of Kings, I will take one of these caskets to remind me of the day when
my eyes were permitted to behold the Light of Asia."
He stooped and took the iron casket.
The Shah started. "Stranger," he said, "your modesty has met with its
own reward. You have chosen the most valuable casket, for, look! the
others are empty; but this one contains two jewels which possess the
magic gift of bestowing undreamed-of power to their owner." He raised
the lid and showed the wondering Kalif the two stones. "This one,"
he said, "is a lapis lazuli. Whosoever winds it in the folds of his
turban, to him everything is known that has happened since the world
began, and no secret can be hidden from him. But this stone," and he
took a diamond the size of a dove's egg from the casket, "this stone
brings all the riches he can think of to its owner. He has but to rub
the stone and repeat his wish aloud." He replaced the stones in the
casket, closed the lid, and handed it to the merchant, who thanked the
Shah, hid the treasure in his robes, and hastened to rejoin his caravan.
Once more in his own house he often looked at the princely gift, and
one day as he was rubbing the lid he noticed an inscription upon it
that had hitherto been unseen. It ran:--
'Tis Allah's will that to him who cherishes
The precious gift that never perishes,
The East shall erstwhile all bow down,
So far the date on palm is grown.
[Illustration: "THE ELDEST SON PROPOSED THAT THEY SHOULD DRAW LOTS."]
He never spoke of his adventure in the Kalaat Mountains, neither could
he ever make up his mind to test the virtue of the stones, being a
frugal man on the one hand, and unwilling to surpass his neighbours
in wisdom on the other. But at length the news of the Shah's rescue
by the merchant reached even Bagdad, together with the account of the
Royal reward, and people jostled one another to call on the merchant
and see with their own eyes the wonderful casket. In consequence Kalif
had more customers in one day than he generally had in ten years, and
his daily receipts testified to the worth of the casket. For many years
he enjoyed the reward of his bravery, and at his death Ali Haitam, the
eldest son, proposed that they should draw lots for the magic stones.
He had great ideas of his own cleverness, and hoped from the bottom of
his heart to win the lapis lazuli. Ali Hassuf, the second son, whose
sole failing was insatiable greed, was quite agreeable. (In secret he
was revolving in his own mind how to obtain the diamond in case it
fell into the hands of the youngest son.) But just as they were about
to draw, Abdul Kassim, the youngest son, said: "Dear brothers, we are
three, and there are but two stones. It would be better, therefore,
for one to renounce his claim in order that no dispute may arise in our
hitherto peace-loving family. I am the youngest, and therefore can have
least claim on the stones. Throw to decide which stone shall fall to
each. I resign!"
The other two were delighted, and as it happened each got the stone he
desired.
"But in order that I may have a keepsake of my dear father," continued
Abdul Kassim, "permit me to take home the casket. It will be of no use
to you since you have divided the contents."
Ali Hassuf hesitated at first, but finally agreed to Kassim's wish.
The three brothers left the empty house, and went each to seek his
fortune in his own way.
Ali Haitam bought a piece of muslin, folded it into a turban, sewed the
lapis lazuli inside, and fixed it firmly on his head. Then he went to
the bazaar and waited for an influx of wisdom. And see! The power of
the stone set to work and his mind was filled with knowledge! He knew
the origin of all things, and his eyes could see through walls five
feet thick! He passed the Caliph's palace, and he could see that in
the recesses of the cellars were hidden 9,000 sacks of gold, and that
Fatma, the daughter of the Caliph, was the most lovely maiden in the
East; and an idea occurred to him that dazzled him. "How would it be,"
he thought, "if I placed my wisdom at the Caliph's disposal, became his
first adviser, and finally married the lovely Fatma?" But together with
this dream came the longing to display to an admiring crowd some proofs
of his wisdom.
He hurried back to the bazaar, mounted the highest steps at the gates,
and cried: "You people of Bagdad, who believe that the sun moves round
the earth, you are ignorant fools and sons of fools! Hear now what I
preach to you. The sun stands still, but the earth moves!"
He intended to continue, but the cries of the bystanders interrupted
him.
"Ali Haitam has gone mad," they cried; "listen to the nonsense he is
talking. Come, let us hold him head first under the lion's mouth at the
spring; that will restore him to reason!"
