The end of the Six Hundred and Thirty-ninth Night.
Then by the command of King Shahryar Queen Shahrazad began to tell in
these words the story of
_ALI KHWAJAH AND THE MERCHANT OF BAGHDAD_.
Under the reign of the Caliph Harun al-Rashid there dwelt in the city of
Baghdad a certain merchant, ’Alí Khwájah hight, who had a small stock of
goods wherewith he bought and sold and made a bare livelihood, abiding
alone and without a family in the house of his forbears. Now so it came
to pass that each night for three nights together he saw in vision a
venerable Shaykh who bespake him thus, “Thou art beholden to make a
pilgrimage to Meccah; why abidest thou sunk in heedless slumber and
farest not forth as it behoveth thee?”[56] Hearing these words he became
sore startled and affrighted, so that he sold shop and goods and all
that he had; and, with firm intent to visit the Holy House of Almighty
Allah, he let his home on hire and joined a caravan that was journeying
to Meccah the Magnified. But ere he left his natal city he placed a
thousand gold pieces, which were over and above his need for the
journey, within an earthen jar filled up with Asáfírí[57] or Sparrow
olives; and, having made fast the mouth thereof, he carried the jar to a
merchant-friend of many years standing and said, “Belike, O my brother,
thou hast heard tell that I purpose going with a caravan on pilgrimage
to Meccah, the Holy City; so I have brought a jar of olives the which, I
pray thee, preserve for me in trust against my return.” The merchant at
once arose and handing the key of his warehouse to Ali Khwajah said,
“Here, take the key and open the store and therein place the jar
anywhere thou choosest, and when thou shalt come back thou wilt find it
even as thou leftest it.” Hereupon Ali Khwajah did his friend’s bidding
and locking up the door returned the key to its master. Then loading his
travelling goods upon a dromedary and mounting a second beast he fared
forth with the caravan. They came at length to Meccah the Magnified, and
it was the month Zú al-Hijjah wherein myriads of Moslems hie thither on
pilgrimage and pray and prostrate before the Ka’abah-temple. And when he
had circuited the Holy House and fulfilled all the rites and ceremonies
required of palmers, he set up a shop for sale of merchandise.[58] By
chance two merchants passing along that street espied the fine stuffs
and goods in Ali Khwajah’s booth and approved much of them and praised
their beauty and excellence. Presently quoth one to other, “This man
bringeth here most rare and costly goods: now in Cairo, the capital of
Egypt-land would he get full value for them, and far more than in the
markets of this city.” Hearing mention of Cairo, Ali Khwajah conceived a
sore longing to visit that famous capital, so he gave up his intent of
return Baghdad-wards and purposed wayfaring to Egypt. Accordingly he
joined a caravan and arriving thither was well pleased with the place,
both country and city; and selling his merchandise he made great gain
therefrom. Then buying other goods and stuffs he purposed to make
Damascus; but for one full month he tarried at Cairo and visited her
sanctuaries and saintly places and after leaving her walls he solaced
himself with seeing many famous cities distant several days’ journey
from the capital along the banks of the River Nilus. Presently, bidding
adieu to Egypt he arrived at the Sanctified House,[59] Jerusalem and
prayed in the Temple of the Banu Isra’íl which the Moslems had
re-edified. In due time he reached Damascus and observed that the city
was well builded and much peopled, and that the fields and meads were
well-watered with springs and channels and that the gardens and vergiers
were laden with flowers and fruits. Amid such delights Ali Khwajah
hardly thought of Baghdad; withal he ceased not to pursue his journey
through Aleppo, Mosul and Shiráz, tarrying some time at all of these
towns, especially at Shiráz, till at length after seven years of
wayfaring he came back to Baghdad.——And as the morn began to dawn
Shahrazad held her peace till
The end of the Six Hundred and Fortieth Night.
