river, and knelt down to
say his prayers before throwing himself in.  In so
doing he rubbed the magic ring he still wore.

The genie he had seen in the cave appeared, and
asked his will.

"Save my life, genie," said Aladdin, "and bring my
palace back."

"That is not in my power," said the genie; "I am
only the slave of the ring; you must ask the slave
of the lamp."

"Even so," said Aladdin "but thou canst take me to
the palace, and set me down under my dear wife's
window." He at once found himself in Africa, under
the window of the princess, and fell asleep out of
sheer weariness.

He was awakened by the singing of the birds, and
his heart was lighter.  He saw plainly that all
his misfortunes were owing to the loss of the
lamp, and vainly wondered who had robbed him of
it.

That morning the princess rose earlier than she
had done since she had been carried into Africa by
the magician, whose company she was forced to
endure once a day.  She, however, treated him so
harshly that he dared not live there altogether.
As she was dressing, one of her women looked out
and saw Aladdin.  The princess ran and opened the
window, and at the noise she made Aladdin looked
up.  She called to him to come to her, and great
was the joy of these lovers at seeing each other
again.

After he had kissed her Aladdin said:  "I beg of
you, Princess, in God's name, before we speak of
anything else, for your own sake and mine, tell me
what has become of an old lamp I left on the
cornice in the hall of four-and-twenty windows,
when I went a-hunting."

"Alas!" she said "I am the innocent cause of our
sorrows," and told him of the exchange of the
lamp.

"Now I know," cried Aladdin, "that we have to
thank the African magician for this!  Where is the
lamp?"

"He carries it about with him," said the princess,
"I know, for he pulled it out of his breast to
show me.  He wishes me to break my faith with you
and marry him, saying that you were beheaded by my
father's command.  He is forever speaking ill of
you, but I only reply by my tears.  If I persist,
I doubt not that he will use violence."

Aladdin comforted her, and left her for a while.
He changed clothes with the first person he met in
the town, and having bought a certain powder
returned to the princess, who let him in by a
little side door.

"Put on your most beautiful dress," he said to
her, "and receive the magician with smiles,
leading him to believe that you have forgotten me.
Invite him to sup with you, and say you wish to
taste the wine of his country.  He will go for
some, and while he is gone I will tell you what to
do."

She listened carefully to Aladdin, and when he
left her arrayed herself gaily for the first time
since she left China.  She put on a girdle and
head-dress of diamonds, and seeing in a glass that
she looked more beautiful than ever, received the
magician, saying to his great amazement:  "I have
made up my mind that Aladdin is dead, and that all
my tears will not bring him back to me, so I am
resolved to mourn no more, and have therefore
invited you to sup with me; but I am tired of the
wines of China, and would fain taste those of
Africa."

The magician flew to his cellar, and the princess
put the powder Aladdin had given her in her cup.
When he returned she asked him to drink her health
in the wine of Africa, handing him her cup in
exchange for his as a sign she was reconciled to
him.

Before drinking the magician made her a speech in
praise of her beauty, but the princess cut him
short saying:

"Let me drink first, and you shall say what you
will afterwards." She set her cup to her lips and
kept it there, while the magician drained his to
the dregs and fell back lifeless.

The princess then opened the door to Aladdin, and
flung her arms round his neck, but Aladdin put her
away, bidding her to leave him, as he had more to
do.  He then went to the dead magician, took the
lamp out of his vest, and bade the genie carry the
palace and all in it back to China.  This was
done, and the princess in her chamber only felt
two little shocks, and little thought she was at
home again.

The Sultan, who was sitting in his closet,
mourning for his lost daughter, happened to look
up, and rubbed his eyes, for there stood the
palace as before!  He hastened thither, and
Aladdin received him in the hall of the
four-and-twenty windows, with the princess at his
side.  Aladdin told him what had happened, and
showed him the dead body of the magician, that he
might believe.  A ten days' feast was proclaimed,
and it seemed as if Aladdin might now live the
rest of his life in peace; but it was not to be.

The African magician had a younger brother, who
was, if possible, more wicked and more cunning
than himself.  He travelled to China to avenge his
brother's death, and went to visit a pious woman
called Fatima, thinking she might be of use to
him.  He entered her cell and clapped a dagger to
her breast, telling her to rise and do his bidding
on pain of death.  He changed clothes with her,
coloured his face like hers, put on her veil and
murdered her, that she might tell no tales.  Then
he went towards the palace of Aladdin, and all the
people thinking he was the holy woman, gathered
round him, kissing his hands and begging his
blessing.  When he got to the palace there was
such a noise going on round him that the princess
bade her slave look out of the window and ask what
was the matter.  The slave said it was the holy
woman, curing people by her touch of their
ailments, whereupon the princess, who had long
desired to see Fatima, sent for her.  On coming to
the princess the magician offered up a prayer for
her health and prosperity.  When he had done the
princess made him sit by her, and begged him to
stay with her always.  The false Fatima, who
wished for nothing better, consented, but kept his
veil down for fear of discovery.  The princess
showed him the hall, and asked him what he thought
of it.

"It is truly beautiful," said the false Fatima.
"In my mind it wants but one thing."

"And what is that?" said the princess.

"If only a roc's egg," replied he, "were hung up
from the middle of this dome, it would be the
wonder of the world."

After this the princess could think of nothing but
a roc's egg, and when Aladdin returned from
hunting he found her in a very ill humour.  He
begged to know what was amiss, and she told him
that all her pleasure in the hall was spoilt for
the want of a roc's egg hanging from the dome.

"It that is all," replied Aladdin, "you shall soon
be happy."

He left her and rubbed the lamp, and when the
genie appeared commanded him to bring a roc's egg.
The genie gave such a loud and terrible shriek
that the hall shook.

"Wretch!" he cried, "is it not enough that I have
done everything for you, but you must command me
to bring my master and hang him up in the midst of
this dome?  You and your wife and your palace
deserve to be burnt to ashes; but this request
does not come from you, but from the brother of
the African magician whom you destroyed.  He is
now in your palace disguised as the holy
woman--whom he murdered.  He it was who put that
wish into your wife's head.  Take care of
yourself, for he means to kill you." So saying the
genie disappeared.

Aladdin went back to the princess, saying his head
ached, and requesting that the holy Fatima should
be fetched to lay her hands on it.  But when the
magician came near, Aladdin, seizing his dagger,
pierced him to the heart.

"What have you done?" cried the princess.  "You
have killed the holy woman!"

"Not so," replied Aladdin, "but a wicked
magician," and told her of how she had been
deceived.

After this Aladdin and his wife lived in peace.
He succeeded the Sultan when he died, and reigned
for many years, leaving behind him a long line of
kings.



The Adventures of Haroun-al-Raschid, Caliph of
Bagdad


The Caliph Haroun-al-Raschid sat in his palace,
wondering if there was anything left in the world
that could possibly give him a few hours'
amusement, when Giafar the grand-vizir, his old
and tried friend, suddenly appeared before him.
Bowing low, he waited, as was his duty, till his
master spoke, but Haroun-al-Raschid merely turned
his head and looked at him, and sank back into his
former weary posture.