[Illustration: "THE JUICY FRUIT KNOCKED THE TURBAN FROM ALI'S HEAD."]
And one, a fruit dealer, took an orange, and crying, "Ali Haitam is
right, the sun moves just as little as this orange!" flung the orange
at the philosopher on the steps. The juicy fruit knocked the turban
from Ali's head. He stooped to regain it, but in vain. The fruit
dealer's throw was the signal for a general onslaught, so that he was
obliged to take to his heels and fly for home. Dirty and panting he
reached his hut, deeply grieved at the loss of his precious stone,
and furious at the stupidity of the people who showed so little
understanding of the first principles of science.
The second brother started more cautiously. Since he had but seldom
been further than the end of the narrow street, by the Golden Bridge,
he was not in a position to think of anything very precious to wish
for; he therefore first visited the bazaar and asked the price of
everything he saw. At last he found something that, on account of its
high price, made a great impression on him. It was a Turkish sword that
a cunning jeweller had studded thickly with diamonds on handle and
sheath. The dealer asked 1,500 golden coins for it, and the bystanders
stared with open eyes at the man who dared to bargain for such costly
possessions. Just as Ali Hassuf was weighing the precious sword in his
hand, a palanquin was borne through the crowd. He turned, and through
the drawn curtains caught sight of a maiden of wondrous beauty. When he
heard that she was the Caliph's daughter, the desire awoke in his soul
to marry this lovely creature, and it seemed to him not unlikely that
the Caliph would give his daughter to a man of such note as he would
become as the possessor of the magic diamond. He decided to buy the
sword, and, armed with the same, to visit the Caliph the very next day.
"I shall come again the very first thing to-morrow morning," he said
to the dealer. "I have not quite enough money with me now, but I shall
procure it this evening. I had quite expected," he added, boastingly,
"that the sword would be expensive."
[Illustration: "HE OPENED ONE, AND FELT INSIDE."]
He turned and went home, where he saddled the thin ass and hung across
its back two large panniers. When it grew dark he softly drove the
beast through the yard and led it out into the desert. For about an
hour he walked, and in imagination saw himself in possession of all
the glories the talisman would bring him. He never noticed that he was
followed by three dark forms, who had never lost sight of him since his
visit to the bazaar. He halted by a group of stunted palms, spread out
a large cloth, and with trembling fingers began to rub the diamond,
crying at the same time: "Spirit of the Stone! send me at once twenty
shekels of golden coins!" He waited a moment, and listened into the
darkness, thinking he heard whispering voices. But as all was silent he
repeated his wish for the second and third time. He heard a noise as
of the falling of soft, heavy weights, and, on stooping, found twenty
well-filled sacks. He opened one, and felt inside. And, truly! it was
really gold in bright new coins! With feverish haste he slung the sacks
on the ass's back, and turned its head homewards. Suddenly he heard
once more the same mysterious whisperings, this time in his immediate
neighbourhood. He stood still and listened with bated breath. He felt
himself seized by heavy hands and thrown to the ground, and saw another
form seize the ass. Two men with blackened faces tore off his turban
and robe and left him lying half naked by the roadside, after having
warned him to keep quiet as to this attack unless he wished to lose his
life. Trembling with fright and rage, he saw the robbers disappear with
his ass in the direction of the mountains. What pained him most was the
loss of his diamond, which he had concealed in his robe. He reached
home, where he lay hidden for weeks, too ashamed to show himself in
the streets or at the bazaar. But once as he sat on the Golden Bridge
fishing, to try and provide himself with a frugal meal, the weapon
dealer passed him by, and said: "Well, Ali Hassuf, when are you coming
for your sword?"
But sword and Princess were for ever lost to Ali Hassuf.
In the meantime, as the two elder brothers sat mourning their losses,
Abdul Kassim, the youngest, sat at home in his little house by the
gardens, thinking with regret of his father, and wondering what he
should do to earn himself his daily bread. Before him, on a little
stool, stood the iron casket. There came a knock at the door, and
Micha ben Jahzeel, the Jew, who had lent him money a month or two ago,
walked in. Micha looked grave and said: "Abdul Kassim, times are bad,
and ready money gets scarcer and scarcer. You know I lent you ten
golden coins, and I have come to ask"--his eyes fell on the casket and
he started, but collecting himself, went on: "I have come to tell you
that I am not in an immediate hurry for the return of the loan. If you
like you can keep it, or as it is hardly worth mentioning, keep it for
some months, or even years if you like. I only wanted to tell you you
needn't trouble about it, there is no hurry at all." He bowed low to
his debtor and withdrew.