Then said she:——It behoveth thee now, O auspicious King, to hear of the
Baghdad merchant and his lack of probity. For seven long years he never
once thought of Ali Khwajah or of the trust committed to his charge;
till one day as his wife sat at meat with him at the evening meal, their
talk by chance was of olives. Quoth she to him, “I would now fain have
some that I may eat of them;” and quoth he, “As thou speakest thereof I
bethink me of that Ali Khwajah who seven years ago fared on a pilgrimage
to Meccah, and ere he went left in trust with me a jar of Sparrowolives
which still cumbereth the store-house. Who knoweth where he is or what
hath betided him? A man who lately returned with the Hajj-caravan
brought me word that Ali Khwajah had quitted Meccah the Magnified with
intent to journey on to Egypt. Allah Almighty alone knoweth an he be
still alive or he be now dead; however, if his olives be in good
condition I will go bring some hither that we may taste them: so give me
a platter and a lamp that I may fetch thee somewhat of them.” His wife,
an honest woman and an upright, made answer, “Allah forbid that thou
shouldst do a deed so base and break thy word and covenant. Who can
tell? Thou art not assured by any of his death; perchance he may come
back from Egypt safe and sound to-morrow or the day after; then wilt
thou, an thou cannot deliver unharmed to him what he hath left in
pledge, be ashamed of this thy broken troth and we shall be disgraced
before man and dishonoured in the presence of thy friend. I will not for
my part have any hand in such meanness nor will I taste the olives;
furthermore, it standeth not to reason that after seven years’ keeping
they should be fit to eat. I do implore thee to forswear this ill
purpose.” On such wise the merchant’s wife protested and prayed her
husband that he meddle not with Ali Khwajah’s olives, and shamed him of
his intent so that for the nonce he cast the matter from his mind.
However, although the trader refrained that evening from taking Ali
Khwajah’s olives, yet he kept the design in memory until one day when,
of his obstinacy and unfaith, he resolved to carry out his project; and
rising up walked towards the store-room dish in hand. By chance he met
his wife who said, “I am no partner with thee in this ill-action: in
very truth some evil shall befal thee an thou do such deed.” He heard
her but heeded her not; and, going to the store-room opened the jar and
found the olives spoiled and white with mould; but presently he tilted
up the jar and pouring some of its contents into the dish, suddenly saw
an Ashrafi fall from the vessel together with the fruit. Then, filled
with greed, he turned out all that was within into another jar and
wondered with exceeding wonder to find the lower half full of golden
coins. Presently, putting up the moneys and the olives he closed the
vessel and going back said to his wife, “Thou spakest sooth, for I have
examined the jar and have found the fruit mouldy and foul of smell;
wherefore I returned it to its place and left it as it was aforetime.”
That night the merchant could not sleep a wink for thinking of the gold
and how he might lay hands thereon; and when morning morrowed he took
out all the Ashrafis and buying some fresh olives in the Bazar filled up
the jar with them and closed the mouth and set it in its usual place.
Now it came to pass by Allah’s mercy that at the end of the month Ali
Khwajah returned safe and sound to Baghdad; and he first went to his old
friend, to wit, the merchant who, greeting him with feigned joy, fell on
his neck, but withal was sore troubled and perplexed at what might
happen. After salutations and much rejoicing on either part Ali Khwajah
bespake the merchant on business and begged that he might take back his
jar of Asafiri-olives which he had placed in charge of his familiar.