Now Giafar had something of importance to say to
the Caliph, and had no intention of being put off
by mere silence, so with another low bow in front
of the throne, he began to speak.

"Commander of the Faithful," said he, "I have
taken on myself to remind your Highness that you
have undertaken secretly to observe for yourself
the manner in which justice is done and order is
kept throughout the city.  This is the day you
have set apart to devote to this object, and
perhaps in fulfilling this duty you may find some
distraction from the melancholy to which, as I see
to my sorrow, you are a prey."

"You are right," returned the Caliph, "I had
forgotten all about it.  Go and change your coat,
and I will change mine."

A few moments later they both re-entered the hall,
disguised as foreign merchants, and passed through
a secret door, out into the open country.  Here
they turned towards the Euphrates, and crossing
the river in a small boat, walked through that
part of the town which lay along the further bank,
without seeing anything to call for their
interference.  Much pleased with the peace and
good order of the city, the Caliph and his vizir
made their way to a bridge, which led straight
back to the palace, and had already crossed it,
when they were stopped by an old and blind man,
who begged for alms.

The Caliph gave him a piece of money, and was
passing on, but the blind man seized his hand, and
held him fast.

"Charitable person," he said, "whoever you may be
grant me yet another prayer.  Strike me, I beg of
you, one blow.  I have deserved it richly, and
even a more severe penalty."

The Caliph, much surprised at this request,
replied gently:  "My good man, that which you ask
is impossible.  Of what use would my alms be if I
treated you so ill?" And as he spoke he tried to
loosen the grasp of the blind beggar.

"My lord," answered the man, "pardon my boldness
and my persistence.  Take back your money, or give
me the blow which I crave.  I have sworn a solemn
oath that I will receive nothing without receiving
chastisement, and if you knew all, you would feel
that the punishment is not a tenth part of what I
deserve."

Moved by these words, and perhaps still more by
the fact that he had other business to attend to,
the Caliph yielded, and struck him lightly on the
shoulder.  Then he continued his road, followed by
the blessing of the blind man.  When they were out
of earshot, he said to the vizir, "There must be
something very odd to make that man act so--I
should like to find out what is the reason.  Go
back to him; tell him who I am, and order him to
come without fail to the palace to-morrow, after
the hour of evening prayer."

So the grand-vizir went back to the bridge; gave
the blind beggar first a piece of money and then a
blow, delivered the Caliph's message, and rejoined
his master.

They passed on towards the palace, but walking
through a square, they came upon a crowd watching
a young and well-dressed man who was urging a
horse at full speed round the open space, using at
the same time his spurs and whip so unmercifully
that the animal was all covered with foam and
blood.  The Caliph, astonished at this proceeding,
inquired of a passer-by what it all meant, but no
one could tell him anything, except that every day
at the same hour the same thing took place.

Still wondering, he passed on, and for the moment
had to content himself with telling the vizir to
command the horseman also to appear before him at
the same time as the blind man.

The next day, after evening prayer, the Caliph
entered the hall, and was followed by the vizir
bringing with him the two men of whom we have
spoken, and a third, with whom we have nothing to
do.  They all bowed themselves low before the
throne and then the Caliph bade them rise, and ask
the blind man his name.

"Baba-Abdalla, your Highness," said he.

"Baba-Abdalla," returned the Caliph, "your way of
asking alms yesterday seemed to me so strange,
that I almost commanded you then and there to
cease from causing such a public scandal.  But I
have sent for you to inquire what was your motive
in making such a curious vow.  When I know the
reason I shall be able to judge whether you can be
permitted to continue to practise it, for I cannot
help thinking that it sets a very bad example to
others.  Tell me therefore the whole truth, and
conceal nothing."

These words troubled the heart of Baba-Abdalla,
who prostrated himself at the feet of the Caliph.
Then rising, he answered:  "Commander of the
Faithful, I crave your pardon humbly, for my
persistence in beseeching your Highness to do an
action which appears on the face of it to be
without any meaning.  No doubt, in the eyes of
men, it has none; but I look on it as a slight
expiation for a fearful sin of which I have been
guilty, and if your Highness will deign to listen
to my tale, you will see that no punishment could
atone for the crime."



Story of the Blind Baba-Abdalla


I was born, Commander of the Faithful, in Bagdad,
and was left an orphan while I was yet a very
young man, for my parents died within a few days
of each other.  I had inherited from them a small
fortune, which I worked hard night and day to
increase, till at last I found myself the owner of
eighty camels.  These I hired out to travelling
merchants, whom I frequently accompanied on their
various journeys, and always returned with large
profits.

One day I was coming back from Balsora, whither I
had taken a supply of goods, intended for India,
and halted at noon in a lonely place, which
promised rich pasture for my camels.  I was
resting in the shade under a tree, when a dervish,
going on foot towards Balsora, sat down by my
side, and I inquired whence he had come and to
what place he was going.  We soon made friends,
and after we had asked each other the usual
questions, we produced the food we had with us,
and satisfied our hunger.

While we were eating, the dervish happened to
mention that in a spot only a little way off from
where we were sitting, there was hidden a treasure
so great that if my eighty camels were loaded till
they could carry no more, the hiding place would
seem as full as if it had never been touched.

At this news I became almost beside myself with
joy and greed, and I flung my arms round the neck
of the dervish, exclaiming:  "Good dervish, I see
plainly that the riches of this world are nothing
to you, therefore of what use is the knowledge of
this treasure to you?  Alone and on foot, you
could carry away a mere handful.  But tell me
where it is, and I will load my eighty camels with
it, and give you one of them as a token of my
gratitude."

Certainly my offer does not sound very
magnificent, but it was great to me, for at his
words a wave of covetousness had swept over my
heart, and I almost felt as if the seventy-nine
camels that were left were nothing in comparison.

The dervish saw quite well what was passing in my
mind, but he did not show what he thought of my
proposal.

"My brother," he answered quietly, "you know as
well as I do, that you are behaving unjustly.  It
was open to me to keep my secret, and to reserve
the treasure for myself.  But the fact that I have
told you of its existence shows that I had
confidence in you, and that I hoped to earn your
gratitude for ever, by making your fortune as well
as mine.  But before I reveal to you the secret of
the treasure, you must swear that, after we have
loaded the camels with as much as they can carry,
you will give half to me, and let us go our own
ways.  I think you will see that this is fair, for
if you present me with forty camels, I on my side
will give you the means of buying a thousand
more."

I could not of course deny that what the dervish
said was perfectly reasonable, but, in spite of
that, the thought that the dervish would be as
rich as I was unbearable to me.  Still there was
no use in discussing the matter, and I had to
accept his conditions or bewail to the end of my
life the loss of immense wealth.  So I collected
my camels and we set out together under the
guidance of the dervish.  After walking some time,
we reached what looked like a valley, but with
such a narrow entrance that my camels could only
pass one by one.  The little valley, or open
space, was shut up by two mountains, whose sides
were formed of straight cliffs, which no human
being could climb.

When we were exactly between these mountains the
dervish stopped.

"Make your camels lie down in this open space," he
said, "so that we can easily load them; then we
will go to the treasure."

