During the reign of Caliph Harun al-Rashid, there lived in Baghdad a merchant named Ali Khwajah. He had a small stock of goods that he bought and sold, making a bare living. He lived alone in his family home, with no wife or children. One night, for three nights in a row, he dreamed of a venerable old man who said to him, "You must make a pilgrimage to Mecca. Why do you sleep, neglecting this sacred duty?" These dreams frightened him greatly. He sold his shop and all his goods, determined to visit the Holy House of Allah. He rented out his home and joined a caravan heading to Mecca. Before leaving Baghdad, he placed a thousand gold coins—extra money beyond what he needed for the journey—inside an earthen jar filled with asafiri olives. He sealed the jar and brought it to an old merchant friend, saying, "As you know, I am going on a pilgrimage to Mecca. I have brought you this jar of olives to keep safely for me until I return." The merchant stood up at once and handed Ali Khwajah the key to his warehouse, saying, "Here, take the key. Open the store and place the jar wherever you like.

When you return, you will find it exactly as you left it." Ali Khwajah did as his friend asked, locked the door, and returned the key. He loaded his travel goods on a camel and rode off with the caravan. They arrived in Mecca during the month of pilgrimage, when thousands of Muslims come to pray and perform rituals at the Sacred House. After completing all the pilgrimage ceremonies, Ali Khwajah opened a shop to sell his merchandise. Two merchants passed by and saw the fine goods in his shop. They praised the quality and beauty of everything. One said to the other, "This man has brought rare and costly goods. He could sell them for much more in Cairo than in this market." Hearing about Cairo, Ali Khwajah longed to visit that famous city. He gave up his plan to return to Baghdad and decided to go to Egypt instead. He joined another caravan. In Cairo, he was pleased with both the countryside and the city. He sold his merchandise at a good profit. He bought more goods to sell in Damascus but stayed in Cairo for a month, visiting holy places and sightseeing. Then he travelled to many famous cities along the Nile. Finally, he left Egypt and visited Jerusalem, where he prayed in the temple. From there he went to Damascus, which he found well-built and prosperous, with beautiful gardens full of flowers and fruits. He was so pleased with these places that he hardly thought of Baghdad. He did not hurry through his journey but spent time in Aleppo, Mosul, and Shiraz, especially the latter. After seven years of travelling, he finally returned to Baghdad.

—And as the morn began to dawn Shahrazad held her peace till

The end of the Six Hundred and Fortieth Night

Then she said, "Now let me tell you about the Baghdad merchant and his dishonesty. For seven long years, he never once thought of Ali Khwajah or the trust he had been given. Then one day, as he and his wife sat eating their evening meal, they began talking about olives. She said, 'I would like to have some olives to eat.' He replied, 'Speaking of that, I suddenly remember that Ali Khwajah who went on a pilgrimage to Mecca seven years ago left a jar of olives with me to keep, and it still takes up space

Ali Khwajah and the Merchant of Baghdad. 249 the storehouse. Who knows where he is or what has happened to him? A man who lately returned with the Hajj caravan brought me word that Ali Khwajah had left Mecca with the intent to journey on to Egypt. Allah Almighty alone knows if he still lives or is now dead. However, if his olives are in good condition, I will go fetch some here that we may taste them. So give me a platter and a lamp that I may fetch you some of them." His wife, an honest and upright woman, replied, "Allah forbid that you should do such a base deed and break your word and covenant. Who can tell? You are not assured of his death. Perhaps he may come back from Egypt safe and sound tomorrow or the day after. Then, if you cannot deliver unharmed to him what he has left in pledge, you will be ashamed of your broken faith, and we shall be disgraced before others and dishonoured in the presence of your friend. I will not have any hand in such meanness nor will I taste the olives. Furthermore, it stands to reason that after seven years' keeping they should not be fit to eat. I implore you to abandon this ill purpose."

