Part 100

The pretended Ali Cogia went immediately, and returning as soon, feigned to set a jar before the cady, telling him that it was the same he left with the accused person, and took away again. But, to omit no part of the formality, the supposed cady asked the merchant if it was the same; and as by his silence he seemed not to deny it, he ordered it to be opened. He that represented Ali Cogia seemed to take off the cover, and the pretended cady made as if he looked into it. They are fine olives, said he; let me taste of them; and then pretending to eat of them, added, They are excellent; but, continued he, I cannot think that olives will keep seven years, and be so good: send for some olive-merchants, and let me hear what is their opinion. Then two boys, as olive-merchants, presented themselves. Are you olive-merchants? said the sham cady. Tell me how long olives will keep to be fit to eat?

Sir, replied the two merchants, let us take what care we can, they will hardly be worth any thing the third year; for then they have neither taste nor colour. If it be so, answered the cady, look into that jar, and tell me how long it is since those olives were put into it.

The two merchants pretended to examine and to taste the olives, and told the cady they were new and good. You are mistaken, said the young cady; Ali Cogia says he put them into the jar seven years ago.

Sir, replied the merchants, we can assure you they are of this year’s growth; and we will maintain there is not a merchant in Bagdad but will say the same.

The feigned merchant that was accused would have objected against the evidence of the olive-merchants; but the feigned cady would not suffer him. Hold your tongue, said he; you are a rogue; let him be hanged. Then the children put an end to their play, clapping their hands with great joy, and seizing the feigned criminal to carry him to execution.

Words cannot express how much the caliph Haroun Alraschid admired the sagacity and sense of the boy who had passed so just a sentence in an affair which was to be pleaded before him the next day. He withdrew, and rising off the bench he sat on, he asked the grand vizier, who heard all that passed, what he thought of it. Indeed, commander of the true believers, answered the grand vizier Giafar, I am surprised to find so much sagacity in one so young.

But, answered the caliph, do you know one thing? I am to pronounce sentence in this very cause to-morrow; the true Ali Cogia presented his petition to me to-day; and do you think, continued he, that I can give a better sentence? I think not, answered the vizier, if the case is as the children represented it. Take notice then of this house, said the caliph, and bring the boy to me to-morrow, that he may try this cause in my presence; and also order the cady, who acquitted the roguish merchant, to attend, to learn his duty from a child. Take care likewise to bid Ali Cogia bring his jar of olives with him, and let two olive merchants be present. After this charge, he pursued his rounds, without meeting with any thing else worth his attention.

The next day the vizier went to the house where the caliph had been witness of the children’s play, and asked for the master of it; but he being abroad, his wife came to him. He asked her, if she had any children. To which she answered, she had three, and called them. My brave boys, said the vizier, which of you was the cady when you played together last night? The eldest made answer he was; but not knowing why he asked the question, coloured. Come along with me, my lad, said the grand vizier, the commander of the faithful wants to see you.

The mother was in a great fright when she saw the grand vizier would take her son with him, and asked him upon what account the caliph wanted him. The grand vizier encouraged her, and promised her that he should return again in less than an hour’s time, when she should know it from himself. If it be so, sir, said the mother, give me leave to dress him first, that he may be fit to appear before the commander of the faithful; which the vizier readily complied with.

As soon as the child was dressed, the vizier carried him away and presented him to the caliph at the time he had appointed to hear Ali Cogia and the merchant.

The caliph, who saw that the boy was dashed, to encourage him, said, Come to me, child, and tell me if it was you that determined the affair between Ali Cogia and the merchant that cheated him of his money? I saw and heard you, and am very well pleased with you. The boy answered modestly that it was he. Well, my son, replied the caliph, come and sit down by me, and you shall see the true Ali Cogia, and the true merchant.

Then the caliph took him by the hand, and set him on the throne by him, and asked for the two parties. When they were called, they came and prostrated themselves before the throne, bowing their heads quite down to the carpet that covered it. Afterwards the caliph said to them, Plead each of you your causes before this child, who will hear and do you justice; and if he should be at a loss, I will rectify it.

Ali Cogia and the merchant pleaded one after the other; but when the merchant proposed his oath as before, the child said, It is too soon; it is proper that we should see the jar of olives.

At these words, Ali Cogia presented the jar, placed it at the Caliph’s feet, and opened it. The caliph looked upon the olives, and took one and tasted it. Afterwards the merchants were called, who examined the olives, and reported that they were good, and of that year. The boy told them that Ali Cogia affirmed that it was seven years since he put them up; and they returned the same answer as the children, who represented them the night before.

Though the merchant who was accused saw plainly that these merchants’ opinions would condemn him, yet he would say something in his own justification. But the child, instead of ordering him to be hanged, looked at the caliph, and said, Commander of the faithful, this is no jesting matter; it is your majesty that must condemn him to death, and not me, though I did it yesterday in play.

The caliph, fully satisfied of the merchant’s villany, delivered him into the hands of the ministers of justice to be hanged. This sentence was executed upon him after he had confessed where he had hid the thousand pieces of gold, which were restored to Ali Cogia. Then the monarch, most just and equitable, turning to the cady, bid him learn of that child to acquit himself more exactly of his duty; and embracing the boy, sent him home with a purse of a hundred pieces of gold, as a token of his liberality.

The Story of the Enchanted Horse.

The Nevrouz, [101] or the new day, which is the first of the year and spring, is observed as an ancient and solemn feast throughout all Persia, which has been continued from the time of idolatry; and our prophet’s religion, pure as it is, and true as we hold it, has not been able to abolish that heathenish custom, and the superstitious ceremonies which are observed, not only in the great cities, but celebrated with extraordinary rejoicings in every little town, village and hamlet.

But the rejoicings are the most extraordinary at the court, for the variety of new and surprising sights, insomuch that strangers are invited from the neighbouring states, and the most remote parts, by rewards and liberality of the king towards those who are the most excellent in their invention and contrivance. In short, nothing in the rest of the world can come nigh them in magnificence.

One of these feast days, after the most ingenious artists of the country had repaired to Schiraz, where the court then resided, and had entertained the king and all the court with their sights, and had been bountifully and liberally rewarded according to their merit and to their satisfaction by the king, when the assembly was just breaking up, an Indian appeared at the foot of the throne with an artificial horse, richly bridled and saddled, and so well made, that at first sight he looked like a living horse.

The Indian prostrated himself before the throne, and pointing to the horse, said to the king, Though, sir, I present myself the last before your majesty, yet I can assure you that nothing that has been shown to-day is so wonderful as this horse, on which I beg your majesty will be pleased to cast your eyes. I see nothing more in the horse, said the king, but the natural resemblance the workman has given him, which the skill of another workman may do as well or better.

Sir, replied the Indian, it is not for his outward form and appearance that I recommend my horse to your majesty’s examination as wonderful, but the use I know how to make of him, and what any other person, when I have communicated the secret to him, may do as well. Whenever I mount him, be it where it will, if I wish to transport myself through the air to the most distant part of the world, I can do it in a very short time. This, sir, is the wonder of my horse, a wonder which nobody ever heard speak of, and which I offer to show your majesty, if you command me. [102]

The king of Persia, who was fond of every thing that was curious, and, after the many wonderful things he had seen and desired to see, had never seen nor heard any thing that came up to this, told the Indian that nothing but the experience of what he told should convince him; and that withal he was ready to see him perform what he promised.

The Indian presently put his foot into the stirrup, and mounted his horse with a great deal of activity; and when he had got the other foot into the stirrup, and had fixed himself in the saddle, he asked the king of Persia where he pleased to send him.

About three leagues from Schiraz there was a high mountain, discernible from the large square before the palace, where the king and his court, and a great concourse of people then were. Do you see that mountain? said the king, pointing to the hill; go to it, it is not a great way off, but it is far enough to judge of the haste you can make in going and coming. But because it is not possible for the eye to follow you so far, for a certain sign that you have been there, I expect that you will bring me a branch of a palm tree that grows at the bottom of the hill.

The king of Persia had no sooner declared his will, but the Indian turned a peg, which was in the hollow of the horse’s neck, just by the pommel of the saddle, and in an instant the horse rose off the ground, and carried his rider into the air like lightning to such a height, that those who had the strongest sight could not discern him, to the admiration of the king and all the spectators. Within less than a quarter of an hour they saw him come again with the palm branch in his hand; but before he came quite down, he took two or three turns in the air over the spot, amid the acclamations of all the people, then descended upon the same spot of ground whence he set off, without receiving the least shock from the horse to disorder him. He dismounted, and going up to the throne, prostrated himself, and laid the branch of the palm-tree at the king’s feet.

The king of Persia, who was an eye-witness, with no less admiration than astonishment of this unheard-of sight, which the Indian had exhibited, conceived a great desire to have the horse; and as he persuaded himself that he should not find it a difficult matter to treat with the Indian about him, for whatever sum of money he should value him at, he began to look upon him as the most valuable thing in his treasury. To judge of thy horse by his outward appearance, said he to the Indian, I did not think him so much worth my consideration. As you showed me his merits, I am obliged to you for undeceiving me; and to show you how much I esteem him, I will buy him of you, if he is to be sold.