I did what I was bid, and rejoined the dervish,
whom I found trying to kindle a fire out of some
dry wood.  As soon as it was alight, he threw on
it a handful of perfumes, and pronounced a few
words that I did not understand, and immediately a
thick column of smoke rose high into the air.  He
separated the smoke into two columns, and then I
saw a rock, which stood like a pillar between the
two mountains, slowly open, and a splendid palace
appear within.

But, Commander of the Faithful, the love of gold
had taken such possession of my heart, that I
could not even stop to examine the riches, but
fell upon the first pile of gold within my reach
and began to heap it into a sack that I had
brought with me.

The dervish likewise set to work, but I soon
noticed that he confined himself to collecting
precious stones, and I felt I should be wise to
follow his example.  At length the camels were
loaded with as much as they could carry, and
nothing remained but to seal up the treasure, and
go our ways.

Before, however, this was done, the dervish went
up to a great golden vase, beautifully chased, and
took from it a small wooden box, which he hid in
the bosom of his dress, merely saying that it
contained a special kind of ointment.  Then he
once more kindled the fire, threw on the perfume,
and murmured the unknown spell, and the rock
closed, and stood whole as before.

The next thing was to divide the camels, and to
charge them with the treasure, after which we each
took command of our own and marched out of the
valley, till we reached the place in the high road
where the routes diverge, and then we parted, the
dervish going towards Balsora, and I to Bagdad.
We embraced each other tenderly, and I poured out
my gratitude for the honour he had done me, in
singling me out for this great wealth, and having
said a hearty farewell we turned our backs, and
hastened after our camels.

I had hardly come up with mine when the demon of
envy filled my soul.  "What does a dervish want
with riches like that?" I said to myself.  "He
alone has the secret of the treasure, and can
always get as much as he wants," and I halted my
camels by the roadside, and ran back after him.

I was a quick runner, and it did not take me very
long to come up with him.  "My brother," I
exclaimed, as soon as I could speak, "almost at
the moment of our leave-taking, a reflection
occurred to me, which is perhaps new to you.  You
are a dervish by profession, and live a very quiet
life, only caring to do good, and careless of the
things of this world.  You do not realise the
burden that you lay upon yourself, when you gather
into your hands such great wealth, besides the
fact that no one, who is not accustomed to camels
from his birth, can ever manage the stubborn
beasts.  If you are wise, you will not encumber
yourself with more than thirty, and you will find
those trouble enough."

"You are right," replied the dervish, who
understood me quite well, but did not wish to
fight the matter.  "I confess I had not thought
about it.  Choose any ten you like, and drive them
before you."

I selected ten of the best camels, and we
proceeded along the road, to rejoin those I had
left behind.  I had got what I wanted, but I had
found the dervish so easy to deal with, that I
rather regretted I had not asked for ten more.  I
looked back.  He had only gone a few paces, and I
called after him.

"My brother," I said, "I am unwilling to part from
you without pointing out what I think you scarcely
grasp, that large experience of camel-driving is
necessary to anybody who intends to keep together
a troop of thirty.  In your own interest, I feel
sure you would be much happier if you entrusted
ten more of them to me, for with my practice it is
all one to me if I take two or a hundred."

As before, the dervish made no difficulties, and I
drove off my ten camels in triumph, only leaving
him with twenty for his share.  I had now sixty,
and anyone might have imagined that I should be
content.

But, Commander of the Faithful, there is a proverb
that says, "the more one has, the more one wants."
So it was with me.  I could not rest as long as
one solitary camel remained to the dervish; and
returning to him I redoubled my prayers and
embraces, and promises of eternal gratitude, till
the last twenty were in my hands.

"Make a good use of them, my brother," said the
holy man.  "Remember riches sometimes have wings
if we keep them for ourselves, and the poor are at
our gates expressly that we may help them."

My eyes were so blinded by gold, that I paid no
heed to his wise counsel, and only looked about
for something else to grasp.  Suddenly I
remembered the little box of ointment that the
dervish had hidden, and which most likely
contained a treasure more precious than all the
rest.  Giving him one last embrace, I observed
accidentally, "What are you going to do with that
little box of ointment?  It seems hardly worth
taking with you; you might as well let me have it.
And really, a dervish who has given up the world
has no need of ointment!"

Oh, if he had only refused my request!  But then,
supposing he had, I should have got possession of
it by force, so great was the madness that had
laid hold upon me.  However, far from refusing it,
the dervish at once held it out, saying
gracefully, "Take it, my friend, and if there is
anything else I can do to make you happy you must
let me know."

Directly the box was in my hands I wrenched off
the cover.  "As you are so kind," I said, "tell
me, I pray you, what are the virtues of this
ointment?"

"They are most curious and interesting," replied
the dervish.  "If you apply a little of it to your
left eye you will behold in an instant all the
treasures hidden in the bowels of the earth.  But
beware lest you touch your right eye with it, or
your sight will be destroyed for ever."

His words excited my curiosity to the highest
pitch.  "Make trial on me, I implore you," I
cried, holding out the box to the dervish.  "You
will know how to do it better than I!  I am
burning with impatience to test its charms."

The dervish took the box I had extended to him,
and, bidding me shut my left eye, touched it
gently with the ointment.  When I opened it again
I saw spread out, as it were before me, treasures
of every kind and without number.  But as all this
time I had been obliged to keep my right eye
closed, which was very fatiguing, I begged the
dervish to apply the ointment to that eye also.

"If you insist upon it I will do it," answered the
dervish, "but you must remember what I told you
just now--that if it touches your right eye you
will become blind on the spot."

Unluckily, in spite of my having proved the truth
of the dervish's words in so many instances, I was
firmly convinced that he was now keeping concealed
from me some hidden and precious virtue of the
ointment.  So I turned a deaf ear to all he said.

"My brother," I replied smiling, "I see you are
joking.  It is not natural that the same ointment
should have two such exactly opposite effects."

"It is true all the same," answered the dervish,
"and it would be well for you if you believed my
word."

But I would not believe, and, dazzled by the greed
of avarice, I thought that if one eye could show
me riches, the other might teach me how to get
possession of them.  And I continued to press the
dervish to anoint my right eye, but this he
resolutely declined to do.

"After having conferred such benefits on you,"
said he, "I am loth indeed to work you such evil.
Think what it is to be blind, and do not force me
to do what you will repent as long as you live."

It was of no use.  "My brother," I said firmly,
"pray say no more, but do what I ask.  You have
most generously responded to my wishes up to this
time, da not spoil my recollection of you for a
thing of such little consequence.  Let what will
happen I take it on my own head, and will never
reproach you."

"Since you are determined upon it," he answered
with a sigh, "there is no use talking," and taking
the ointment he laid some on my right eye, which
was tight shut.  When I tried to open it heavy
clouds of darkness floated before me.  I was as
blind as you see me now!

"Miserable dervish!" I shrieked, "so it is true
after all!  Into what a bottomless pit has my lust
after gold plunged me.  Ah, now that my eyes are
closed they are really opened.  I know that all my
sufferings are caused by myself alone!  But, good
brother, you, who are so kind and charitable, and
know the secrets of such vast learning, have you
nothing that will give me back my sight?"