In this way the merchant's wife protested and begged her husband not to meddle with Ali Khwajah's olives, and she shamed him so that for the time being he set the matter aside. However, though the merchant refrained that evening from taking Ali Khwajah's olives, he kept the design in mind. One day, moved by his obstinacy and unfaith, he resolved to carry out his plan. He rose and walked toward the storehouse with a dish in hand. By chance he met his wife, who said, "I am no partner in this ill action. In truth, some evil will befall you if you do such a deed." He heard her but paid her no heed. Going to the storehouse, he opened the jar and found the olives spoiled and white with mould. But as he tilted up the jar and poured some of its contents into the dish, he suddenly saw an Ashrafi fall from the vessel along with the fruit. Then, filled with greed, he emptied all that was within into another jar and marvelled greatly to find the lower half full of golden coins. Presently, setting aside the money and the olives, he closed the vessel. Going back, he said to his wife, "You spoke truth, for I have examined the jar and found the fruit mouldy and foul of smell. So I returned it to its place and left it as it was before." That night the merchant could not sleep a wink, thinking of the gold and how he might lay hands upon it.

When morning came, he took out all the Ashrafis. He bought some fresh olives in the bazaar, filled up the jar with them, closed it, and set it in its usual place. By God's mercy, at the end of the month Ali Khwajah returned safe and sound to Baghdad. He first went to his old friend—the merchant—who greeted him with feigned joy and fell upon his neck. But the merchant was also deeply troubled and perplexed about what might happen. After greetings and much rejoicing on both sides, Ali Khwajah addressed the merchant on business and begged that he might take back his jar of asafiri olives which he had placed in his friend's safekeeping. The merchant said to Ali Khwajah, "O my friend, I do not know exactly where you left your jar of olives, but here is the key. Go down to the storehouse and take all that is yours." Ali Khwajah did as he was bidden and, carrying the jar from the storehouse, took his leave and hastened home. But when he opened the vessel and found the gold coins missing, he was distracted and overwhelmed with grief. He made bitter lamentation. Then he returned to the merchant and said, "O my friend, Allah, the All-Present and the All-Seeing, be my witness.

When I went on my pilgrimage to Mecca the Magnified, I left a thousand Ashrafis in that jar, and now I find them not. Can you tell me anything concerning them? If you in your sore need have made use of them, it matters not—only give them back to me as soon as you are able." The merchant, apparently pitying him, said, "O good my friend, you yourself placed the jar inside the storehouse with your own hand. I knew not that you had anything in it save olives. Yet as you did leave it, so in like manner did you find it and carry it away. Now you charge me with theft of Ashrafis. It seems strange—passing strange—that you should make such an accusation. When you left, you made no mention of any money in the jar, only that it was full of olives, even as you have found it. Had you left gold coins within it, then surely you would have recovered them." At this Ali Khwajah begged hard with much entreaty, saying, "Those thousand Ashrafis were all I owned—the money earned by years of toil. I beseech you, have pity on my case and give them back to me." The merchant, growing angry with great wrath, said, "O my friend, a fine fellow you are to talk of honesty and to make such a false and lying charge! Begone! Leave my house and come not again!

Ali Khwajah and the Merchant of Baghdad. 251 for now I know you for what you are—a swindler and an impostor." Hearing this dispute between Ali Khwajah and the merchant, all the people of the quarter came crowding to the shop.

—And as the morn began to dawn Shahrazad held her peace till

The end of the Six Hundred and Forty first Night

Then she said, "I have heard that the multitude which thronged about the merchant's shop warmly took up the matter. Thus it became well known to all, rich and poor, within the city of Baghdad, how Ali Khwajah had hidden a thousand Ashrafis within a jar of olives and had placed it on trust with a certain merchant. Moreover, they learned how, after his pilgrimage to Mecca and seven years of travel, the poor man had returned, and how the rich man had denied his claim about the gold and was ready to swear that he had not received any such trust. At length, when nothing else availed, Ali Khwajah was constrained to bring the matter before the Kazi and to claim one thousand Ashrafis from his false friend. The Judge asked, 'What witnesses have you who may speak for you?' The plaintiff answered, 'O my lord the Kazi, I feared to tell the matter to any man lest all come to know of my secret. Allah Almighty is my sole testimony. This merchant was my friend, and I did not reckon that he would prove dishonest and unfaithful.' The Judge said, 'Then I must needs send for the merchant and hear what he says on oath.'

