x
Now judge, Sir, added I, if it is possible, that I should save any thing for myself and family: it is enough that we are content with the little that God sends us, and that we have not the knowledge nor desire of what we want, but can live as we have always been bred up, and are not reduced to beg.
When I had given Saadi this account, he said to me, Hassan, I am not so much surprised, as I was, and I comprehend what obliges you to be content in your station. But if I should make a present of a purse of two hundred pieces of gold, would not you make a good use of it? and do not you believe, that with such a sum you could become soon as rich as the principal of your profession?
Sir, replied I, you seem to be so good a gentleman, that I am persuaded you would not banter me, but that the offer you make me, is serious; and I dare say, without presuming too much upon myself, that a much less sum would be sufficient, not only to make me as rich as the principal of our profession, but that in time I should be richer than all of them in this city together, though Bagdad is so large and populous.
The generous Saadi showed me immediately that in what he said he was serious. He pulled a purse out of his bosom, and putting it into my hands, said, Here, take this purse; you will find it contains two hundred pieces of gold: I pray God bless you with them, and give you grace to make the good use of them I desire; and believe me, my friend Saad, whom you see here, and I, shall both take great pleasure in finding we may contribute in making you more happy than you now are.
Commander of the faithful, when I had got the purse, the first thing I did was to put it into my bosom; but the transport of my joy was so great, and I was so much penetrated with gratitude, that my speech failed me, and I could give my benefactor no other tokens of my gratitude, than to lay hold of the hem of his garment and kiss it; but he drew it from me; and he and his friend pursued their walk.
As soon as they were gone, I returned to my work again, and my first thought was, what I should do with my purse to keep it safe. I had in my poor house neither box nor cupboard to lock it up in, nor any other place where I could be sure it would not be discovered if I had it.
In this perplexity, as I had been used, like many poor people of my sort, to put the little money I had in the folds of my turban, I left my work, and went into the house, under pretence of wrapping my turban up anew. And I took such precautions that neither my wife nor children saw what I was doing. But first I laid aside ten pieces of gold for present necessaries, and wrapt the rest up in the folds of the linen which went about my cap.
The principal expense I was at that day, was to lay in a good stock of hemp, and afterwards, as my family had eaten no flesh meat a long time, I went to the shambles, and bought something for supper.
As I was carrying the meat I had bought home in my hand, a famished kite flew upon me, and would have taken away my meat, if I had not held it very fast; but, alas! I had better parted with it than lost my money; the fester I held my meat, the more the bird struggled to get it, drawing me sometimes on one side, and sometimes on another; but would not quit the prize, till unfortunately by my efforts the turban fell on the ground.
The kite immediately let go his hold, and seizing on my turban before I could pick it up, flew away with it. I cried out so loud, that I frightened all the men, women, and children in the neighbourhood, who joined their shouts and cries to make the kite quit his hold; for by that means these sort of voracious birds are often forced to quit their prey. But our cries did not frighten this kite; he carried off my turban, and we soon lost sight of him before he dropt it, and it would have been in vain for me to fatigue myself with running after him.
I went home very melancholy at the loss of my turban and money. I was obliged to buy a new turban, which diminished the small remainder of the ten pieces; for I had laid out a deal in hemp. The little that was left was not sufficient to give me reason to gratify the great hopes I had conceived.
But what troubled me most was the little satisfaction I should be able to give my benefactor for his ill-placed generosity, when he should come to hear what a misfortune I had met with, which he would perhaps look upon as incredible, and consequently an idle excuse.
While the remainder of the ten pieces lasted, my little family and I lived the better for it; but I soon relapsed into the same poverty, and the same inability to extricate myself from wretchedness. However, I never murmured nor repined. God, said I, was pleased to give me riches when I least expected them; he has thought fit to take them from me again almost at the same time, because it so pleased him, and they were at his disposal; yet I will praise his name for all the benefits I have received, as it was his good pleasure, and submit myself, as I have ever done hitherto, to his will.
These were my sentiments, while my wife, from whom I could not keep secret the loss I had sustained, was inconsolable. In my trouble I had told my neighbours, that when I lost my turban, I lost a hundred and ninety pieces of gold; but as they knew my poverty, and could not comprehend how I should have got so great a sum by my work, they only laughed at me.
About six months after this my misfortune, which I have related to your majesty, the two friends walking through that part of the town where I lived, the neighbourhood put Saad in mind of me. We are now, said he to Saadi, not far from the street where Hassan Alhabbal lives; let us call and see what use he made of the two hundred pieces of gold you gave him, and whether they have enabled him to take any steps towards bettering his fortune.
With all my heart, replied Saadi; I have been thinking of him some days, and it will be a great pleasure and satisfaction to me to have you with me, as a witness of the proof of my proposal. You will see a great alteration. I expect we shall hardly know him again.
Just as Saadi said this, these two friends turned the corner of the street, and Saad, who perceived me first at a distance, said to his friend, I believe you reckon without your host; I see Hassan Alhabbal, but can discern no change in his person, for he is as ill-dressed as when we saw him before; the only difference that I can perceive is, his turban looks something better. Observe him yourself, and see whether I am in the wrong.
As they drew nearer to me, Saadi saw me too, and found Saad was in the right, but could not tell to what he should attribute the little alteration he saw in my person; and was so much amazed, that he could not speak when he came up to me. Well, Hassan, said Saad, we do not ask you how affairs go since we saw you last; without doubt they are in a better train.