"Unhappy man," replied the dervish, "it is not my
fault that this has befallen you, but it is a just
chastisement.  The blindness of your heart has
wrought the blindness of your body.  Yes, I have
secrets; that you have seen in the short time that
we have known each other.  But I have none that
will give you back your sight.  You have proved
yourself unworthy of the riches that were given
you.  Now they have passed into my hands, whence
they will flow into the hands of others less
greedy and ungrateful than you."

The dervish said no more and left me, speechless
with shame and confusion, and so wretched that I
stood rooted to the spot, while he collected the
eighty camels and proceeded on his way to Balsora.
It was in vain that I entreated him not to leave
me, but at least to take me within reach of the
first passing caravan.  He was deaf to my prayers
and cries, and I should soon have been dead of
hunger and misery if some merchants had not come
along the track the following day and kindly
brought me back to Bagdad.

From a rich man I had in one moment become a
beggar; and up to this time I have lived solely on
the alms that have been bestowed on me.  But, in
order to expiate the sin of avarice, which was my
undoing, I oblige each passer-by to give me a
blow.

This, Commander of the Faithful, is my story.

When the blind man had ended the Caliph addressed
him:  "Baba-Abdalla, truly your sin is great, but
you have suffered enough.  Henceforth repent in
private, for I will see that enough money is given
you day by day for all your wants."

At these words Baba-Abdalla flung himself at the
Caliph's feet, and prayed that honour and
happiness might be his portion for ever.



The Story of Sidi-Nouman


The Caliph, Haroun-al-Raschid, was much pleased
with the tale of the blind man and the dervish,
and when it was finished he turned to the young
man who had ill-treated his horse, and inquired
his name also.  The young man replied that he was
called Sidi-Nouman.

"Sidi-Nouman," observed the Caliph, "I have seen
horses broken all my life long, and have even
broken them myself, but I have never seen any
horse broken in such a barbarous manner as by you
yesterday.  Every one who looked on was indignant,
and blamed you loudly.  As for myself, I was so
angry that I was very nearly disclosing who I was,
and putting a stop to it at once.  Still, you have
not the air of a cruel man, and I would gladly
believe that you did not act in this way without
some reason.  As I am told that it was not the
first time, and indeed that every day you are to
be seen flogging and spurring your horse, I wish
to come to the bottom of the matter.  But tell me
the whole truth, and conceal nothing."

Sidi-Nouman changed colour as he heard these
words, and his manner grew confused; but he saw
plainly that there was no help for it.  So he
prostrated himself before the throne of the Caliph
and tried to obey, but the words stuck in his
throat, and he remained silent.

The Caliph, accustomed though he was to instant
obedience, guessed something of what was passing
in the young man's mind, and sought to put him at
his ease.  "Sidi-Nouman," he said, "do not think
of me as the Caliph, but merely as a friend who
would like to hear your story.  If there is
anything in it that you are afraid may offend me,
take courage, for I pardon you beforehand.  Speak
then openly and without fear, as to one who knows
and loves you."

Reassured by the kindness of the Caliph,
Sidi-Nouman at length began his tale.

"Commander of the Faithful," said he, "dazzled
though I am by the lustre of your Highness'
presence, I will do my best to satisfy your
wishes.  I am by no means perfect, but I am not
naturally cruel, neither do I take pleasure in
breaking the law.  I admit that the treatment of
my horse is calculated to give your Highness a bad
opinion of me, and to set an evil example to
others; yet I have not chastised it without
reason, and I have hopes that I shall be judged
more worthy of pity than punishment."

Commander of the Faithful, I will not trouble to
describe my birth; it is not of sufficient
distinction to deserve your Highness' attention.
My ancestors were careful people, and I inherited
enough money to enable me to live comfortably,
though without show.

Having therefore a modest fortune, the only thing
wanting to my happiness was a wife who could
return my affection, but this blessing I was not
destined to get; for on the very day after my
marriage, my bride began to try my patience in
every way that was most hard to bear.

Now, seeing that the customs of our land oblige us
to marry without ever beholding the person with
whom we are to pass our lives, a man has of course
no right to complain as long as his wife is not
absolutely repulsive, or is not positively
deformed.  And whatever defects her body may have,
pleasant ways and good behaviour will go far to
remedy them.

The first time I saw my wife unveiled, when she
had been brought to my house with the usual
ceremonies, I was enchanted to find that I had not
been deceived in regard to the account that had
been given me of her beauty.  I began my married
life in high spirits, and the best hopes of
happiness.

The following day a grand dinner was served to us
but as my wife did not appear, I ordered a servant
to call her.  Still she did not come, and I waited
impatiently for some time.  At last she entered
the room, and she took our places at the table,
and plates of rice were set before us.

I ate mine, as was natural, with a spoon, but
great was my surprise to notice that my wife,
instead of doing the same, drew from her pocket a
little case, from which she selected a long pin,
and by the help of this pin conveyed her rice
grain by grain to her mouth.

"Amina," I exclaimed in astonishment, "is that the
way you eat rice at home?  And did you do it
because your appetite was so small, or did you
wish to count the grains so that you might never
eat more than a certain number?  If it was from
economy, and you are anxious to teach me not to be
wasteful, you have no cause for alarm.  We shall
never ruin ourselves in that way!  Our fortune is
large enough for all our needs, therefore, dear
Amina, do not seek to check yourself, but eat as
much as you desire, as I do!"

In reply to my affectionate words, I expected a
cheerful answer; yet Amina said nothing at all,
but continued to pick her rice as before, only at
longer and longer intervals.  And, instead of
trying the other dishes, all she did was to put
every now and then a crumb, of bread into her
mouth, that would not have made a meal for a
sparrow.

I felt provoked by her obstinacy, but to excuse
her to myself as far as I could, I suggested that
perhaps she had never been used to eat in the
company of men, and that her family might have
taught her that she ought to behave prudently and
discreetly in the presence of her husband.
Likewise that she might either have dined already
or intend to do so in her own apartments.  So I
took no further notice, and when I had finished
left the room, secretly much vexed at her strange
conduct.

The same thing occurred at supper, and all through
the next day, whenever we ate together.  It was
quite clear that no woman could live upon two or
three bread-crumbs and a few grains of rice, and I
determined to find out how and when she got food.
I pretended not to pay attention to anything she
did, in the hope that little by little she would
get accustomed to me, and become more friendly;
but I soon saw that my expectations were quite
vain.

One night I was lying with my eyes closed, and to,
all appearance sound asleep, when Amina arose
softly, and dressed herself without making the
slightest sound.  I could not imagine what she was
going to do, and as my curiosity was great I made
up my mind to follow her.  When she was fully
dressed, she stole quietly from the room.

The instant she had let the curtain fall behind
her, I flung a garment on my shoulders and a pair
of slippers on my feet.  Looking from a lattice
which opened into the court, I saw her in the act
of passing through the street door, which she
carefully left open.

It was bright moonlight, so I easily managed to
keep her in sight, till she entered a cemetery not
far from the house.  There I hid myself under the
shadow of the wall, and crouched down cautiously;
and hardly was I concealed, when I saw my wife
approaching in company with a ghoul--one of those
demons which, as your Highness is aware, wander
about the country making their lairs in deserted
buildings and springing out upon unwary travellers
whose flesh they eat.  If no live being goes their
way, they then betake themselves to the
cemeteries, and feed upon the dead bodies.