When the defendant came, they made him swear by all he deemed holy, facing toward the Ka'abah with hands uplifted. He cried, 'I swear that I know nothing of any Ashrafis belonging to Ali Khwajah.' At this, the Kazi pronounced him innocent and dismissed him from court. Ali Khwajah went home sad at heart and said to himself, 'Alas, what justice is this which has been meted out to me, that I should lose my money and my just cause be deemed unjust! It has been truly said, He who loses the law who sues before a knave.' On the next day he drew out a statement of his case. As the Caliph Harun al-Rashid was on his way to Friday prayers, Ali Khwajah fell down before him and presented the paper to him. The Commander of the Faithful read the petition and, having understood the case, gave this order: "Tomorrow bring the accuser and the accused to the audience hall and place the petition before my presence, for I myself will enquire into this matter." That night the Prince of True Believers, as was his custom, donned a disguise to walk about the squares and streets and lanes of Baghdad. Accompanied by Ja'afar the Barmaki and Masrur the Sworder of his vengeance, he proceeded to see what was happening in the city. Immediately upon going forth, he came upon an open place in the bazaar. He heard the hubbub of children at play and saw at no great distance about ten or a dozen boys making sport amongst themselves in the moonlight. He stopped awhile to watch their diversion.

Then one of the lads, a goodly and fair-complexioned boy, said to the others, "Come now and let us play the game of Kazi. I will be the Judge. Let one of you be Ali Khwajah, and another be the merchant with whom he placed the thousand Ashrafis in pledge before going on his pilgrimage. Come before me and let each one plead his case." When the Caliph heard the name of Ali Khwajah, he remembered the petition which had been presented to him for justice against the merchant. He decided to wait and see how the boy would perform the part of judge in their game and what decision he would reach. So the Prince watched the mock trial with keen interest, saying to himself, "This case has truly made such a stir within the city that even the children know of it and act it out in their sports." Presently, the lad who took the part of Ali Khwajah the plaintiff and his playmate who represented the merchant of Baghdad, accused of theft, advanced and stood before the boy who sat as the Kazi in pomp and dignity. The Judge said, "O Ali Khwajah, what is your claim against this merchant?"

The complainant presented his charge in full detail. Then the Kazi said to the boy who acted merchant, "What do you answer to this complaint? Why did you not return the gold pieces?" The accused made reply even as the real defendant had done, denying the charge before the Judge and professing himself ready to swear to it. Then the boy Kazi said, "Before you swear on oath that you have not taken the money, I would like to see for myself the jar of olives which the plaintiff deposited with you on trust." Then, turning to the boy who represented Ali Khwajah, he cried, "Go you and instantly produce the jar that I may inspect it." When the vessel

Ali Khwajah and the Merchant of Baghdad. 253 was brought, the Kazi said to the two disputants, "See now and tell me: is this the very jar which you, the plaintiff, left with the defendant?" Both answered that it was one and the same. Then the self-appointed Judge said, "Open now the jar and bring some of its contents here that I may see the state in which the asafiri olives actually are." After tasting the fruit, he said, "How is this? I find their flavour is fresh and their condition excellent. Surely during seven months the olives would have become mouldy and rotten. Bring now before me two oil merchants of the town that they may give their opinion upon them." Two of the other boys assumed the roles commanded and, coming into court, stood before the Kazi, who asked, "Are you olive merchants by trade?" They answered, "We are, and this has been our calling for many generations. In buying and selling olives we earn our daily bread." Then the Kazi said, "Tell me now, how long do olives keep fresh and well-flavoured?" They replied, "O my lord, however carefully we keep them, after the third year they change flavour and colour and become no longer fit for food. In fact, they are good only to be cast away." Thereupon the boy Kazi said, "Examine these olives that are in this jar and tell me how old they are and what is their condition and savour."

—And as the morn began to dawn Shahrazad held her peace till

The end of the Six Hundred and Forty second Night

Then she said, "I have heard that the two boys who played the parts of oil merchants pretended to take some berries from the jar and taste them. Presently, they said, 'O our lord the Kazi, these olives are in fair condition and full-flavoured.' The Kazi said, 'You speak falsely, for it is seven years since Ali Khwajah put them in the jar as he was about to go on his pilgrimage.' They replied, 'Say whatever you will—these olives are of this year's growth, and there is not an oil merchant in all Baghdad who will not agree with us.' Moreover, the accused was made to taste and smell the fruits, and he could not help but admit that it was even as they had said. Then the boy Kazi said to the boy defendant, 'It is clear you are a rogue and a rascal, and you have done a deed for which you richly deserve the gibbet.' Hearing this, the children frisked about and clapped their hands with glee and gladness. Then, seizing hold of him who acted as the merchant of Baghdad, they led him off as to execution. The Commander of the Faithful, Harun al-Rashid, was greatly pleased at the acuteness of the boy who had assumed the part of judge in the play. He commanded his Wazir Ja'afar, saying, "Mark well the lad who enacted the Kazi in this mock trial and see that you produce him on the morrow. He shall try the case in my presence substantially and in real earnest, even as we have heard him deal with it in play. Summon also the Kazi of this city that he may learn the administration of justice from this child. Moreover, send word to Ali Khwajah, bidding him bring with him the jar of olives, and have also in readiness two oil merchants of the town."