Gentlemen, replied I, addressing myself to them both, I have the great mortification to tell you, that your desires, wishes, and hopes, as well as mine, have not had the success you had reason to expect, and I promised myself; you will scarce believe the extraordinary adventure that has befallen me. I assure you, nevertheless, on the word of an honest man, and you ought to believe me, for nothing is more true than what I am going to tell you. Then I related to them my adventures, with the same circumstances I had the honour to tell your majesty.
Saadi rejected my discourse, and said, Hassan, you joke with me, and would deceive me; for what you say is a thing incredible. What have kites to do with turbans? they only search for something to satisfy their hunger. You have done as all such sort of people as you generally do: if they have made any extraordinary gain, or any good fortune happens to them, which they never expected, they throw aside their work, take their pleasure, and make merry, while the money lasts; and when they have eaten and drank it all out, are reduced to the same necessity and want as before. You would not be so miserable, but because you deserve it, and render yourself unworthy of any good action done to you.
Sir, replied I, I bear all these reproaches, and am ready to bear as many more, if they were more severe, and all with the more patience, because I do not think I deserve them. The thing is so publicly known in this part of the town, that there is nobody but can satisfy you of the truth of it. If you inquire, you will find that I do not impose upon you. I own, I never heard talk of kites flying away with turbans; but this has actually happened to me, as a great many other things, which do not fall out every day, and yet have actually happened.
Saad took my part, and told Saadi a great many as surprising stories of kites, some of which he affirmed he knew to be true, insomuch that at last he pulled his purse out of his bosom, and counted out two hundred pieces of gold into my hand, which I put into my bosom for want of a purse.
When Saadi had told me out that sum, he said to me, Hassan, I make you a present of these two hundred pieces; but take care to put them in a safer place, that you may not lose them so unfortunately as you have done the others, and employ them in such a manner that they may procure you the advantages that the others would have done. I told him that the obligation of this his second kindness was much greater than I deserved, after what had happened, and that I should be sure to make good use of his advice. I would have said a great deal more, but he did not give me time, but went away, and continued his walk with his friend.
As soon as they were gone, I left off work and went home, and finding neither my wife nor children within, I pulled out my money, put ten pieces by, and wrapt up the rest in a clean linen cloth, tying it fast with a knot; but then I was to consider where I should hide this linen cloth, that it might be safe. After I had considered some time, I bethought of laying it at the bottom of a great earthen vessel full of bran, which stood in a corner, where I imagined neither my wife nor children would look into. My wife came home soon after, and as I had but very little hemp in the house, I told her I should go out to buy some, without saying any thing to her about the two friends.
While I was out, a sand-man, who sells scouring sand, which women use in baths, passed through our street, and called, Sand, ho! My wife, who wanted some, called him: but as she had no money, she asked him, if he would make an exchange of some sand for some bran. The sand-man asked to see the bran. My wife showed him the pot; the bargain was made; she had the scouring sand, with which she filled a lean-to which I had made to the house, and the sand-man took the pot and bran along with him.
Not long after, I came home, loaded with as much hemp as I could carry, and followed by five porters loaded also with the same. After I had satisfied them for their trouble, I sat down to rest myself; and, looking about me, could not see the pot of bran.
It is impossible for me to express to your majesty my surprise, and the effect it had on me at the moment. I asked my wife hastily what was become of it: and she told me the bargain she had made with the sand-man, which she thought to be a very good one.
Ah! unfortunate woman! cried I, you know not the injury you have done me, yourself, and our children, by making that bargain, which has ruined us quite. You thought only of selling the bran, but with the bran you have enriched the sand-man with a hundred and ninety pieces of gold, which Saadi with his friend came and made me a second present of.
My wife was like one stark mad, when she knew what a fault she had committed through ignorance. She cried, beat her breast, and tore her hair and clothes. Unhappy wretch that I am, cried she, am I fit to live after so horrid a mistake? Where shall I find this sand-man? I know him not; I never saw him in our street before. Oh! husband, added she, you was very much in the wrong to be so reserved in a matter of such importance! This had never happened, if you had communicated the secret to me. In short, I should never make an end of my story, if I were to tell your majesty what her grief made her say. You are not ignorant how eloquent women often are in their afflictions.
Wife, said I, moderate your grief; by your weeping and howling you will alarm all the neighbourhood, and there is no reason they should be informed of our misfortunes. They will only laugh at us, instead of pitying us. We had best bear our loss patiently, and submit ourselves to the will of God, and bless him, for that out of two hundred pieces of gold which he had given us, he has taken back but one hundred and ninety, and left us ten, which, by the use I shall make of them, will be a great relief to us.
My wife at first did not relish all these my arguments; but as time softens the greatest misfortunes, and makes them more supportable, she at last grew easy, and had almost forgotten them. It is true, said I to her, we live but poorly; but what have the rich, which we have not? Do not we breathe the same air, enjoy the same light, and the same warmth of the sun? Therefore what conveniences have they more than we, that we should envy their happiness? They die as well as we. In short, while we live in the fear of God, as we should always do, the advantage they have over us is so very inconsiderable, that we ought not to regard it.
I will not tire your majesty any longer with my moral reflections. My wife and I comforted ourselves, and I pursued my trade with as much alacrity as before these two mortifying losses, which followed one another so quickly. The only thing that troubled me sometimes was, how I should look Saadi in the face when he should come and ask me how much I had improved his two hundred pieces of gold, and advanced my fortune by his liberality. I saw no remedy but to resolve to submit to the confusion I should feel, though it was by no fault of mine, this time, any more than before, that this misfortune had happened.