I was nearly struck dumb with horror on seeing my
wife with this hideous female ghoul.  They passed
by me without noticing me, began to dig up a
corpse which had been buried that day, and then
sat down on the edge of the grave, to enjoy their
frightful repast, talking quietly and cheerfully
all the while, though I was too far off to hear
what they said.  When they had finished, they
threw back the body into the grave, and heaped
back the earth upon it.  I made no effort to
disturb them, and returned quickly to the house,
when I took care to leave the door open, as I had
previously found it.  Then I got back into bed,
and pretended to sleep soundly.

A short time after Amina entered as quietly as she
had gone out.  She undressed and stole into bed,
congratulating herself apparently on the
cleverness with which she had managed her
expedition.

As may be guessed, after such a scene it was long
before I could close my eyes, and at the first
sound which called the faithful to prayer, I put
on my clothes and went to the mosque.  But even
prayer did not restore peace to my troubled
spirit, and I could not face my wife until I had
made up my mind what future course I should pursue
in regard to her.  I therefore spent the morning
roaming about from one garden to another, turning
over various plans for compelling my wife to give
up her horrible ways; I thought of using violence
to make her submit, but felt reluctant to be
unkind to her.  Besides, I had an instinct that
gentle means had the best chance of success; so, a
little soothed, I turned towards home, which I
reached about the hour of dinner.

As soon as I appeared, Amina ordered dinner to be
served, and we sat down together.  As usual, she
persisted in only picking a few grains of rice,
and I resolved to speak to her at once of what lay
so heavily on my heart.

"Amina," I said, as quietly as possible, "you must
have guessed the surprise I felt, when the day
after our marriage you declined to eat anything
but a few morsels of rice, and altogether behaved
in such a manner that most husbands would have
been deeply wounded.  However I had patience with
you, and only tried to tempt your appetite by the
choicest dishes I could invent, but all to no
purpose.  Still, Amina, it seems to me that there
be some among them as sweet to the taste as the
flesh of a corpse?"

I had no sooner uttered these words than Amina,
who instantly understood that I had followed her
to the grave-yard, was seized with a passion
beyond any that I have ever witnessed.  Her face
became purple, her eyes looked as if they would
start from her head, and she positively foamed
with rage.

I watched her with terror, wondering what would
happen next, but little thinking what would be the
end of her fury.  She seized a vessel of water
that stood at hand, and plunging her hand in it,
murmured some words I failed to catch.  Then,
sprinkling it on my face, she cried madly:

"Wretch, receive the reward of your prying, and
become a dog."

The words were not out of her mouth when, without
feeling conscious that any change was passing over
me, I suddenly knew that I had ceased to be a man.
In the greatness of the shock and surprise--for I
had no idea that Amina was a magician--I never
dreamed of running away, and stood rooted to the
spot, while Amina grasped a stick and began to
beat me.  Indeed her blows were so heavy, that I
only wonder they did not kill me at once.  However
they succeeded in rousing me from my stupor, and I
dashed into the court-yard, followed closely by
Amina, who made frantic dives at me, which I was
not quick enough to dodge.  At last she got tired
of pursuing me, or else a new trick entered into
her head, which would give me speedy and painful
death; she opened the gate leading into the
street, intending to crush me as I passed through.
Dog though I was, I saw through her design, and
stung into presence of mind by the greatness of
the danger, I timed my movements so well that I
contrived to rush through, and only the tip of my
tail received a squeeze as she banged the gate.

I was safe, but my tail hurt me horribly, and I
yelped and howled so loud all along the streets,
that the other dogs came and attacked me, which
made matters no better.  In order to avoid them, I
took refuge in a cookshop, where tongues and
sheep's heads were sold.

At first the owner showed me great kindness, and
drove away the other dogs that were still at my
heels, while I crept into the darkest corner.  But
though I was safe for the moment, I was not
destined to remain long under his protection, for
he was one of those who hold all dogs to be
unclean, and that all the washing in the world
will hardly purify you from their contact.  So
after my enemies had gone to seek other prey, he
tried to lure me from my corner in order to force
me into the street.  But I refused to come out of
my hole, and spent the night in sleep, which I
sorely needed, after the pain inflicted on me by
Amina.

I have no wish to weary your Highness by dwelling
on the sad thoughts which accompanied my change of
shape, but it may interest you to hear that the
next morning my host went out early to do his
marketing, and returned laden with the sheep's
heads, and tongues and trotters that formed his
stock in trade for the day.  The smell of meat
attracted various hungry dogs in the
neighbourhood, and they gathered round the door
begging for some bits.  I stole out of my corner,
and stood with them.

In spite of his objection to dogs, as unclean
animals, my protector was a kind-hearted man, and
knowing I had eaten nothing since yesterday, he
threw me bigger and better bits than those which
fell to the share of the other dogs.  When I had
finished, I tried to go back into the shop, but
this he would not allow, and stood so firmly at
the entrance with a stout stick, that I was forced
to give it up, and seek some other home.

A few paces further on was a baker's shop, which
seemed to have a gay and merry man for a master.
At that moment he was having his breakfast, and
though I gave no signs of hunger, he at once threw
me a piece of bread.  Before gobbling it up, as
most dogs are in the habit of doing, I bowed my
head and wagged my tail, in token of thanks, and
he understood, and smiled pleasantly.  I really
did not want the bread at all, but felt it would
be ungracious to refuse, so I ate it slowly, in
order that he might see that I only did it out of
politeness.  He understood this also, and seemed
quite willing to let me stay in his shop, so I sat
down, with my face to the door, to show that I
only asked his protection.  This he gave me, and
indeed encouraged me to come into the house
itself, giving me a corner where I might sleep,
without being in anybody's way.

The kindness heaped on me by this excellent man
was far greater than I could ever have expected.
He was always affectionate in his manner of
treating me, and I shared his breakfast, dinner
and supper, while, on my side, I gave him all the
gratitude and attachment to which he had a right.

I sat with my eyes fixed on him, and he never left
the house without having me at his heels; and if
it ever happened that when he was preparing to go
out I was asleep, and did not notice, he would
call "Rufus, Rufus," for that was the name he gave
me.

Some weeks passed in this way, when one day a
woman came in to buy bread.  In paying for it, she
laid down several pieces of money, one of which
was bad.  The baker perceived this, and declined
to take it, demanding another in its place.  The
woman, for her part, refused to take it back,
declaring it was perfectly good, but the baker
would have nothing to do with it.  "It is really
such a bad imitation," he exclaimed at last, "that
even my dog would not be taken in.  Here Rufus!
Rufus!" and hearing his voice, I jumped on to the
counter.  The baker threw down the money before
me, and said, "Find out if there is a bad coin." I
looked at each in turn, and then laid my paw on
the false one, glancing at the same time at my
master, so as to point it out.

The baker, who had of course been only in joke,
was exceedingly surprised at my cleverness, and
the woman, who was at last convinced that the man
spoke the truth, produced another piece of money
in its place.  When she had gone, my master was so
pleased that he told all the neighbours what I had
done, and made a great deal more of it than there
really was.

