The Caliph
Haroun Al Raschid
Arabian Nights (Sterrett)/The Caliph Haroun al Raschid
The Caliph Haroun al Raschid was accustomed to visit the city of Bagdad in disguise, that he might see into the condition of the people, and hear their reports of his court and government. On one such occasion, he and his grand vizier Giafar disguised themselves as foreign merchants, and went their way through the different parts of the city. As they entered on a bridge which connected together the two parts of the city of Bagdad, divided by the river Euphrates, they met an old blind man, who asked alms. The caliph put a piece of gold into his hand, on which the blind man caught hold of his hand, and stopped him, saying, “Sir, pray forgive me; I desire you would either give me a box on the ear, or take your alms back again, for I cannot receive it but on that condition, without breaking a solemn oath which I have sworn to God;
The Adventures of the Caliph Haroun
al Raschid
and if you knew the reason, you would agree with me that the punishment is very slight.”
The caliph, unwilling to be detained any longer, yielded to the importunity of the blind man, and gave him a very slight blow; whereupon the beggar thanked and blessed him.
The next day, the caliph called the grand vizier. “I must see that unfortunate beggar,” said he. “Go and tell him to come to my palace.”
When afternoon prayers were over the blind man accordingly prostrated himself before the throne, and when he rose up, the caliph asked him his name. He answered that it was Baba Abdalla.
“Baba Abdalla,” explained the caliph, “I ordered you to come hither, to know from yourself why you made the indiscreet oath of which you told me. Tell me freely, for I will know the truth.”
Baba Abdalla cast himself a second time at the foot of the caliph’s throne, with his face to the ground, and when he rose up said, “Commander of the Faithful, I must humbly ask your pardon for my presumption in requiring you to box my ear. As to the extravagance of my action, I own that it must seem strange; it is however a slight penance for an enormous crime of which I have been guilty, and for which, if all the people in the world were each to give me a box on the ear, it would not be a sufficient atonement.”
Commander of the Faithful, continued Baba Abdalla, I was born at Bagdad. My father and mother died while I was yet a youth, and I inherited from them an ample estate. Although young, I neglected no opportunity to increase it by my industry. I soon became rich enough to purchase fourscore camels, which I let out to merchants, who hired them, at a considerable profit to me, to carry their merchandise from one country to another.
As I was returning one day with my unloaded camels from Bussorah, whither I had carried some bales that were to be embarked for the Indies, I met a dervish, who was walking to Bussorah. I asked him whence he came and where he was going; he put the same questions to me; and when we had satisfied each other’s curiosity, we produced our provisions and ate together.
During our repast, the dervish told me of a spot not far from where we sat, in which such immense riches were collected that if all my fourscore camels were loaded with the gold and jewels that might be taken from it, they would not be missed.
I was overjoyed at this intelligence.
“You say,” continued the dervish, “that you have fourscore camels. I am ready to conduct you to the place where the treasure lies, and we will load them with as much jewels and gold as they can carry, on condition that when they are so loaded, you will let me have one-half, and you be contented with the other; after which we will separate, and take our camels where we may think fit. There is nothing but what is strictly equitable in this division; for if you give me forty camels, you will procure by my means wherewithal to purchase thousands.”
I assented to his proposal, at once collected all my camels, and set out with the dervish. After we had traveled some time, we came to a pass, so narrow that two camels could not go abreast. The two mountains which bounded this valley were so high and steep that there was no fear of our being seen by anybody.
When we came into the valley between these two mountains, the dervish bade me stop the camels. He proceeded to gather some sticks and light a fire: he then cast some incense into it, pronouncing certain words which I did not understand and presently a thick cloud arose. This soon dispersed, when the rock worming the side of the valley opened, and exposed to view a magnificent palace in the hollow of the mountain.
So eager was I for the treasures which displayed themselves to my view, that, like an eagle seizing her prey, I fell upon the first heap of golden coin that was near me. My sacks were all large, and I would have filled them all, but I was obliged to proportion my burden to the strength of my camels. The dervish paid more attention to the jewels than the gold, and I soon followed his example, so that we took away more jewels than gold. After we had filled our sacks, and loaded our camels, the dervish used the same incantations to shut the treasury as he had done to open it, when the doors closed, and the rock seemed as solid and entire as it was before. I observed, however, that the dervish, before he went away, took a small bottle out of the cave and put it into his breast, first showing me that it contained only a glutinous sort of ointment.
We now divided our camels. I put myself at the head of the forty which I had reserved for myself, and the dervish placed himself at the head of those which I had given him. We came out of the valley by the way we had entered, and traveled together till we came to the great road, where we were to part; the dervish to go to Bussorah, and I to Bagdad. To thank him for so great a kindness, I made use of the most expressive terms, testifying my gratitude for the preference he had given me before all other men in letting me have a share of such riches. We embraced each other with joy and taking our leave pursued our different routes.
I had not gone far, following my camels, which paced quietly on in the track I had put them into, before the demon of ingratitude and envy took possession of my heart, and I deplored not only the loss of my other forty, but the riches wherewith they were loaded. “The dervish,” said I to myself, “has no occasion for all this wealth, since he is master of the treasure, and may have as much as he pleases;” so I determined immediately to take the camels with their loading from him.
To execute this design I ran after the dervish, calling to him to stop, which he accordingly did.
When I came up to him, I said, “Brother, I had no sooner parted from you, but a thought came into my head, which neither of us had reflected on before. You are a recluse dervish, used to live in tranquillity, disengaged from all the cares of the world, and intent only upon serving God. You know not, perhaps, what trouble you have taken upon yourself to take care of so many camels. If you would take my advice you would keep but thirty; you will find them sufficiently troublesome to manage. Take my word; I have had experience.”