Sir, replied the Indian, I never doubted that your majesty, who has the character of the most judicious prince on earth, would set a just value on my work as soon as I had shown you on what account he was worthy your attention. I also foresaw that you would not only admire and commend him, but would desire to have him. For my part, sir, though I know the true value of him, and that my being master of him will render my name immortal in the world, yet I am not so fond of him but I can resign him, to gratify that noble passion of your majesty; but in making this declaration, I have another to add, without which I cannot resolve to part with him, and perhaps you may not approve of it.

Your majesty will not be displeased, continued the Indian, if I tell you that I did not buy this horse, but obtained him of the inventor and maker, by giving him my only daughter in marriage, and promising at the same time never to sell him; but, if I parted with him, to exchange him for something that I should like.

The Indian would have gone on, but at the word exchange, the king of Persia interrupted him: I am willing, said he, to give you what you will ask in exchange. You know my kingdom is large, and contains many great, rich, and populous cities; I will give you the choice of which you like best, in full sovereignty for the rest of your life.

This exchange seemed royal and noble to the whole court, but was much below what the Indian proposed to himself, who had raised his thoughts much higher. I am infinitely obliged to your majesty for the offer you make me, answered he, and cannot thank you enough for your generosity; yet I must beg of you not to be angry with me, if I have the boldness to tell you, that I cannot resign to you my horse, but by receiving the hand of the princess your daughter as my wife: this is the only price at which I can give up my property in him.

The courtiers about the king of Persia could not forbear laughing aloud at this extravagant demand of the Indian; but the prince Firouz Schah, the king’s eldest son, and presumptive heir to the crown, could not bear it without indignation. The king was of a very different opinion, and thought he might sacrifice the princess of Persia to the Indian, to satisfy his curiosity. He remained, however, undetermined, considering what he should do.

Prince Firouz Schah, who saw his father hesitating what answer he should make, began to fear lest he should comply with the Indian’s demand, and looked upon it as not only injurious to the royal dignity and his sister, but also to himself; therefore, to anticipate his father, he said, Sir, I hope your majesty will forgive me for daring to ask you, if it is possible that your majesty should hesitate a moment about a denial to so insolent a demand from such an insignificant fellow, and scandalous juggler; and that you should give him reason to flatter himself a moment with being allied to one of the most powerful monarchs in the world? I beg of you to consider what you owe to yourself, and to your own blood, and the high rank of your ancestors.

Son, replied the king of Persia, I very much approve of your remonstrance, and am very sensible of your zeal for preserving the lustre of your noble birth; but you do not consider enough the excellence of this horse, nor that the Indian, if I should refuse him, may make the offer somewhere else, where this nice point of honour may be waved. I shall be in the utmost despair if another prince should boast of having exceeded me in generosity, and deprived me of the glory of possessing a horse, which I esteem as the most singular and wonderful thing in the world. I will not say I consent to grant him what he asked. Perhaps he has not made up his mind upon this exorbitant demand; and, putting my daughter the princess out of the question, I may make another agreement with him that will answer his purpose as well. But before I strike the bargain with him, I should be glad that you would examine the horse; try him yourself, and give me your opinion; I doubt not he will permit.

As it is natural for us to flatter ourselves in what we desire, the Indian fancied, by what he heard the king of Persia say, he was not entirely averse to his alliance, by taking the horse at his price; and that the prince, who, instead of being against it, might become more favourable to him, and not oppose the desire the king seemed to have; and to show he consented to it with a great deal of pleasure, he expressed much joy, ran before the prince to help him to mount, and showed him how to guide and manage the horse.

The prince mounted the horse with wonderful address, without the Indian assisting him; and no sooner had he got his feet in both stirrups, but, without staying for the Indian’s advice, he turned the peg he had seen him use, and mounted into the air as quick as an arrow shot out of a bow by the stoutest and most adroit archer; and in a few moments the king, court, and the numerous assembly, lost sight of him. Neither horse nor prince were to be seen; and the king of Persia made vain efforts to discern them: when the Indian, alarmed at what had happened, prostrated himself before the throne, and forced the king to look at him, and give attention to what he said. Sir, said he, your majesty yourself saw that the prince was so hasty, that he would not permit me to give him the necessary instructions to govern my horse. From what he saw me do, he would show that he wanted not my advice to set off. He was too willing to show his address, but knows not the way which I was going to show him, how to turn the horse about and bring it back again. Therefore, sir, the favour I ask of your majesty is, not to make me accountable for what accidents may befall him; you are too just to impute to me any misfortune that may attend him.