As they walked along, the Caliph gave orders to the Wazir, and then returned to his palace. On the morrow, Ja'afar the Barmaki went to that quarter of the town where the children had enacted the mock trial. He asked the schoolmaster where his scholars might be, and he answered, "They have all gone away, each to his home." So the minister visited the houses pointed out to him and ordered the little ones to appear in his presence. Accordingly, they were brought before him. He said to them, "Who amongst you is he that last night acted the part of Kazi in play and passed sentence in the case of Ali Khwajah?" The eldest replied, "It was I, O my lord the Wazir." Then he grew pale, not knowing why the question was put. The Minister cried, "Come along with me. The Commander of the Faithful has need of you." At this the mother of the lad was sorely afraid and wept. But Ja'afar comforted her and said, "O my lady, have no fear and trouble not yourself. Your son will soon return to you in safety, God willing—and I think the Sultan will show much favour unto him."

The woman's heart was heartened on hearing these words from the Wazir. She joyfully dressed her boy in his best attire and sent him off with the Wazir, who led him by the hand to the Caliph's audience hall and executed all the other commandments that had been issued by his liege lord. Then the Commander of the Faithful, having taken his seat upon the throne of justice, set the boy upon a seat beside him. As soon as the contending parties appeared before him—that is, Ali Khwajah and the merchant of Baghdad—he commanded them to state each man his case in the presence of the child who should adjudge the suit. So the two, plaintiff and defendant, recounted their contention before the boy in full detail. When the accused stoutly denied the charge and was about to swear on oath that what he said was true, with hands uplifted and facing toward the Ka'abah, the child Kazi prevented him, saying, "Enough! Swear not on oath until you are bidden. First, let the jar of olives be produced in court." Immediately the jar was brought forward and placed before him. Then they did likewise and declared how old was the fruit and whether its savour was good or bad. They did as he bade and said, "The flavour of these olives has not changed, and they are of this year's growth."

Then the boy said, "I think you are mistaken, for seven years ago Ali Khwajah put the olives into the jar. How then could fruit of this year find their way within it?" But they replied, "It is even as we say. If you believe not our words, send at once for other oil merchants and make enquiry of them, so will you know if we speak truth or lies." But when the merchant of Baghdad saw that he could no longer hope to prove his innocence, he confessed everything—how he had taken out the Ashrafis and filled the jar with fresh olives. Hearing this, the boy said to the Prince of True Believers, "O gracious sovereign, last night in play we tried this cause. But you alone have power to apply the penalty. I have adjudged the matter in your presence, and I humbly pray that you punish this merchant according to the law of the Koran and the custom of the Apostle, and decree the restoring of his thousand gold pieces to Ali Khwajah, for he has been proved entitled to them."

—And as the morn began to dawn Shahrazad held her peace till

The end of the Six Hundred and Forty third Night

Then she said, "I have heard that the Caliph ordered the merchant of Baghdad to be taken away and hanged. But first, the merchant had to make known where he had put the thousand Ashrafis, so that these should be restored to their rightful owner, Ali Khwajah. The Prince of True Believers also turned to the Kazi who had hastily adjudged the case and bade him learn from the lad to do his duty more sedulously and conscientiously. Moreover, the Prince of True Believers embraced the boy and ordered that the Wazir give him a thousand pieces of gold from the royal treasury and conduct him safely to his home and parents. And after, when the lad grew to manhood, the Commander of the Faithful made him one of his cup companions, furthered his fortunes, and ever treated him with the highest honour. But when Queen Shahrazad had ended the story of Ali Khwajah and the merchant of Baghdad, she said, "Now I would relate a more excellent history than any, should you be pleased to hear what I have to say." King Shahryar replied, "By God! What an admirable tale is this you have told. My ears long to hear another as rare and commendable." So Shahrazad began directly to recount the adventures of