Abdul Kassim marvelled at the change in the Jew's manner, but as he
thought of the looks he had cast at the casket he couldn't help smiling.
On the same evening came his neighbour, the clothes dealer, who had
not visited him for years. "Dear friend," he said, and placed a bundle
on the floor before Kassim, "I have come to entreat your pardon that
my horse should have splashed your robe with mud the other day; he
is a young thing, and is not yet properly broken. I have brought you
a new robe to replace it, which I hope will please you." Then he
withdrew. The young man could not recollect having been splashed by his
neighbour's horse, still less could he account for the generosity of
one who was celebrated for his meanness in presenting him with such an
elaborately embroidered robe.
Next morning, just as he had put on his new robe, a distant relation
arrived, bringing a magnificently caparisoned horse.
"Dear cousin," he said--formerly he had not even noticed him--"your
appearance grieves me. I feared you were giving way too much to grief
at the loss of your father, and it would give me great pleasure to
cheer you a little. I have ventured to bring you this horse, which is
overcrowding my stable; do me the favour to accept this little gift!"
Abdul Kassim would have refused, but the cousin had hurried away. There
he stood holding the beautiful animal by the bridle. He could not
resist the temptation to mount him. He swung himself into the saddle
and rode into the town. Everyone bowed to him, and many stood still,
saying: "There, I told you so! Abdul Kassim was always the favourite
son, and he has inherited the casket!"
Next morning, as the barber sharpened his razor and began to shave
the Caliph, the latter asked him: "Well, Harmos, what are my subjects
talking about just now?"
The barber bowed to the ground and said: "What should they speak of,
oh, King of the Faithful, if not of your goodness and wisdom?"
"Of your idiotcy, son of a she ass," shouted the Caliph, bored by the
eternal flatteries of the barber. "Tell me, what are the people talking
about?"
"They talk," began Harmos, hesitatingly; "they talk of the luck of your
servant, Abdul Kassim, whom they call the wisest and richest of your
subjects."
"Abdul Kassim? I don't even know his name," said the Caliph.
"He is the son and heir of Kalif," continued the barber, more
courageously, "the same Kalif whom the Shah once rewarded with a magic
casket."
He related at length all about the magic stones. The Caliph listened
attentively, dismissed the barber, and sent a message to the Grand
Vizier to come at once. The Vizier came and confirmed the barber's
tale. "Abdul Kassim," he said, "knows everything that goes on in the
world, and whenever he has a wish, all he has to do to fulfil it is to
rub the diamond and say what he wants."
The Caliph grew serious. "Do you think, Vizier, that this man could
usurp my throne? How would it be if I gave him a palace and raised him
to be the husband of my daughter?"
The Grand Vizier agreed to the proposal of his ruler, and undertook
himself to convey to the astounded Abdul Kassim the tidings that the
Commander of the Faithful had given him a palace and awaited his visit.
The same evening the new favourite of the Caliph packed all his few
belongings on the horse's back, took the iron casket under his arm and,
amid the cheers of the crowd, entered the palace.
A troop of negroes received him and threw themselves at his feet.
An especially gorgeously arrayed slave led him into a room, where a
banquet awaited him. Abdul Kassim had never fared so well in his life.
But he did not forget to praise Allah for his goodness. Next morning
he put on his gorgeous robe, bound on the magnificent sword he found
in the great hall, and rode, accompanied by the negroes, to visit the
Caliph.
[Illustration: "'SON OF A SHE ASS', SHOUTED THE CALIPH."]
The Commander of the Faithful sat on the throne and awaited his
subject, who, when he appeared, was about to throw himself in the dust
at the ruler's feet, but the Caliph descended the three steps of the
throne, and took the young man's hand.
"Are you Abdul Kassim," he said, "son of Kalif, the merchant who lived
by the Golden Bridge?"
"I am he, Caliph," answered Abdul; "permit me to express my thanks for
the palace with which you have endowed your most humble servant."