The two friends stayed away longer this time than the former, though Saad had often spoken to Saadi, who always put it off; for, said he, the longer we stay away, the richer Hassan will be, and I shall have the greater satisfaction.
Saad, who had not the same opinion of the effect of his friend’s generosity, made answer, You fancy then that your present will have been turned to a better account this time than before. I would advise you not to flatter yourself too much, for fear you should be more sensibly mortified if it should prove otherwise. Why, replied Saadi, kites do not fly away with turbans every day; and Hassan will be more cautious this time.
I do not doubt of it, replied Saad; but, added he, there are other accidents that neither you nor I can think of; therefore, I say again, moderate your joy, and do not depend too much on Hassan’s good success; for to tell you what I think, and what I always thought, (whether you like to hear it or not), I have a secret foresight, that you will not have succeeded, and that I shall succeed better than you in proving that a poor man may sooner become rich by any other means than by money.
In short, one day, when Saad and Saadi were together, and were disputing upon this subject, Saad observed that enough had been said: I am resolved, said he, to inform myself this very day, what has passed; it is time for walking; let us not lose it, but go see which of us has lost the wager. I saw them at a distance, was terribly concerned, and was just going to leave my work, and to run and hide myself. However, I appeared very earnest at work, made as if I had not seen them, and never lifted up my eyes till they were close to me, and had saluted me, and then I could not help it I hung down my head, and told them my last misfortune, with all the circumstances, and that I was as poor as when they first saw me.
After that, I added, you may say that I ought to have hid my money in another place than in a pot of bran, which was carried out of my house that same day: but that pot had stood there many years, and had never been removed, whenever my wife parted with the bran. Could I guess that a sand-man should come by that very day, and my wife would have no money, and would make such an exchange? You may indeed allege, that I ought to have told my wife of it; but I will never believe that such prudent persons, as I am persuaded you are, would have given me that advice; and if I had put my money any where else, what certainty could I have had that it would be more safe?
I see, sir, said I, addressing myself to Saadi, that it has pleased God, whose ways are secret and impenetrable, that I should not be enriched by your liberality, but that I must be poor; however, the obligation is the same as if it had wrought the desired effect.
After these words, I was silent; and Saadi replied, Though I would persuade myself, Hassan, that all you tell us is true, and not owing to your debauchery or ill management, yet I must not be extravagant, and ruin myself for the sake of an experiment. I do not regret in the least the four hundred pieces of gold I gave you to raise you in the world. I did it out of respect to God, without expecting any recompense but the pleasure of doing good. If any thing makes me repent, it is that I did not address myself to another, who might have made a better use of my charity. Then turning about to his friend, Saad, continued he, you may know by what I have said, that I do not entirely give up the cause. You may now make your experiment, and let me see, that there are ways, besides giving money, to make a poor man’s fortune in the way we both mean. Let Hassan be the man. I dare say, whatever you give him he will not be richer than he was with four hundred pieces of gold. Saad had a piece of lead in his hand, which he showed Saadi. You saw me, said he, take up this piece of lead, which I found on the ground; I will give it to Hassan; and you shall see what it is worth.
Saadi burst out a laughing at Saad. What is that bit of lead worth? said he; a farthing? What can Hassan do with that? Saad presented it to me, and said, Take it, Hassan: let Saadi laugh: you will tell us some news of the good luck it has brought one time or another. I thought Saad was in jest, and had a mind to divert himself; however, I put the lead in my pocket, and thanked him. The two friends pursued their walk, and I fell to work again.
At night, when I pulled off my clothes to go to bed, the piece of lead, which I had never thought of from the time he gave it me, tumbled out of my pocket. I took it up, and laid it on the first place that was nearest to me. The same night it happened that a fisherman, a neighbour, mending his nets, found a piece of lead wanting; and it being too late to buy any, since the shops were shut up, and he must either fish that night or his family go without bread the next day, he called to his wife, and bid her inquire among the neighbours for a piece. She went from door to door on both sides of the street, but could not get any, and came back again to tell her husband so. He asked her if she had been to several of their neighbours, naming them, and among the rest Hassan Alhabbal’s house. No, indeed, said the wife, I have not been there; that was too far off, and if I had gone, do you think I should have found any? I know by experience they never have any thing when one wants it. No matter, said the fisherman; you are an idle hussy; you must go there; for though you have been there a hundred times before, without getting any thing, you may chance to get what we want now. You must go.
The fisherman’s wife went out grumbling and growling, came and knocked at my door, and waked me out of a sound sleep. I asked her what she wanted. Hassan Alhabbal, said she, as loud as she could bawl, my husband wants a bit of lead to mend his nets with; and if you have a piece, desires you to give it him.
The piece of lead which Saad had given me was so fresh in my memory, and had so lately dropt out of my clothes, that I could not forget it. I told my neighbour I had some; and if she would stay a moment, my wife should give her what she wanted. Accordingly, my wife, who was wakened by the noise as well as myself, got up, and groping about where I directed her, found the lead, opened the door, and gave it to the fisherman’s wife, who was so overjoyed, that she promised my wife, that for the kindness she did her and her husband, she would answer for him we should have the first cast of the nets.
The fisherman was so much rejoiced to see the lead, which he so little expected, that he very much approved his wife’s promise. He finished mending his nets, and went a fishing two hours before day, according to custom. At the first throw he caught but one fish, about a yard long, and proportionable in thickness; and afterwards had a great many successful casts; but of all the fish he took, none came up in size equal to the first.