The neighbours, very naturally, declined to
believe his story, and tried me several times with
all the bad money they could collect together, but
I never failed to stand the test triumphantly.

Soon, the shop was filled from morning till night,
with people who on the pretence of buying bread
came to see if I was as clever as I was reported
to be.  The baker drove a roaring trade, and
admitted that I was worth my weight in gold to
him.

Of course there were plenty who envied him his
large custom, and many was the pitfall set for me,
so that he never dared to let me out of his sight.
One day a woman, who had not been in the shop
before, came to ask for bread, like the rest.  As
usual, I was lying on the counter, and she threw
down six coins before me, one of which was false.
I detected it at once, and put my paw on it,
looking as I did so at the woman.  "Yes," she
said, nodding her head.  "You are quite right,
that is the one." She stood gazing at me
attentively for some time, then paid for the
bread, and left the shop, making a sign for me to
follow her secretly.

Now my thoughts were always running on some means
of shaking off the spell laid on me, and noticing
the way in which this woman had looked at me, the
idea entered my head that perhaps she might have
guessed what had happened, and in this I was not
deceived.  However I let her go on a little way,
and merely stood at the door watching her.  She
turned, and seeing that I was quite still, she
again beckoned to me.

The baker all this while was busy with his oven,
and had forgotten all about me, so I stole out
softly, and ran after the woman.

When we came to her house, which was some distance
off, she opened the door and then said to me,
"Come in, come in; you will never be sorry that
you followed me." When I had entered she fastened
the door, and took me into a large room, where a
beautiful girl was working at a piece of
embroidery.  "My daughter," exclaimed my guide, "I
have brought you the famous dog belonging to the
baker which can tell good money from bad.  You
know that when I first heard of him, I told you I
was sure he must be really a man, changed into a
dog by magic.  To-day I went to the baker's, to
prove for myself the truth of the story, and
persuaded the dog to follow me here.  Now what do
you say?"

"You are right, mother," replied the girl, and
rising she dipped her hand into a vessel of water.
Then sprinkling it over me she said, "If you were
born dog, remain dog; but if you were born man, by
virtue of this water resume your proper form." In
one moment the spell was broken.  The dog's shape
vanished as if it had never been, and it was a man
who stood before her.

Overcome with gratitude at my deliverance, I flung
myself at her feet, and kissed the hem of her
garment.  "How can I thank you for your goodness
towards a stranger, and for what you have done?
Henceforth I am your slave.  Deal with me as you
will!"

Then, in order to explain how I came to be changed
into a dog, I told her my whole story, and
finished with rendering the mother the thanks due
to her for the happiness she had brought me.

"Sidi-Nouman," returned the daughter, "say no more
about the obligation you are under to us.  The
knowledge that we have been of service to you is
ample payment.  Let us speak of Amina, your wife,
with whom I was acquainted before her marriage.  I
was aware that she was a magician, and she knew
too that I had studied the same art, under the
same mistress.  We met often going to the same
baths, but we did not like each other, and never
sought to become friends.  As to what concerns
you, it is not enough to have broken your spell,
she must be punished for her wickedness.  Remain
for a moment with my mother, I beg," she added
hastily, "I will return shortly."

Left alone with the mother, I again expressed the
gratitude I felt, to her as well as to her
daughter.

"My daughter," she answered, "is, as you see, as
accomplished a magician as Amina herself, but you
would be astonished at the amount of good she does
by her knowledge.  That is why I have never
interfered, otherwise I should have put a stop to
it long ago." As she spoke, her daughter entered
with a small bottle in her hand.

"Sidi-Nouman," she said, "the books I have just
consulted tell me that Amina is not home at
present, but she should return at any moment.  I
have likewise found out by their means, that she
pretends before the servants great uneasiness as
to your absence.  She has circulated a story that,
while at dinner with her, you remembered some
important business that had to be done at once,
and left the house without shutting the door.  By
this means a dog had strayed in, which she was
forced to get rid of by a stick.  Go home then
without delay, and await Amina's return in your
room.  When she comes in, go down to meet her, and
in her surprise, she will try to run away.  Then
have this bottle ready, and dash the water it
contains over her, saying boldly, "Receive the
reward of your crimes." That is all I have to tell
you."

Everything happened exactly as the young magician
had foretold.  I had not been in my house many
minutes before Amina returned, and as she
approached I stepped in front of her, with the
water in my hand.  She gave one loud cry, and
turned to the door, but she was too late.  I had
already dashed the water in her face and spoken
the magic words.  Amina disappeared, and in her
place stood the horse you saw me beating
yesterday.

This, Commander of the Faithful, is my story, and
may I venture to hope that, now you have heard the
reason of my conduct, your Highness will not think
this wicked woman too harshly treated?

"Sidi-Nouman," replied the Caliph, "your story is
indeed a strange one, and there is no excuse to be
offered for your wife.  But, without condemning
your treatment of her, I wish you to reflect how
much she must suffer from being changed into an
animal, and I hope you will let that punishment be
enough.  I do not order you to insist upon the
young magician finding the means to restore your
wife to her human shape, because I know that when
once women such as she begin to work evil they
never leave off, and I should only bring down on
your head a vengeance far worse than the one you
have undergone already."



Story of Ali Colia, Merchant of Bagdad


In the reign of Haroun-al-Raschid, there lived in
Bagdad a merchant named Ali Cogia, who, having
neither wife nor child, contented himself with the
modest profits produced by his trade.  He had
spent some years quite happily in the house his
father had left him, when three nights running he
dreamed that an old man had appeared to him, and
reproached him for having neglected the duty of a
good Mussulman, in delaying so long his pilgrimage
to Mecca.

Ali Cogia was much troubled by this dream, as he
was unwilling to give up his shop, and lose all
his customers.  He had shut his eyes for some time
to the necessity of performing this pilgrimage,
and tried to atone to his conscience by an extra
number of good works, but the dream seemed to him
a direct warning, and he resolved to put the
journey off no longer.

The first thing he did was to sell his furniture
and the wares he had in his shop, only reserving
to himself such goods as he might trade with on
the road.  The shop itself he sold also, and
easily found a tenant for his private house.  The
only matter he could not settle satisfactorily was
the safe custody of a thousand pieces of gold
which he wished to leave behind him.

After some thought, Ali Cogia hit upon a plan
which seemed a safe one.  He took a large vase,
and placing the money in the bottom of it, filled
up the rest with olives.  After corking the vase
tightly down, he carried it to one of his friends,
a merchant like himself, and said to him:

"My brother, you have probably heard that I am
staffing with a caravan in a few days for Mecca.
I have come to ask whether you would do me the
favour to keep this vase of olives for me till I
come back?"

The merchant replied readily, "Look, this is the
key of my shop:  take it, and put the vase
wherever you like.  I promise that you shall find
it in the same place on your return."

A few days later, Ali Cogia mounted the camel that
he had laden with merchandise, joined the caravan,
and arrived in due time at Mecca.  Like the other
pilgrims he visited the sacred Mosque, and after
all his religious duties were performed, he set
out his goods to the best advantage, hoping to
gain some customers among the passers-by.

Very soon two merchants stopped before the pile,
and when they had turned it over, one said to the
other:

"If this man was wise he would take these things
to Cairo, where he would get a much better price
than he is likely to do here."