"I have heard much good of you," said the Caliph, when he had ordered
his suite to retire; "and pray you to show me the magic jewels that
help you to such power and wisdom."
"Of which jewels are you speaking?" asked Abdul Kassim, amazed.
"Well," smiled the Caliph, "which jewels should I mean but those you
have inherited from your father?"
The young man stared. So the Caliph, too, took him for the possessor of
the magic stones? Without reserve he confessed that, to avoid disputes,
he had voluntarily retired and left the stones to his brothers.
"But," said the Caliph, "Micha ben Jahzeel, the Jew, saw the casket in
your house!"
"The casket he may have seen," answered Abdul Kassim; "I begged it of
my brothers in memory of my father."
The Caliph seemed still in doubt. He sent a slave to Abdul Kassim's
palace to bring the casket. The messenger brought it, gave it to the
Caliph, and retired. The Caliph opened the lid and looked inside. It
was in truth empty! His gaze fell on the inscription:--
'Tis Allah's will that to him who cherishes
The precious gift that never perishes,
The East shall erstwhile all bow down,
So far the date on palm is grown.
He read the verse and looked at the youth. "Abdul Kassim," he said,
"you have jewels in your heart more precious than all the treasures
of the earth. For love of your brothers you gave up the stones, and
for love of your father you have preserved this seemingly worthless
casket. But Allah has blessed you for your virtues and has, by means
of this humble iron casket, raised you to power and wealth. I dare not
refuse to assist you. I will give you the most priceless gift at my
disposal--the hand of my only daughter."
He called the chief overseer of the harem and bade him lead Fatma to
the throne-room. The maiden had passed the night in weeping, for she
had heard that she was to be given in marriage to a strange man. She
shuddered at the thought, for as only child of the Caliph she had been
thoroughly spoilt, and hated the idea of leaving her father's roof.
Abdul Kassim, who until now had been struck utterly dumb with
astonishment, could not refrain from a cry of admiration at the sight
of the lovely Fatma. She seemed to him a hundred times more beautiful
than any description he had heard of her in Bagdad.
In the midst of her grief Fatma retained her woman's curiosity, and on
hearing the youth's voice, cast one glance at him over her father's
shoulder. The first impression seemed not unfavourable. She eyed his
slender form as he stood leaning on his sword, and gradually ceased her
sobbing. She even raised herself and took hold of the Caliph's arm.
"Father," she said, "do with me what you will; not without cause do the
people call you 'The Wise One.'"
[Illustration: "'FATHER,' SHE SAID, 'DO WITH ME WHAT YOU WILL.'"]
So Fatma was married to Abdul. But neither she nor any other ever knew
that the iron casket connected with her young lord's rise and power
was empty. The Caliph advised his son-in-law to maintain the deepest
silence as to the absence of the magic jewels.
In the fifth year of their wedded life the Caliph, feeling the weight
of advancing years, abdicated in Abdul Kassim's favour, so the verse
on the casket lid was fulfilled, and Abdul Kassim reigned many, many
years over Bagdad, the best and wisest ruler who had ever ascended the
throne. Allah's name be praised!
_The Queer Side of Things._
[Illustration:
THE BEAUTY-COLLEGE TOY.]
"Mother! _Have_ you seen this?" exclaimed Genevieve. "_Do_ listen what
the paper says:--
"'_The latest American notion is the recently instituted College of
Beauty in New York. The College course knows nothing of dyes, or
cosmetics, or powders.... One branch of study deals with the features
of the face. The most enchanting beauty of expression will result from
the methods adopted in the College. The effect of music on the features
receives great attention; the eyes are to be enlarged by Verdi's music;
the air of intelligence heightened by Chopin's; and various other
ameliorations brought about by other composers, and poets, and so
forth._' Just fancy, mother!"
Genevieve was wrapped in silent musing for some minutes; then she arose
and crossed over to the mirror and gazed critically into it.
"Of course, it's all nonsense, mother, eh?" she said.
"Most absurd nonsense, my love--most absurd!" replied Mother.
Then Genevieve opened the piano abstractedly and began passing her
fingers mechanically over the keys, which, strange to say, gave forth
an air by Verdi. The mirror was right opposite Genevieve as she sat at
the piano, and she looked casually at it many times.
When tea-time came, two hours and a half later, she was still
strumming--strumming a little thing by Verdi, as it happened. Mother
sat and smiled upon her indulgently.