When the fisherman had done fishing, he went home, where his first care was to think of me. I was extremely surprised, when at my work, to see him come to me with a large fish in his hand. Neighbour, said he, my wife promised you last night, in return for your kindness, whatever fish I should catch at my first throw; and I approved her promise. It pleased God to send me no more than this one for you, which I desire you to accept of, such as it is. I wish it had been better. Had he sent me my net full, they should all have been yours.
Neighbour, said I, the bit of lead which I sent you was such a trifle, that it ought not to be valued at so high a rate; neighbours should assist each other in their little wants. I have done no more for you than I should have expected from you had I been in such a case; therefore I would refuse your present, if I was not persuaded you gave it me freely, and that I should offend you if I did so; and since you will have it so, I take it, and I return you my hearty thanks.
After these civilities, I took the fish, and carried it home to my wife. Here, said I, take this fish, which the fisherman our neighbour has made me a present of, in return for the little bit of lead he sent to us for last night: I believe it is all that we can expect from the present Saad made me yesterday, promising me that it would bring me good luck; and then I told her what had passed between the two friends.
My wife was very much startled to see so large a fish. What would you have me do with it? said she. Our gridiron is only fit to broil small fish; and we have not a pot big enough to boil it. That is your business, answered I; dress it as you will, I shall like it either way; and then I went to my work again.
In gutting the fish, my wife found a large diamond, which, when she washed it, she took for a piece of glass: indeed she had heard talk of diamonds, but if she had ever seen or handled one, she would not have known how to distinguish them. She gave it to the youngest of our children for a plaything, and his brothers and sisters handled it about from one to another, to admire the brightness and beauty of it.
At night when the lamp was lighted, and the children were still playing with the diamond, they perceived that it gave a light, when my wife, who was getting them their supper, stood between them and the lamp; upon which they snatched it from one another to try it; and the younger ones fell a crying, that the elder ones would not let them have it long enough. But as a little matter amuses children, and makes them squabble and fall out, my wife and I took no notice of their noise, which presently ceased, when the bigger ones supped with us, and my wife had given the younger each their share.
After supper, the children got together again, and began to make the same noise. Then I called to the eldest, to know what was the matter, who told me that it was about a piece of glass, which gave a light when his back was to the lamp. I bid him bring it to me, and made the experiment myself; and it appeared so extraordinary to me, that I asked my wife what it was. She told me it was a piece of glass, which she found in gutting the fish.
I thought no more than she but that it was a bit of glass, but I was resolved to make a farther experiment of it; and therefore bid my wife to put the lamp in the chimney, which she did, and still found that the supposed piece of glass gave so great a light, that we might see to go to bed without the lamp. So I put it out, and placed the bit of glass upon the chimney to light us. Look, said I, this is another advantage that Saadi’s friend’s piece of lead procures us: it will spare us the expense of oil.
When the children saw the lamp was put out, and the bit of glass supplied its place, they cried out so loud, and made so great a noise with astonishment, that it was enough to alarm the neighbourhood; and before my wife and I could quiet them we were forced to make a greater noise, nor could we silence them till we had put them to bed; and after talking a long while in their way about the wonderful light of a bit of glass, they fell asleep. After they were in bed, my wife and I went to bed by them; and next morning, without thinking any more of the glass, I went to my work as usual; which ought not to seem strange for such a man as I, who had never seen any diamonds, or, if I had, never attended to their value.
But before I proceed, I must tell your majesty, that there was but a very slight partition-wall between my house and my next neighbour’s, who was a very rich Jew, and a jeweller; and the chamber that he and his wife lay in joined to ours. They were both in bed, and the noise my children made awakened them.
The next morning the jeweller’s wife came to mine to complain of being disturbed out of their first sleep. Good neighbour Rachael, which was the Jew’s wife’s name, said my wife, I am very sorry for what happened, and hope you will excuse it; you know it was the children, and they will laugh and cry for a trifle. Come in, and I will show you what was the occasion of all the noise.
The Jewess went in with her, and my wife taking the diamond (for such it really was, and a very extraordinary one) off the chimney-piece, gave it into her hands. See here, said she; it was this piece of glass that caused all the noise; and while the Jewess, who understood all sorts of precious stones, was examining this diamond with admiration, my wife had told her how she found it in the fish’s belly, and what had happened.
Indeed, Aischach, which was my wife’s name, said the jeweller’s wife, giving her the diamond again, I believe as you do, it is a piece of glass; but as it is more beautiful than common glass, and I have just such another piece at home, I will buy it, if you will sell it.
The children, who heard them talking of selling their plaything, presently interrupted their conversation, crying and begging their mother not to part with it, who, to quiet them, promised she would not.
The Jewess being thus prevented in her bargain by my children, went away, but first whispering my wife (who followed her to the door), if she had a mind to sell it, not to show it to any body without acquainting her.
The Jew went out early in the morning to his shop in that part of the town where the jewellers all resorted to. Thither his wife went to him, and told him the discovery she had made. She gave him an account of the size and weight of it as near as she could guess, and of its beauty, water, and lustre, and particularly of the light which it gave in the night according to my wife’s account, which was the more credible as she was uninformed.
The Jew sent his wife immediately to treat, and to offer her a trifle at first, as she should think fit, and then to raise her price by degrees; but be sure to bring it, cost what it would. Accordingly his wife came again to mine privately, and, without supposing that she was determined to sell the diamond, asked her if she would take twenty pieces of gold for that piece of glass.
My wife thinking the sum so considerable for a mere piece of glass, as she thought it, would not make any bargain; but told her she could not part with it, till she had spoken with me. In the mean time I came from my work to dinner. As they were talking at the door, my wife stopped me, and asked me, if I would sell the piece of glass she had found in the fish’s belly for twenty pieces of gold which our neighbour offered her. I returned no answer; but reflected immediately on the assurance with which Saad, in giving me the piece of lead, told me it would make my fortune. The Jew woman, fancying that the low price she had offered was the reason I made no reply, said, I will give you fifty, neighbour, if that will do.
As soon as I found that she rose presently from twenty to fifty, I told her that I expected a great deal more. Well, neighbour, said she, I will give you a hundred, and that is so much, I know not whether my husband will bear me out. At this new advance, I told her I would have a hundred thousand pieces of gold for it; that I saw plainly that the diamond was worth a great deal more; but to oblige her and her husband, as they were neighbours. I would limit myself to that price, which I was determined to have; and if they refused to give it, other jewellers should have it, who would give a great deal more.
The Jewess confirmed me in this my resolution, by her eagerness to conclude the bargain: and by coming up at several biddings to fifty thousand pieces, which I refused. I can offer you no more, said she, without my husband’s consent. He will be at home at night; and I would beg the favour of you to let him see it, which I promised.
At night when the Jew came home, his wife told him what she had done; that she had got no forwarder with my wife or me; that she offered, and I refused, fifty thousand pieces of gold; and that I had promised to stay till night at her request. He observed the time when I left off work, and came to me. Neighbour Hassan, said he, I desire you would show me the diamond your wife showed to mine. I brought him in, and showed it him. As it was very dark, and my lamp was not lighted, he knew presently, by the light the diamond gave, and by the lustre it cast in my hand, that his wife had given him a true account of it. He looked at and admired it a long time. Well, neighbour, said he, my wife tells me she offered you fifty thousand pieces of gold; I will give you twenty thousand more.
Neighbour, said I, your wife can tell you that I value my diamond at a hundred thousand pieces, and I will take nothing less. He haggled a long time with me, in hopes that I would make some abatement: but finding at last that I was positive, and for fear that I should show it to other jewellers, as I certainly should have done, he would not leave me till the bargain was concluded on my own terms. He told me that he had not so much money at home, but would pay it all to me by that time to-morrow, and that very instant fetched two bags of a thousand pieces each, as an earnest; and the next day, though I do not know how he raised the money, whether he borrowed it of his friends, or let some other jewellers into partnership with him, he brought me the sum we agreed for, at the time appointed, and I delivered to him the diamond.
Having thus sold my diamond, and being rich, infinitely beyond my hopes, I thanked God for his bounty and liberality; and would have gone and thrown myself at Saad’s feet to express my gratitude, if I had known where he lived; as also at Saadi’s, to whom I was first obliged, though his good intention had not the same success.
Afterwards I thought of the good use I should make of so considerable a sum. My wife, with the vanity natural to her sex, proposed immediately to buy rich clothes for her and her children; and to purchase a house, and furnish it handsomely. I told her we ought not to begin with such expenses; for, said I, money is made to be spent, so as that it may produce a fund which we may draw from without its failing. This I intend, and shall begin to-morrow.
I spent all that day and the next in going to the people of my own trade, who worked as hard every day for their bread as I had done; and giving them money beforehand, engaged them to work for me in different sorts of rope-making, according to their skill and ability, with a promise not to make them wait for their money, but to pay them as soon as their work was done.
By this means I engrossed almost all the business of Bagdad, and every body was pleased with my exactness and punctual payment.
As so great a number of workmen must produce a great deal of work, I went and hired warehouses in several parts of the town to hold my goods, and appointed over each a clerk, to sell both wholesale and retail; and by this economy received a considerable profit and income. Afterwards, to unite so many warehouses in one place, I bought a large house, which stood upon a great deal of ground, but was ruinous, pulled it down, and built that which your majesty saw yesterday, which, though it makes so great an appearance, consists, for the most part, of warehouses for my business, with apartments just necessary for myself and family.
Some time after I had left my poor old habitation, and removed to this new one, Saad, and Saadi, who had scarce thought of me from the last time they had been with me, as they were one day walking together, and passing by our street, resolved to call upon me: but how great was their surprise when they did not see me at work, as they used to find me! They asked what was become of me, and if I was alive or dead? Their amazement was redoubled, when they were told I was become a great merchant, and was no longer called plain Hassan, but Cogia Hassan Alhabbal, which was to say, Merchant Hassan Rope-maker, and that I had built in a street, which was named to them, a house like a palace.
The two friends went directly to the street, and in the way, as Saadi could not imagine that the bit of lead which Saad had given me could have been the raising of my fortune, he said to him, I am overjoyed to have made Hassan Alhabbal’s fortune: but I cannot forgive the two lies he told me, to get four hundred pieces instead of two: for I nor nobody else can attribute it to the piece of lead you gave him.
So you think, replied Saad; but so do not I. I do not see why you should do Cogia Hassan so much injustice as to take him for a liar. You must give me leave to believe that he told us the truth, and disguised nothing from us, and that the piece of lead which I gave him is the cause of his prosperity; and you will find he will presently tell us so.
In this discourse the two friends came into the street where I lived, and asked whereabouts my house stood; and being showed it, and considering the front, they had much ado to believe it.
They knocked at the door, and my porter opened it; and Saadi, fearing to be guilty of rudeness in taking the house of a nobleman for that he was inquiring after, said to the porter, We are informed that this is Cogia Hassan Alhabbal’s house; tell us if we are not mistaken. You are very right, sir, said the porter, opening the door wider; it is the same: come in; he is in the hall, and any of the slaves will point him out to you.
I had no sooner set my eyes upon the two friends, but I knew them. I rose from my seat, ran to them, and would have kissed the hem of their garments, but they would not suffer it, but embraced me. I invited them to sit down on a sofa made to hold four persons, which was placed full in view of my garden. I desired them to sit down, and they would have me take the place of honour. I assured them that I had not forgot that I was poor Hassan Alhabbal, nor the obligations I had to them; but were this not the case, I knew the respect due to them, and begged them not to expose me. They sat down in the proper place, and I over-against them.
Then Saadi, addressing himself to me, said, Cogia Hassan, I cannot express my joy to see you in the condition I wished you, when I twice made you a present of two hundred pieces of gold, with which I mean not to upbraid you; and I am persuaded that those four hundred pieces have made this wonderful change in your fortune, which I see with pleasure. One thing vexes me, which is, I cannot comprehend the reason why you should twice disguise the truth from me, alleging that your losses were the effect of misfortunes which still seem to me incredible. Was it not because, when we were together the last time, you had so little advanced your small income with each of the two hundred pieces of gold, that you were ashamed to own it? I am willing to believe this, and wait to be confirmed in my opinion.
Saad heard this discourse of Saadi’s with impatience, not to say indignation, which he showed by casting down his eyes and shaking his head: he did not however interrupt him. When he had done, he said to him, Forgive me, Saadi, if I anticipate Cogia Hassan, before he answers you, to tell you, that I admire your prepossessions against his sincerity, and that you still persist in not believing the assurances he has already given you. I have told you before, and I repeat it to you once more, that I believe those two accidents which befell him upon his bare relation; and whatever you may say, I am persuaded they are true; but let him speak himself, and tell which of us does him justice.
After this discourse of the two friends, I said, addressing myself to them both, Gentlemen, I should condemn myself to perpetual silence, on the explanation you ask of me, if I was not certain the dispute you argue upon my account cannot break that friendship which subsists between you; therefore I will declare to you the truth, since you require it; and with the same sincerity as before. Then I told them every circumstance, as your majesty has heard, without forgetting the least.
All my protestations had no effect on Saadi, to cure him of his prejudice. Cogia Hassan, replied Saadi, the adventure of the fish, and diamond found in his belly, appears to me as incredible as the kite’s flying away with your turban, and the exchange of the scouring-sand. Be it as it will, I am equally convinced that you are no longer poor, but rich as I intended you should be, by my means; and I rejoice sincerely.
As it grew late, they got up to take their leaves; when I stopped them, and said, Gentlemen, there is one favour I have to ask, and I beg of you not to refuse to do me the honour to stay and take a slight supper with me, and a bed to-night, and to-morrow I will carry you by water to a small country-house, which I bought for the sake of the air, and we will return the same day on my horses.
If Saad has no business that calls him elsewhere, said Saadi, I consent. Saad told him that nothing should prevent his enjoying his company. We have only to send a slave to my house, that we may not be waited for. I provided a slave; and while they were giving their orders, I went and ordered supper.
While it was getting ready, I shewed my benefactors my house and all my offices, which they thought very extensive, considering my fortune. I call them both benefactors, without distinction, because without Saadi, Saad would never have given me the piece of lead; and without Saad, Saadi would not have given me the four hundred pieces of gold, to which I attribute the rise of my good fortune. Then I brought them back again into the hall, where they asked me several questions about my business; and I gave them such answers as satisfied them.
During this discourse, my servants came to tell me that supper was served up. I led them into another hall, where they admired the manner in which it was lighted, the beaufet, and the entertainment I had provided. I regaled them also with a concert of vocal and instrumental music during the repast, and afterwards with a company of dancers, and other entertainments, endeavouring to show them as much as possible my gratitude.
The next morning, as we had agreed to set out early to enjoy the fresh air, we repaired to the river side by sunrise, and went on board a pleasure-boat well carpeted, that waited for us; and in less than an hour and a half, with six good rowers, and the stream, we arrived at my country-house.
When we went ashore, the two friends stopt to observe the beauty of the outside of my house, and to admire its advantageous situation for the prospects, which were neither too much limited nor too extensive, but such as made it very agreeable. Then I carried them into all the apartments, and showed them all the out-houses and conveniencies; with all which they were very well pleased.
x
Afterwards we walked in the gardens, where what they were most taken with was a grove of orange and lemon trees, loaded with fruit and flowers, which were planted at equal distances, and watered by a canal of fresh water, which was cut from a pleasant river just by. The close shade, the fragrant smell which perfumed the air, the soft murmurings of the water, the harmonious notes of an infinite number of birds, and many other agreeable circumstances, struck them in such a manner, that they frequently stopt to express how much they were obliged to me for bringing them to so delightful a place, and to congratulate me upon my great acquisitions, with other compliments. I led them to the end of that grove, which was very long and broad, where I showed them a wood of large trees which terminated my garden, and afterwards a summer-house, open on all sides, shaded with a cluster of palm-trees, but not so as to spoil the prospect; then I invited them to walk in, and repose themselves on a sofa covered with carpets and cushions.