“I believe you are right,” replied the dervish; “choose which ten you please, and take them, and go on in God’s keeping.”
I chose ten and put them in the road to follow my others. I had not imagined that the dervish would be so easily persuaded to part with his camels and I began to think that it would be no hard matter to get ten more: wherefore, instead of thanking him, I said to him again, “Brother, I cannot part from you without desiring you to consider once more how difficult a thing it is to govern thirty loaded camels, especially for you who are not used to such work; you will find it much better to return me as many more as you have done already.”
The dervish gave me, without any hesitation, the other ten camels; so that he had but twenty left, and I was master of sixty, and might boast of greater riches than any sovereign prince. Any one would have thought I would now be content, but the more we have, the more we want; and I became yet more greedy and desirous of the other twenty camels.
I redoubled my solicitations and importunities to make the dervish grant me ten of the twenty, which he did with a good grace: and as to the other ten he had left, I embraced him, kissed his feet, caressed and entreated him, so that he gave me these also. “Make a good use of them, brother,” said the dervish, “and remember that God can take away riches as well as give them.”
I was not yet content, though I had my forty camels again, and knew they were loaded with treasure. A thought came into my head, that the little box of ointment which the dervish
Presently a thick cloud arose
showed me contained something of inestimable value, and I determined to obtain it. I had bade him adieu, when I again returned, and said, “That little box of ointment seems such a trifle, it is not worth your carrying away. I entreat you to make me a present of it. What occasion has a dervish, who has renounced the vanities of the world, for perfumes, or scented unguents?”
The dervish pulled it out of his bosom, and presenting it to me, said, “Here, take it, brother, and be content; if I can do more for you, you need but to ask me—I shall be ready to satisfy you.”
When I had the box in my hand, I opened it, and looking at the unguent, said, “Since you are so good, I am sure you will not refuse to tell me the use of this ointment.”
“The use is very surprising and wonderful,” replied the dervish. “If you apply a little of it upon the lid of the left eye, you will see all the treasures contained in the bosom of the earth; but if you apply it to the right eyelid, it will make you blind.”
“Take the box,” said I to the dervish, “and apply some to my left eyelid; you understand how to do it better than I.” The dervish had no sooner done so, than I saw immense treasures and such prodigious riches, that it is impossible for me to give an account of them; but as I was obliged to keep my right eye shut, I desired the dervish to apply some of the pomatum to that eye.
“I am ready to do it,” said the dervish; “but you must remember what I told you, that if you put any of it upon your right eye, you will go blind; such is the virtue of the ointment.”
Far from being persuaded of the truth of what the dervish said, I imagined, on the contrary, that there was some new mystery, which he meant to hide from me. “Brother,” replied I, smiling, “I see plainly you wish to mislead me; it is not natural that this ointment should have two such contrary effects.”
“The matter is as I tell you,” replied the dervish. “You ought to believe me, for I tell the truth.”
The dervish made all the resistance possible; but seeing that I would take no refusal, he took a little of the ointment, and applied it to my right eyelid. Alas! I ceased at once to distinguish anything with either eye, and became blind as you see me now.
“Ah, dervish!” I exclaimed, in agony, “what you forewarned has proved true. I am now sensible what a misfortune I have brought upon myself by my insatiable desire of riches; but you, dear brother,” cried I, addressing myself to the dervish, “who are so charitable and good, among the many wonderful secrets you are acquainted with, have you not one to restore to me my sight again?”
“Miserable man!” answered the dervish, “you might have avoided this misfortune, but you have your deserts. The blindness of your mind was the cause of the loss of your eyes. I have no power to restore to you your sight. Pray to God, therefore; it is he alone that can restore it to you. He gave you riches, of which you were unworthy; and on that account He takes them from you again, and will by my hands give them to a man not so ungrateful as yourself.”
The dervish said no more, but left me to myself, overwhelmed with confusion and grief. He then collected my camels, and drove them away to Bussorah.
I cried out loudly as he was departing, and entreated him not to leave me in that miserable condition, but to conduct me at least to the first caravanserai; but he was deaf to entreaties. Thus deprived of sight and of all I had in the world, I should have died with affliction and hunger, if the next day a caravan returning from Bussorah had not received me charitably, and brought me back to Bagdad.
I was thus reduced, without remedy, from a condition of great wealth to a state of poverty. I had no other way to subsist but by asking charity, which I have done till now. But to expiate my offense against God, I enjoined on myself, by way of penance, a box on the ear from every charitable person who should commiserate my condition and give me alms.
This, Commander of the Faithful, is the motive which caused me to make so strange a request to you. I ask your pardon once more as your slave, and submit to receive the chastisement I deserve.
“Baba Abdalla,” the caliph said, “your sin has been great; but, God be praised, your self-inflicted penance proves your sorrow. That you may forego your daily asking of alms, I give you henceforth four silver dirhems a day, which my grand vizier shall present to you daily with the penance you have imposed on yourself.”
At these words, Baba Abdalla prostrated himself before the caliph’s throne, returned him thanks, and wished him all happiness and prosperity.
“But I see that dawn has come,” Scheherazade concluded. “There is, however, a tale of forty thieves which has been considered by some to be fully as entertaining as any of the stories I have yet related.”
“I should not like to miss that story,” answered the sultan, “and therefore, at the same time to-morrow you may continue.” With these words he departed. Scheherazade, going later to see her father, told him to be of good heart, for he could see that it was not unlikely that she would win in her plan to make the sultan forego his unhappy resolution. The next night she began the story as follows:
