Tales of Folk and Fairies Part 8

The case was dismissed. Abul Ha.s.san returned to his home, satisfied and triumphant, but Ali Cogia with hanging head and bitterness of heart.

But though the Cadi had decided against him, Ali was not willing to let the matter rest there. He was determined to have justice done him, even though he were obliged to appeal to the Caliph himself.

At that time Haroun-al-Raschid was Commander of the Faithful. Every morning Haroun-al-Raschid went to the mosque to offer up prayers, accompanied by his Grand Vizier and Mesrour the Chief Eunuch. As he returned to the palace all who had complaints to make or pet.i.tions to offer stationed themselves along the way and gave their complaints and pet.i.tions in written form to Mesrour. Afterward these papers were presented to the Caliph that he might read them and decide upon their merits.

The day after the Cadi had dismissed the case of the two merchants, Ali Cogia set out early in the morning and placed himself beside the way where he knew the Caliph would pa.s.s.

In his hand he carried his complaint against Abul Ha.s.san, written out in due form. He waited until Haroun-al-Raschid was returning from the mosque and then put the paper in the hand of Mesrour.

Later, when the Caliph was reading the papers, he was particularly interested in the one presented by Ali Cogia: "This is a curious case," said he to his Vizier, "and one which it will be difficult to decide. Order the two merchants to appear before me to-morrow, and I will hear what they have to say."

That evening the Caliph and his Vizier disguised themselves, and, attended only by Mesrour, they went out to wander about the streets of the city. It was the custom of the Caliph to do this, as in this way he learned much about his people, their needs and wants and ways of life, which would otherwise have been hidden from him.

For some time after they set out they heard and saw nothing of importance, but as they came near to a court that opened off one of the streets they heard the voices of a number of boys who were at play there in the moonlight.

The Caliph motioned to his Vizier to be silent, and together they stole to the opening of the court and looked in. The moon was so bright that they could see clearly the faces of the boys at play there. They had gathered about the tallest and most intelligent-looking lad, who appeared to be their leader.

"Let us act out some play," the leader was saying. "I will be the Cadi, and you shall bring some case before me to be tried."

"Very well," cried another. "But what case shall we take?"

"Let us take the case of Ali Cogia and Abul Ha.s.san. We all know about that, and if it had come before me I should have decided it differently from the way the Cadi did."

All the boys agreed to this by clapping their hands.

The leader then appointed one boy to take the part of Ali Cogia and another to be Abul Ha.s.san. Still others were chosen to be guards and merchants and so on.

The Caliph and his Vizier were much amused by this play of the boys, and they sat down upon a bench so conveniently placed that they could see all that went on without themselves being observed.

The pretended Cadi took his seat and commanded that Abul Ha.s.san and Ali Cogia should be brought before him. "And let Ali Cogia bring with him the jar of olives in which he said he hid the gold," said he.

The lads who were taking the parts of Ali Cogia and Abul Ha.s.san were now led forward by some of the other boys and were told by the pretended Cadi to state their cases. This they did clearly, for the case had been much talked about by their elders, and they were well acquainted with all the circ.u.mstances and had discussed them among themselves.

The pretended Cadi listened attentively to what they said, and then addressing the lad who took the part of Abul he asked, "Abul Ha.s.san, are you willing to swear that you have not touched the jar nor opened it?"

The pretended merchant said he was.

The lad then asked, "Has Ali Cogia brought the jar of olives into court with him?"

"It is here," said the boys who were taking the parts of officers of the court.

The feigned Cadi ordered them to place the jar before him, which they pretended to do. He then went through the motions of lifting the lid and examining the olives and even of tasting one.

"These are very fine olives," said he. "Ali Cogia, when did you say you placed this jar in the warehouse?"

"It was when I left Bagdad, seven years ago," answered the pretended merchant.

"Abul Ha.s.san, is that so?"

The boy who acted the part of Abul said that it was.

"Let the olive merchants be brought into court," commanded the pretended Cadi.

The boys who were taking the parts of olive merchants now came forward.

"Tell me," said the feigned Cadi, "how long is it possible to keep olives?"

"However great the care that is taken," they answered, "it is impossible to preserve them for more than three years. After that time they lose both color and flavor and are fit for nothing but to be thrown out." The boys spoke with a.s.surance, for their fathers were among the most expert olive dealers in the city, and they knew what they were talking about.

The pretended Cadi then bade them examine the olives in the jar and tell him how old they were. "As you see," said he, "they are of a fine color, large, and of a delicious fresh taste."

The feigned merchants pretended to examine them carefully and then announced the olives were of that year's growth.

"But Ali Cogia says he left them with Abul Ha.s.san seven years ago, and to this statement Abul Ha.s.san agrees."

"It is impossible they should have been kept that long," answered the feigned merchants. "As we tell you, after three years olives are worth nothing, and at the end of seven years they would be utterly spoiled.

These are fresh olives and of this year's growth."

The boy who took the part of Abul Ha.s.san would have tried to explain and make excuses, but the pretended Cadi bade him be silent.

"You have sworn falsely," said he, "and also proved yourself a thief."

Then to the pretended guards he cried, "Take him away and let him be hung according to the law."

The feigned guards dragged away the boy who was acting Abul Ha.s.san and then, the play being finished, all the boys clapped their hands and shouted their approval of the way the feigned Cadi had conducted the case.

Seeing that all was over the Caliph withdrew, beckoning to the Vizier and Mesrour to follow him. After they had gone a short distance, Haroun-al-Raschid turned to the Vizier and asked him what he thought of the play they had just witnessed.

"I think," said the Vizier, "that the pretended Cadi showed a wisdom and a judgment that the real Cadi would do well to imitate. I also think the boy is a lad of remarkable intelligence."

"It is my own thought," replied the Caliph. "Moreover I have a further thought. You know this very case between Ali Cogia and Abul Ha.s.san is to appear before me to-morrow, I have it in mind to send you to bring this boy to the palace, and I will then let him conduct this case in reality as he has to-day in play."

The Vizier applauded this plan, and he and his master returned to the palace, still talking of the boy.

The next day the Vizier went back to the court they had visited the evening before, and after looking about he found the lad who had taken the part of the Cadi sitting in a doorway. The Vizier approached him and spoke to him in a kind and friendly manner.

"My boy," said he, "I have come here by order of the Commander of the Faithful. Last evening, when you were acting your play, he overheard all that was said, and he wishes to see you at the palace to-day."

The boy was alarmed when he heard this, grew pale, and showed great uneasiness. "Have I done something wrong?" he asked. "If I have I did it unknowingly, and I hope I am not to be punished for something I did without intention."

"You have done no wrong," answered the Vizier, "and it is not to punish you that the Caliph has sent for you. Indeed he is very much pleased with your conduct, and his sending for you in this manner is a great honor." He then told the lad what it was the Caliph wished him to do.

Instead of being put at ease by this the lad showed even greater discomfort. "This seems a strange thing for me to do," said he:--"to decide a case between two grown men--I who am only a child. I am afraid I will not be able to please the Caliph, and that he will be angry with me."

"Conduct the case as wisely as you did last night when you were playing," answered the Vizier, "and the Caliph will not be displeased with you."

The boy then asked permission to go and tell his mother where he was going and for what purpose, and to this the Vizier consented.

When the lad's mother heard that he was to go to the palace to act as judge in a case of such importance she could hardly believe her ears.