Quoth the merchant to Ali Khwajah, “O my friend, I wot not where thou
didst leave thy jar of olives; but here is the key, go down to the
store-house and take all that is thine own.” So Ali Khwajah did as he
was bidden and carrying the jar from the magazine took his leave and
hastened home; but, when he opened the vessel and found not the gold
coins, he was distracted and overwhelmed with grief and made bitter
lamentation. Then he returned to the merchant and said, “O my friend,
Allah, the All-present and the All-seeing, be my witness that, when I
went on my pilgrimage to Meccah the Magnified, I left a thousand
Ashrafis in that jar, and now I find them not. Canst thou tell me aught
concerning them? An thou in thy sore need have made use of them, it
mattereth not so thou wilt give them back as soon as thou art able.” The
merchant, apparently pitying him, said, “O good my friend, thou didst
thyself with thine hand set the jar inside the store-room. I wist not
that thou hadst aught in it save olives; yet as thou didst leave it, so
in like manner didst thou find it and carry it away; and now thou
chargest me with theft of Ashrafis. It seemeth strange and passing
strange that thou shouldst make such accusation. When thou wentest thou
madest no mention of any money in the jar, but saidst that it was full
of olives, even as thou hast found it. Hadst thou left gold coins
therein, then surely thou wouldst have recovered them.” Hereupon Ali
Khwajah begged hard with much entreaty, saying, “Those thousand Ashrafis
were all I owned, the money earned by years of toil: I do beseech thee
have pity on my case and give them back to me.” Replied the merchant,
waxing wroth with great wrath, “O my friend, a fine fellow thou art to
talk of honesty and withal make such false and lying charge. Begone: hie
thee hence and come not to my house again; for now I know thee as thou
art, a swindler and impostor.” Hearing this dispute between Ali Khwajah
and the merchant all the people of the quarter came crowding to the
shop.——And as the morn began to dawn Shahrazad held her peace till
The end of the Six Hundred and Forty-first Night,
Then said she:——I have heard, O auspicious King, that the multitude
which thronged about the merchant’s shop warmly took up the matter; and
thus it became well known to all, rich and poor, within the city of
Baghdad how that one Ali Khwajah had hidden a thousand Ashrafis within a
jar of olives and had placed it on trust with a certain merchant;
moreover how, after pilgrim-ageing to Meccah and seven years of travel
the poor man had returned, and that the rich man had gainsaid his words
anent the gold and was ready to make oath that he had not received any
trust of the kind. At length, when naught else availed, Ali Khwajah was
constrained to bring the matter before the Kazi, and to claim one
thousand Ashrafis of his false friend. The Judge asked, “What witnesses
hast thou who may speak for thee?” and the plaintiff answered, “O my
lord the Kazi, I feared to tell the matter to any man lest all come to
know of my secret. Allah Almighty is my sole testimony. This merchant
was my friend and I recked not that he would prove dishonest and
unfaithful.” Quoth the Judge, “Then must I needs send for the merchant
and hear what he saith on oath;” and when the defendant came they made
him swear by all he deemed holy, facing Ka’abah-wards with hands
uplifted, and he cried, “I swear that I know naught of any Ashrafis
belonging to Ali Khwajah.”[60] Hereat the Kazi pronounced him innocent
and dismissed him from court; and Ali Khwajah went home sad at heart and
said to himself, “Alas, what justice is this which hath been meted out
to me, that I should lose my money, and my just cause be deemed unjust!
It hath been truly said:—He loseth the lave who sueth before a knave.”
On the next day he drew out a statement of his case; and, as the Caliph
Harun al-Rashid was on his way to Friday-prayers, he fell down on the
ground before him and presented to him the paper. The Commander of the
Faithful read the petition and having understood the case deigned give
order saying, “To-morrow bring the accuser and the accused to the
audience-hall and place the petition before my presence, for I myself
will enquire into this matter.” That night the Prince of True Believers,
as was his wont, donned disguise to walk about the squares of Baghdad
and its streets and lanes and, accompanied by Ja’afar the Barmaki and
Masrúr the Sworder of his vengeance, proceeded to espy what happened in
the city. Immediately on issuing forth he came upon an open place in the
Bazar when he heard the hubbub of children a-playing and saw at scanty
distance some ten or dozen boys making sport amongst themselves in the
moonlight; and he stopped awhile to watch their diversion. Then one
amongst the lads, a goodly and a fair-complexioned, said to the others,
“Come now and let us play the game of Kazi: I will be the Judge; let one
of you be Ali Khwajah, and another the merchant with whom he placed the
thousand Ashrafis in pledge before faring on his pilgrimage: so come ye
before me and let each one plead his plea.” When the Caliph heard the
name of Ali Khwajah he minded him of the petition which had been
presented to him for justice against the merchant, and bethought him
that he would wait and see how the boy would perform the part of Kazi in
their game and upon what decision he would decide. So the Prince watched
the mock-trial with keen interest saying to himself, “This case hath
verily made such stir within the city that even the children know
thereof and re-act it in their sports.” Presently, he amongst the lads
who took the part of Ali Khwajah the plaintiff and his playmate who
represented the merchant of Baghdad accused of theft, advanced and stood
before the boy who as the Kazi sat in pomp and dignity. Quoth the Judge,
“O Ali Khwajah, what is thy claim against this merchant?” and the
complainant preferred his charge in a plea of full detail. Then said the
Kazi to the boy who acted merchant, “What answerest thou to this
complaint and why didst thou not return the gold pieces?” The accused
made reply even as the real defendant had done and denied the charge
before the Judge, professing himself ready to take oath thereto. Then
said the boy-Kazi, “Ere thou swear on oath that thou hast not taken the
money, I would fain see for myself the jar of olives which the plaintiff
deposited with thee on trust.” Then turning to the boy who represented
Ali Khwajah he cried, “Go thou and instantly produce the jar that I may
inspect it.” And when the vessel was brought the Kazi said to the two
contentious, “See now and say me: be this the very jar which thou, the
plaintiff, leftest with the defendant?” and both answered that it was
one and the same. Then said the self-constituted Judge, “Open now the
jar and bring hither some of the contents that I may see the state in
which the Asafiri-olives actually are.” Then tasting of the fruit, “How
is this? I find their flavour is fresh and their state excellent. Surely
during the lapse of seven twelvemonths the olives would have become
mouldy and rotten. Bring now before me two oil-merchants of the town
that they may pass opinion upon them.” Then two other of the boys
assumed the parts commanded and coming into court stood before the Kazi,
who asked, “Are ye olive-merchants by trade?” They answered, “We are and
this hath been our calling for many generations and in buying and
selling olives we earn our daily bread.” Then said the Kazi, “Tell me
now, how long do olives keep fresh and well-flavoured?” and said they,
“O my lord, however carefully we keep them, after the third year they
change flavour and colour and become no longer fit for food, in fact
they are good only to be cast away.” Thereupon quoth the boy-Kazi,
“Examine me now these olives that are in this jar and say me how old are
they and what is their condition and savour.”——And as the morn began to
dawn Shahrazad held her peace till
The end of the Six Hundred and Forty-second Night.
Then said she:——I have heard, O auspicious King, that the two boys who
played the parts of oil-merchants pretended to take some berries from
the jar and taste them and presently they said, “O our lord the Kazi,
these olives are in fair condition and full-flavoured.” Quoth the Kazi,
“Ye speak falsely, for ’tis seven years since Ali Khwajah put them in
the jar as he was about to go a-pilgrimageing;” and quoth they, “Say
whatso thou wilt, those olives are of this year’s growth, and there is
not an oil-merchant in all Baghdad but who will agree with us.” Moreover
the accused was made to taste and smell the fruits and he could not but
admit that it was even so as they had avouched. Then said the boy-Kazi
to the boy-defendant, “’Tis clear thou art a rogue and a rascal, and
thou hast done a deed wherefor thou richly deservest the gibbet.”