Two of my boys, whom I had sent into the country, with a tutor, for the air, left us, to go into the wood bird-nesting; and seeing a nest which was built in the branches of a great tree, they attempted to get at it; but as they had neither strength nor address to accomplish it, they showed it to the slave who waited on them, and never left them, and bid him climb the tree for it; who, when he came to it, was very much surprised to find it built in a turban. However, he took it, and brought it down with him, and showed it to my children; and as he thought that I might like to see a thing that was so uncommon, he gave it to the eldest boy to bring to me.
I saw the children at a distance, coming back to us, overjoyed to have gotten a nest. Father, said the eldest lad, we have found a nest in a turban. The two friends and I were very much surprised at the novelty; but I much more, when I knew the turban to be that which the kite flew away with. After I had examined it well, and turned it about, I said to my guests, Gentlemen, have you memories good enough to remember the turban I had on the day you did me the honour first to speak to me? I do not think, said Saad, that either my friend or I gave any attention to it; but if the hundred and ninety pieces of gold are in it, we cannot doubt of it.
Sir, replied I, there is no doubt but it is the same turban; for, besides that I know it very well, I feel by the weight it is too heavy to be any other, and you will perceive this, if you give yourself the trouble to take it in your hand. Then, after taking out the birds, and giving them to the children, I put it into his hands, and he gave it to Saadi. —Indeed, said Saadi, I believe it to be your turban, which I shall be better convinced of when I see the hundred and ninety pieces of gold.
Now, sir, added I, taking the turban, again, observe very well, before I touch it, that it is of no very fresh date in the tree; and the state in which you see it, and the nest so neatly made in it, without having been touched by the hand of man, are sufficient proofs that the kite dropt or laid it in the tree ever since that day he took it from off my head, and the branches hindered it from falling to the ground. Excuse my making this remark, since it concerns me so much to remove all suspicions of fraud on my part. Saad backed me in what I urged, and said, Saadi, this regards you and not me, for I am verily persuaded that Cogia Hassan does not impose upon us.
While Saad was talking, I pulled off the linen cloth which was wrapped about the cap of the turban, and took out the purse, which Saadi knew to be the same he gave me. I emptied it on the carpet before them, and said, There, gentlemen, there is the money; count it, and see if it be right. Which Saad did, and found it to be a hundred and ninety pieces of gold. Then Saadi, who could not deny so manifest a truth, addressing himself to me, said, I agree, Cogia Hassan, that this money could not serve to enrich you; but the other hundred and ninety pieces, which you would make me believe you hid in a pot of bran, might. Sir, answered I, I have told you the truth in regard to both sums: you would not have me retract, to make myself a liar.
Cogia Hassan, said Saad, leave Saadi to his own opinion; I consent with all my heart that he believes you are obliged to him for one part of your good fortune, by means of the last sum he gave you, provided he will agree that I contributed to the other half by the bit of lead, and will not pretend to dispute the valuable diamond found in the fish’s belly. I agree to it, answered Saadi; but still you must give me liberty to believe that money is not to be amassed without money.
What, replied Saad, if chance should throw a diamond in my way worth fifty thousand pieces of gold, and I should have that sum given me for it, can it be said I got that sum by money?
They disputed no farther then; but we rose up, and went into the house, just as dinner was ready. After dinner, I left my guests together, to pass away the heat of the day more at their liberty and with greater composure, while I went to give orders to my housekeeper and gardener. Afterwards I went to them again, and we talked of indifferent matters till it grew a little cooler; when we returned into the garden for fresh air, and stayed till sun-set. Then we all mounted on horseback, and got to Bagdad by moonlight two hours after, followed by one of my slaves.
It happened by I know not what negligence of my servants, that we were then out of oats, and the storehouses were all shut up; when one of my slaves, seeking about the neighbourhood for some, met with a pot of bran in a shop, bought the bran, and brought the pot along with him, promising to carry it back again the next day. The slave emptied the bran into the manger, and, dividing it with his hands among the horses, felt a linen cloth tied up, and very heavy: he brought the cloth to me in the condition that he found it, and presented it to me, telling me that it might perhaps be the cloth he had often heard me talk of among my friends.
Overjoyed, I said to my two benefactors, Gentlemen, it has pleased God that you should not part from me before you were fully convinced of the truth of what I have assured you. There are the other hundred and ninety pieces of gold which you gave me, continued I, addressing myself to Saadi; I know it very well by the cloth, which I tied up with my own hands; and then I told out the money before them. I ordered the pot presently to be brought to me, and knew it to be the same; and sent to my wife to ask if she recognised it, ordering them to say nothing to her of what had happened. She knew it immediately, and sent me word that it was the same vase she had exchanged full of bran for the scouring-earth.
Saadi readily submitted, and renounced his incredulity; and said to Saad, I yield to you, and acknowledge that money is not always the means of becoming rich.
When Saadi had done, I said to him, I dare not propose to return you the three hundred and eighty pieces of gold which it hath pleased God should be found, to undeceive you as to the opinion of my honesty. I am persuaded that you did not give them to me with an intention that I should return them; and, for my part, I ought to be very well content with what Providence has sent me from other quarters, and I do not design to make use of them; but, if you approve of it, to-morrow I will give them to the poor, that God may bless us both.
The two friends lay at my hours that night also; and next day, after embracing me, went to their own houses, very well pleased with the reception I had given them, and to find I did not make an ill use of the riches Heaven had blessed me with. I thanked them both, and look upon the leave they gave me to cultivate a friendship with them, and to visit them, as a great honour.