Ali Cogia heard the words, and lost no time in
following the advice.  He packed up his wares, and
instead of returning to Bagdad, joined a caravan
that was going to Cairo.  The results of the
journey gladdened his heart.  He sold off
everything almost directly, and bought a stock of
Egyptian curiosities, which he intended selling at
Damascus; but as the caravan with which he would
have to travel would not be starting for another
six weeks, he took advantage of the delay to visit
the Pyramids, and some of the cities along the
banks of the Nile.

Now the attractions of Damascus so fascinated the
worthy Ali, that he could hardly tear himself
away, but at length he remembered that he had a
home in Bagdad, meaning to return by way of
Aleppo, and after he had crossed the Euphrates, to
follow the course of the Tigris.

But when he reached Mossoul, Ali had made such
friends with some Persian merchants, that they
persuaded him to accompany them to their native
land, and even as far as India, and so it came to
pass that seven years had slipped by since he had
left Bagdad, and during all that time the friend
with whom he had left the vase of olives had never
once thought of him or of it.  In fact, it was
only a month before Ali Cogia's actual return that
the affair came into his head at all, owing to his
wife's remarking one day, that it was a long time
since she had eaten any olives, and would like
some.

"That reminds me," said the husband, "that before
Ali Cogia went to Mecca seven years ago, he left a
vase of olives in my care.  But really by this
time he must be dead, and there is no reason we
should not eat the olives if we like.  Give me a
light, and I will fetch them and see how they
taste."

"My husband," answered the wife, "beware, I pray,
of your doing anything so base!  Supposing seven
years have passed without news of Ali Cogia, he
need not be dead for all that, and may come back
any day.  How shameful it would be to have to
confess that you had betrayed your trust and
broken the seal of the vase!  Pay no attention to
my idle words, I really have no desire for olives
now.  And probably after all this while they are
no longer good.  I have a presentiment that Ali
Cogia will return, and what will he think of you?
Give it up, I entreat."

The merchant, however, refused to listen to her
advice, sensible though it was.  He took a light
and a dish and went into his shop.

"If you will be so obstinate," said his wife, "I
cannot help it; but do not blame me if it turns
out ill."

When the merchant opened the vase he found the
topmost olives were rotten, and in order to see if
the under ones were in better condition he shook
some ont into the dish.  As they fell out a few of
the gold pieces fell out too.

The sight of the money roused all the merchant's
greed.  He looked into the vase, and saw that all
the bottom was filled with gold.  He then replaced
the olives and returned to his wife.

"My wife," he said, as he entered the room, "you
were quite right; the olives are rotten, and I
have recorked the vase so well that Ali Cogia will
never know it has been touched."

"You would have done better to believe me,"
replied the wife.  "I trust that no harm will come
of it."

These words made no more impression on the
merchant than the others had done; and he spent
the whole night in wondering how he could manage
to keep the gold if Ali Cogia should come back and
claim his vase.  Very early next morning he went
out and bought fresh new olives; he then threw
away the old ones, took out the gold and hid it,
and filled up the vase with the olives he had
bought.  This done he recorked the vase and put it
in the same place where it had been left by Ali
Cogia.

A month later Ali Cogia re-entered Bagdad, and as
his house was still let he went to an inn; and the
following day set out to see his friend the
merchant, who received him with open arms and many
expressions of surprise.  After a few moments
given to inquiries Ali Cogia begged the merchant
to hand him over the vase that he had taken care
of for so long.

"Oh certainly," said he, "I am only glad I could
be of use to you in the matter.  Here is the key
of my shop; you will find the vase in the place
where you put it."

Ali Cogia fetched his vase and carried it to his
room at the inn, where he opened it.  He thrust
down his hand but could feel no money, but still
was persuaded it must be there.  So he got some
plates and vessels from his travelling kit and
emptied ont the olives.  To no purpose.  The gold
was not there.  The poor man was dumb with horror,
then, lifting up his hands, he exclaimed, "Can my
old friend really have committed such a crime?"

In great haste he went back to the house of the
merchant.  "My friend," he cried, "you will be
astonished to see me again, but I can find nowhere
in this vase a thousand pieces of gold that I
placed in the bottom under the olives.  Perhaps
you may have taken a loan of them for your
business purposes; if that is so you are most
welcome.  I will only ask you to give me a
receipt, and you can pay the money at your
leisure."

The merchant, who had expected something of the
sort, had his reply all ready.  "Ali Cogia," he
said, "when you brought me the vase of olives did
I ever touch it?"

"I gave you the key of my shop and you put it
yourself where you liked, and did you not find it
in exactly the same spot and in the same state?
If you placed any gold in it, it must be there
still.  I know nothing about that; you only told
me there were olives.  You can believe me or not,
but I have not laid a finger on the vase."

Ali Cogia still tried every means to persuade the
merchant to admit the truth.  "I love peace," he
said, "and shall deeply regret having to resort to
harsh measures.  Once more, think of your
reputation.  I shall be in despair if you oblige
me to call in the aid of the law."

"Ali Cogia," answered the merchant, "you allow
that it was a vase of olives you placed in my
charge.  You fetched it and removed it yourself,
and now you tell me it contained a thousand pieces
of gold, and that I must restore them to you!  Did
you ever say anything about them before?  Why, I
did not even know that the vase had olives in it!
Yon never showed them to me.  I wonder you have
not demanded pearls or diamonds.  Retire, I pray
you, lest a crowd should gather in front of my
shop."

By this time not only the casual passers-by, but
also the neighbouring merchants, were standing
round, listening to the dispute, and trying every
now and then to smooth matters between them.  But
at the merchant's last words Ali Cogia resolved to
lay the cause of the quarrel before them, and told
them the whole story.  They heard him to the end,
and inquired of the merchant what he had to say.

The accused man admitted that he had kept Ali
Cogia's vase in his shop; but he denied having
touched it, and swore that as to what it contained
he only knew what Ali Cogia had told him, and
called them all to witness the insult that had
been put upon him.

"You have brought it on yourself," said Ali Cogia,
taking him by the arm, "and as you appeal to the
law, the law you shall have!  Let us see if you
will dare to repeat your story before the Cadi."

Now as a good Mussulman the merchant was forbidden
to refuse this choice of a judge, so he accepted
the test, and said to Ali Cogia, "Very well; I
should like nothing better.  We shall soon see
which of us is in the right."

So the two men presented themselves before the
Cadi, and Ali Cogia again repeated his tale.  The
Cadi asked what witnesses he had.  Ali Cogia
replied that he had not taken this precaution, as
he had considered the man his friend, and up to
that time had always found him honest.

The merchant, on his side, stuck to his story, and
offered to swear solemnly that not only had he
never stolen the thousand gold pieces, but that he
did not even know they were there.  The Cadi
allowed him to take the oath, and pronounced him
innocent.

Ali Cogia, furious at having to suffer such a
loss, protested against the verdict, declaring
that he would appeal to the Caliph,
Haroun-al-Raschid, himself.  But the Cadi paid no
attention to his threats, and was quite satisfied
that he had done what was right.