Hearing this the children frisked about and clapped their hands with
glee and gladness, then seizing hold of him who acted as the merchant of
Baghdad, they led him off as to execution. The Commander of the
Faithful, Harun al-Rashid, was greatly pleased at this acuteness of the
boy who had assumed the part of judge in the play, and commanded his
Wazir Ja’afar saying, “Mark well the lad who enacted the Kazi in this
mock-trial and see that thou produce him on the morrow: he shall try the
case in my presence substantially and in real earnest, even as we have
heard him deal with it in play. Summon also the Kazi of this city that
he may learn the administration of justice from this child. Moreover
send word to Ali Khwajah bidding him bring with him the jar of olives,
and have also in readiness two oil-merchants of the town.” Thus as they
walked along the Caliph gave orders to the Wazir and then returned to
his palace. So on the morrow Ja’afar the Barmaki went to that quarter of
the town where the children had enacted the mock-trial and asked the
schoolmaster where his scholars might be, and he answered, “They have
all gone away, each to his home.” So the Minister visited the houses
pointed out to him and ordered the little ones to appear in his
presence. Accordingly they were brought before him, when he said to
them, “Who amongst you is he that yesternight acted the part of Kazi in
play and passed sentence in the case of Ali Khwajah?” The eldest of them
replied, “’Twas I, O my lord the Wazir;” and then he waxed pale, not
knowing why the question was put. Cried the Minister, “Come along with
me; the Commander of the Faithful hath need of thee.” At this the mother
of the lad was sore afraid and wept; but Ja’afar comforted her and said,
“O my lady, have no fear and trouble not thyself. Thy son will soon
return to thee in safety, Inshallah—God willing—and methinks the Sultan
will show much favour unto him.” The woman’s heart was heartened on
hearing these words of the Wazir and she joyfully dressed her boy in his
best attire and sent him off with the Wazir, who led him by the hand to
the Caliph’s audience-hall and executed all the other commandments which
had been issued by his liege lord. Then the Commander of the Faithful,
having taken seat upon the throne of justice, set the boy upon a seat
beside him, and as soon as the contending parties appeared before him,
that is Ali Khwajah and the merchant of Baghdad, he commanded them to
state each man his case in presence of the child who should adjudge the
suit. So the two, plaintiff and defendant recounted their contention
before the boy in full detail; and when the accused stoutly denied the
charge and was about to swear on oath that what he said was true, with
hands uplifted and facing Ka’abah-wards, the child-Kazi prevented him,
saying, “Enough! swear not on oath till thou art bidden; and first let
the jar of olives be produced in Court.” Forthwith the jar was brought
forward and placed before him; and the lad bade open it; then, tasting
one he gave also to two oil-merchants who had been summoned, that they
might do likewise and declare how old was the fruit and whether its
savour was good or bad. They did his bidding and said, “The flavour of
these olives hath not changed and they are of this year’s growth.” Then
said the boy, “Methinks ye are mistaken, for seven years ago Ali Khwajah
put the olives into the jar: how then could fruit of this year find
their way therein?” But they replied, “’Tis even as we say: an thou
believe not our words send straightway for other oil-merchants and make
enquiry of them, so shalt thou know if we speak sooth or lies.” But when
the merchant of Baghdad saw that he could no longer avail to prove his
innocence, he confessed everything; to wit, how he had taken out the
Ashrafis and filled the jar with fresh olives. Hearing this the boy said
to the Prince of True Believers, “O gracious Sovereign, last night in
play we tried this cause, but thou alone hast power to apply the
penalty. I have adjudged the matter in thy presence and I humbly pray
that thou punish this merchant according to the law of the Koran and the
custom of the Apostle; and thou decree the restoring of his thousand
gold pieces to Ali Khwajah, for that he hath been proved entitled to
them.”——And as the morn began to dawn Shahrazad held her peace till
The end of the Six Hundred and Forty-third Night.
Then said she:——I have heard, O auspicious King, that the Caliph ordered
the merchant of Baghdad to be taken away and be hanged, after he should
have made known where he had put the thousand Ashrafis and that these
should have been restored to their rightful owner, Ali Khwajah. He also
turned to the Kazi who had hastily adjudged the case, and bade him learn
from that lad to do his duty more sedulously and conscientiously.
Moreover the Prince of True Believers embraced the boy, and ordered that
the Wazir give him a thousand pieces of gold from the royal treasury and
conduct him safely to his home and parents.[61] And after, when the lad
grew to man’s estate, the Commander of the Faithful made him one of his
cup-companions and furthered his fortunes and ever entreated him with
the highmost honour. But when Queen Shahrazad had ended the story of Ali
Khwajah and the merchant of Baghdad she said, “Now, O auspicious King, I
would relate a more excellent history than any, shouldst thou be pleased
to hear that I have to say;” and King Shahryar replied, “By Allah! what
an admirable tale is this thou hast told: my ears do long to hear
another as rare and commendable.” So Shahrazad began forthright to
recount the adventures of[62]