This discourse of the Indian very much surprised and afflicted the king of Persia, who saw the danger his son was in to be inevitable, if, as the Indian said, there was another secret to bring him back again, that was different from that which carried him away; and asked, in a passion, why he did not call him back the moment he went.

Sir, answered the Indian, your majesty saw as well as I with what swiftness the horse and the prince flew away. The surprise I was then, and still am in, deprived me of the use of my speech; and, if I could have spoken, he was got too far to hear me. If he had heard me, he knew not the secret to bring him back, which, through his impatience, he would not stay to learn. But, sir, added he, there is room to hope that the prince, when he finds himself at a loss, will perceive another peg, and, as soon as he turns that, the horse will cease to rise, and will descend to the ground, and he may turn him to what place he pleases by guiding him with the bridle.

Notwithstanding all these arguments of the Indian, which carried great appearance of probability, the king of Persia was terribly frightened at the evident danger his son was in. I suppose, replied he, it is very uncertain whether my son perceives the other peg, and makes a right use of it: may not the horse, instead of lighting on the ground, fall upon some rock, or tumble into the sea with him?

Sir, replied the Indian, I can deliver your majesty from this apprehension, by assuring you that the horse crosses seas without ever falling into them, and always carries his rider wherever he has a mind to go. And your majesty may assure yourself, that, if the prince does not find out the other peg which I mentioned, the horse will carry him where he pleases to go. It is not to be supposed he will go any where but where he can find assistance, and make himself known.

Be it as it will, replied the king of Persia, as I cannot depend upon the assurance you give me, your head shall answer for my son’s life, if he does not return safe and sound in three days’ time, or that I can certainly hear that he is alive. Then he ordered his officers to secure his person, and keep him close prisoner; after which he retired to his palace, extremely grieved that the feast of Nevrouz should afford him and his court so much sorrow.

In the mean time prince Firouz Schah was carried through the air with prodigious swiftness, as was said before; and in less than an hour’s time he had got so high, that he could not distinguish any thing on the earth, but mountains and plains seemed confounded together. It was then he began to think of returning from whence he came, and thought to do it by turning the same peg the contrary way, and pulling the bridle at the same time. But when he found that the horse still rose with the same swiftness, his astonishment was extremely great. He turned the peg several times, one way and the other, but all in vain. It was then he grew sensible of his fault, in not taking the necessary precautions to guide the horse, before he mounted him. He immediately apprehended the great danger he was in, but that apprehension did not deprive him of his reason. He examined the horse’s head and neck with great attention, and perceived behind the horse’s right ear another peg, smaller and less discernible than the other. He turned that peg, and presently perceived that he descended in the same oblique manner as he mounted, but not so swiftly.

Night had overshadowed almost half an hour that part of the earth over which the prince then was, when he found out and turned the small peg; and as the horse descended, he by degrees lost sight of the sun, till it grew quite dark; insomuch that, instead of choosing what place he would go to, he was forced to let the bridle lie upon the horse’s neck, and wait patiently till he alighted, though not without the dread lest it should be in the desert, a river, or the sea.

At last the horse alighted and stopped after midnight, and prince Firouz Schah dismounted, very faint and hungry, having eaten nothing since the morning when he came out of the palace with his father to assist at the festival. The first thing he had to do in the darkness of the night was to endeavour to find out where he was; when he found himself to be on the terrace of a magnificent palace, surrounded with a balustrade of white marble, breast high; and groping about, found a pair of stairs which led down into the palace, the door of which was half open.

None but prince Firouz Schah would have ventured to go down those stairs, so dark as it was, and in the danger he exposed himself to from friends or foes. But no consideration could stop him. I do not come, said he to himself, to do any body any harm; and certainly, whoever meets or sees me first, and finds that I have no arms in my hands, will not attempt any thing against my life, before they hear what I have to say for myself. After this reflection he opened the door wider, without making any noise, and went softly down the stairs, that he might not awaken any body; and when he came to a landing place on the staircase, he found the door of a great hall, that had a light in it, open.

The prince stopped at the door, and listening, heard no other noise than the snoring of some people who were fast asleep. He advanced a little into the room, and, by the light of a lantern, saw that those persons whom he heard snore were black eunuchs, with naked sabres laid by them; which was enough to inform him that this was the guard chamber of some queen or princess: which latter it proved to be.

In the next room to this the princess lay, as appeared by the light he saw, the door being open, through a thin silken curtain, which drew before the door-way, whither prince Firouz Schah advanced on tip-toe, without waking the eunuchs. He put by the curtain, and went in; and without staying to observe the magnificence of the chamber, which was what he did not much regard, he gave his attention to something of greater importance. He saw a great many beds; only one of them on a sofa, the rest on the floor. The princess lay in the first, and her women in the others.