* * * * *
That night, when Genevieve had retired to rest, she heard the faint
sounds of the piano from the drawing-room; it was playing an air from
Verdi. Mother was the only person downstairs who could play the piano.
"Mother," said Genevieve, next day, "of course that _must_ be all
nonsense about the College of Beauty, eh? Of course, it would be quite
impossible to make oneself more beautiful by----"
"Of course, Jenny, of course--sheer nonsense!" said Mother.
"Ye-es, of course," said Jenny. "But I've often thought I _should_ so
love to see New York--haven't you?"
"New York is--no doubt--a--a very interesting place," said Mother.
"_Do_ let's go--just to see New York!" said Genevieve.
"Er--well; I'll speak to papa about it. You _do_ want a change," said
Mother.
There was a ring.
"Oh, mother, here's Miss Cloot just getting out of her victoria," said
Genevieve. "Now, the College of Beauty _would_ be a godsend to _her_!
You must really tell her about it--it would be a charity!"
Miss Cloot was the ugliest old maid in London and its environs within a
radius of twenty miles; she was really dreadful--that's the only word
for it. She was comfortably off, yet she was still a spinster at forty.
She was a remarkable woman, was Miss Cloot--you'll see.
During a lull in the conversation, Mother introduced the subject of
the College of Beauty--as a charity. At first Miss Cloot listened
with somewhat feeble interest; but after a few moments there suddenly
appeared in her eye a remarkable light; beyond that, there was little
perceptible change in her manner; but anyone who knew her well would
have known that that light in her eye meant _something_.
"Dear me, yes, very interesting--an excellent notion," said Miss Cloot,
blandly.
[Illustration: "'AN EXCELLENT NOTION,' SAID MISS CLOOT."]
"But you can't think for an instant that there's anything in it?" said
Mother.
"Dear me, why not?" said Miss Cloot. "I have no doubt there's a
great deal in it. Why _shouldn't_ there be?--'_Too wonderful to be
true!_'--well, but, are Edison's inventions too wonderful to be true?
Oh, dear me, no! Not a bit too wonderful. You may be sure there's
something in it."
"Do--er--do _you_ propose to----?" began Mother: and then it suddenly
occurred to her that she had better not ask _that_ question; so she
turned it off to--"get any new things this spring?"
Miss Cloot went straight home with that remarkable light in her eye
all the time; and when she got in she straightway sat down and wrote
a dozen letters. Miss Cloot numbered among her extensive acquaintance
twelve old maids, all comfortably off, and all plain--though falling
short of her own attainments in the latter respect.
On the evening of the following day there was a tea party at Miss
Cloot's--it consisted of those twelve other old maids of her
acquaintance. It was more of a board meeting than an ordinary tea
party, for they took their seats round a table at the head of which sat
their hostess.
"Ladies!" said Miss Cloot (who really _was_ a remarkable woman--the
more I reflect upon her, the more I am impressed by this fact), "I
have asked you here to-day to discuss a very important matter--very
important to us. Possibly you may have seen this paragraph in the
newspaper?" and she handed round the cutting which she had taken from
Genevieve's paper.
The twelve old maids read it, and did not seem to see much in it. Miss
Cloot's keen intuition perceived this.
"I did not expect you to. We can't _all_ be of brilliant intellect, of
course," she said. "Pray don't think I _blame_ you for any deficiencies
in that respect; we none of us can radically alter the intelligence--or
want of it--which has been vouchsafed to us."
"But this is a hoax, of course, Celina?" said Miss Wheevyl. "Quite
absurd and impossible!"
[Illustration: "THERE WAS A TEA PARTY AT MISS CLOOT'S."]
"Not in the least!" replied Miss Cloot, emphatically. "Neither
absurd nor impossible. That's where you show your ignorance, Jane.
Pray understand, my friends, that I am not proposing that you should
all rush out to that College in New York (although Heaven knows you
all need its assistance); no, you will do better by remaining where
you are. Now, concerning this College. I know what you are going to
say--'It doesn't exist!' Very well; what _I_ have to say is, if it
doesn't exist, why----"
[Illustration: "DO LISTEN!"]
At this moment, unfortunately, the door of the council-chamber was
suddenly shut, and we heard no more.