The caliph Haroun Alraschid was so attentive to Cogia Hassan’s story, that he had not perceived the end of it but by his silence. Cogia Hassan, said he, I have not for a long time heard any thing that has given me so much pleasure, to see the wonderful ways by which God gave thee thy riches, to make thee happy in this world. Thou oughtest to continue to return him thanks, by the good use thou makest of his blessings. I am glad I can tell thee, that the same diamond which made thy fortune is now in my treasury; and, for my part, I am happy to know how it came there: but because there may remain in Saadi some doubts on the singularity of this diamond, which I look upon to be the most precious and valuable thing I am master of, I would have you carry him with Saad to my treasurer, who shall show it them, to remove Saadi’s unbelief, and to let him see that money is not the only certain means of making a poor man rich in a short time, without taking a great deal of pains. I would also have you to tell the keeper of my treasury this story, that he may get it put into writing, and that it may be kept with the diamond.
After these words, the caliph signified to Cogia Hassan, Sidi Nonman, and Baba Abdalla, by bowing of his head, that he was satisfied with them; who all took their leaves, by prostrating themselves at the throne, and then retired.
The Story of Ali Baba and the Forty Robbers, destroyed by a Slave.
In a town in Persia, there lived two brothers, one named Cassim, the other Ali Baba. Their father left them no great property; but as he had divided it equally between them, it should seem their fortune would have been equal; but chance directed otherwise.
Cassim married a wife, who, soon after their marriage, became heiress to a plentiful estate, and a good shop and warehouse full of rich merchandizes; so that he all at once became one of the richest and most considerable merchants, and lived at his ease.
Ali Baba, on the other hand, who married a woman as poor as himself, lived in a very mean habitation, and had no other means to maintain his wife and children but his daily labour, by cutting of wood in a forest near the town, and bringing it upon three asses, which were his whole substance, to town to sell.
One day, when Ali Baba was in the forest, and had just cut wood enough to load his asses, he saw at a distance a great cloud of dust, which seemed to approach towards him. He observed it very attentively, and distinguished a large body of horse coming briskly on; and though they did not talk of robbers in that country, Ali Baba began to think that they might prove so; and, without considering what might become of his asses, he was resolved to save himself. He climbed up a large thick tree, whose branches, at a little distance from the ground, divided in a circular form so close to one another, that there was but little space between them. He placed himself in the middle, from whence he could see all that passed without been seen; and this tree stood at the bottom of a single rock, which was very high above it; and so steep and craggy, that nobody could climb up it.
This troop, who were all well mounted, and well armed, came to the foot of this rock, and there dismounted. Ali Baba counted forty of them, and, by their looks and equipage, never doubted they were thieves. Nor was he mistaken in his opinion; for they were a troop of banditti, who, without doing any hurt to the neighbourhood, robbed at a distance, and made that place their rendezvous; and what confirmed him in this opinion was, every man unbridled his horse, and tied him to some shrub or other, and hung about his neck a bag of corn, which they brought behind them. Then each of them took his portmanteau, which seemed to Ali Baba to be full of gold and silver by their weight. One, who was most personable amongst them, and whom he took to be their captain, came with his portmanteau on his back under the tree in which Ali Baba was hid, and making his way through some shrubs, pronounced these words so distinctly,Open, Sesame,[100]that Ali Baba heard him. As soon as the captain of the robbers had uttered these words, a door opened; and after he had made all his troop go in before him, he followed them, and the door shut again of itself.
The robbers stayed some time within the rock; and Ali Baba, who feared that some one, or all of them together, should come out and catch him, if he should endeavour to make his escape, was obliged to sit patiently in the tree. He was, nevertheless, tempted once or twice to get down, and mount one of their horses, and lead another, driving his asses before him with all the haste he could to town; but the uncertainty of the event made him choose the safest way.
At last the door opened again, and the forty robbers came out. As the captain went in last, he came out first, and stood to see them all pass by him; and then Ali Baba heard him make the door close, by pronouncing these words,Shut, Sesame.Every man went and bridled his horse, fastening his portmanteau, and mounting again; and when the captain saw them all ready, he put himself at their head, and they returned the same way they came.
Ali Baba did not immediately quit his tree; for said he to himself, they may have forgotten something and come back again, and then I shall be taken. He followed them with his eyes as far as he could see them; and after that stayed a considerable time before he came down; remembering the words the captain of the robbers made use of to cause the door to open and shut, he had the curiosity to try if his pronouncing it would have the same effect. Accordingly he went among the shrubs, and perceiving the door concealed behind them, he stood before it, and said,Open, Sesame.The door instantly flew wide open.
Ali Baba, who expected a dark dismal place, was very much surprised to see it well lighted and spacious, cut out by men’s hands in form of a vault, which received the light from an opening at the top of the rock, cut in like manner. He saw all sorts of provisions, and rich bales of merchandizes, of silk, stuff, brocade, and valuable carpeting, piled upon one another; and, above all, gold and silver in great heaps, and money in great leather purses. The sight of all these riches made him believe that this cave had been occupied for ages by robbers, who succeeded one another.
Ali Baba did not stand long to consider what he should do, but went immediately into the cave, and as noon as he was in, the door shut again. But this did not disturb him, because he knew the secret to open it again. He never regarded the silver, but made the best use of his time in carrying out as much of the gold coin, which was in bags, at several times, as he thought his three asses could carry. When he had done, he collected his asses, which were dispersed, and when he had loaded them with the bags, laid the wood on them in such a manner that they could not be seen. When he had done, he stood before the door, and pronouncing the words,Shut, Sesame, the door closed after him, for it had shut of itself while he was within, and remained open while he was out. He then made the best of his way to town.