Judgment being given the merchant returned home
triumphant, and Ali Cogia went back to his inn to
draw up a petition to the Caliph.  The next
morning he placed himself on the road along which
the Caliph must pass after mid-day prayer, and
stretched out his petition to the officer who
walked before the Caliph, whose duty it was to
collect such things, and on entering the palace to
hand them to his master.  There Haroun-al-Raschid
studied them carefully.

Knowing this custom, Ali Cogia followed the Caliph
into the public hall of the palace, and waited the
result.  After some time the officer appeared, and
told him that the Caliph had read his petition,
and had appointed an hour the next morning to give
him audience.  He then inquired the merchant's
address, so that he might be summoned to attend
also.

That very evening, the Caliph, with his
grand-vizir Giafar, and Mesrour, chief of the
eunuchs, all three disguised, as was their habit,
went out to take a stroll through the town.

Going down one street, the Caliph's attention was
attracted by a noise, and looking through a door
which opened into a court he perceived ten or
twelve children playing in the moonlight.  He hid
himself in a dark corner, and watched them.

"Let us play at being the Cadi," said the
brightest and quickest of them all; "I will be the
Cadi.  Bring before me Ali Cogia, and the merchant
who robbed him of the thousand pieces of gold."

The boy's words recalled to the Caliph the
petition he had read that morning, and he waited
with interest to see what the children would do.

The proposal was hailed with joy by the other
children, who had heard a great deal of talk about
the matter, and they quickly settled the part each
one was to play.  The Cadi took his seat gravely,
and an officer introduced first Ali Cogia, the
plaintiff, and then the merchant who was the
defendant.

Ali Cogia made a low bow, and pleaded his cause
point by point; concluding by imploring the Cadi
not to inflict on him such a heavy loss.

The Cadi having heard his case, turned to the
merchant, and inquired why he had not repaid Ali
Cogia the sum in question.

The false merchant repeated the reasons that the
real merchant had given to the Cadi of Bagdad, and
also offered to swear that he had told the truth.

"Stop a moment!" said the little Cadi, "before we
come to oaths, I should like to examine the vase
with the olives.  Ali Cogia," he added, "have you
got the vase with you?" and finding he had not,
the Cadi continued, "Go and get it, and bring it
to me."

So Ali Cogia disappeared for an instant, and then
pretended to lay a vase at the feet of the Cadi,
declaring it was his vase, which he had given to
the accused for safe custody; and in order to be
quite correct, the Cadi asked the merchant if he
recognised it as the same vase.  By his silence
the merchant admitted the fact, and the Cadi then
commanded to have the vase opened.  Ali Cogia made
a movement as if he was taking off the lid, and
the little Cadi on his part made a pretence of
peering into a vase.

"What beautiful olives!" he said, "I should like
to taste one," and pretending to put one in his
mouth, he added, "they are really excellent!

"But," he went on, "it seems to me odd that olives
seven years old should be as good as that!  Send
for some dealers in olives, and let us hear what
they say!"

Two children were presented to him as olive
merchants, and the Cadi addressed them.  "Tell
me," he said, "how long can olives be kept so as
to be pleasant eating?"

"My lord," replied the merchants, "however much
care is taken to preserve them, they never last
beyond the third year.  They lose both taste and
colour, and are only fit to be thrown away."

"If that is so," answered the little Cadi,
"examine this vase, and tell me how long the
olives have been in it."

The olive merchants pretended to examine the
olives and taste them; then reported to the Cadi
that they were fresh and good.

"You are mistaken," said he, "Ali Cogia declares
he put them in that vase seven years ago."

"My lord," returned the olive merchants, "we can
assure you that the olives are those of the
present year.  And if you consult all the
merchants in Bagdad you will not find one to give
a contrary opinion."

The accused merchant opened his mouth as if to
protest, but the Cadi gave him no time.  "Be
silent," he said, "you are a thief.  Take him away
and hang him." So the game ended, the children
clapping their hands in applause, and leading the
criminal away to be hanged.

Haroun-al-Raschid was lost in astonishment at the
wisdom of the child, who had given so wise a
verdict on the case which he himself was to hear
on the morrow.  "Is there any other verdict
possible?" he asked the grand-vizir, who was as
much impressed as himself.  "I can imagine no
better judgment."

"If the circumstances are really such as we have
heard," replied the grand-vizir, "it seems to me
your Highness could only follow the example of
this boy, in the method of reasoning, and also in
your conclusions."

"Then take careful note of this house," said the
Caliph, "and bring me the boy to-morrow, so that
the affair may be tried by him in my presence.
Summon also the Cadi, to learn his duty from the
mouth of a child.  Bid Ali Cogia bring his vase of
olives, and see that two dealers in olives are
present." So saying the Caliph returned to the
palace.

The next morning early, the grand-vizir went back
to the house where they had seen the children
playing, and asked for the mistress and her
children.  Three boys appeared, and the
grand-vizir inquired which had represented the
Cadi in their game of the previous evening.  The
eldest and tallest, changing colour, confessed
that it was he, and to his mother's great alarm,
the grand-vizir said that he had strict orders to
bring him into the presence of the Caliph.

"Does he want to take my son from me?" cried the
poor woman; but the grand-vizir hastened to calm
her, by assuring her that she should have the boy
again in an hour, and she would be quite satisfied
when she knew the reason of the summons.  So she
dressed the boy in his best clothes, and the two
left the house.

When the grand-vizir presented the child to the
Caliph, he was a little awed and confused, and the
Caliph proceeded to explain why he had sent for
him.  "Approach, my son," he said kindly.  "I
think it was you who judged the case of Ali Cogia
and the merchant last night?  I overheard you by
chance, and was very pleased with the way you
conducted it.  To-day you will see the real Ali
Cogia and the real merchant.  Seat yourself at
once next to me."

The Caliph being seated on his throne with the boy
next him, the parties to the suit were ushered in.
One by one they prostrated themselves, and touched
the carpet at the foot of the throne with their
foreheads.  When they rose up, the Caliph said:
"Now speak.  This child will give you justice, and
if more should be wanted I will see to it myself."

Ali Cogia and the merchant pleaded one after the
other, but when the merchant offered to swear the
same oath that he had taken before the Cadi, he
was stopped by the child, who said that before
this was done he must first see the vase of
olives.

At these words, Ali Cogia presented the vase to
the Caliph, and uncovered it.  The Caliph took one
of the olives, tasted it, and ordered the expert
merchants to do the same.  They pronounced the
olives good, and fresh that year.  The boy
informed them that Ali Cogia declared it was seven
years since he had placed them in the vase; to
which they returned the same answer as the
children had done.

The accused merchant saw by this time that his
condemnation was certain, and tried to allege
something in his defence.  The boy had too much
sense to order him to be hanged, and looked at the
Caliph, saying, "Commander of the Faithful, this
is not a game now; it is for your Highness to
condemn him to death and not for me."

Then the Caliph, convinced that the man was a
thief, bade them take him away and hang him, which
was done, but not before he had confessed his
guilt and the place in which he had hidden Ali
Cogia's money.  The Caliph ordered the Cadi to
learn how to deal out justice from the mouth of a
child, and sent the boy home, with a purse
containing a hundred pieces of gold as a mark of
his favour.