Ali Khoja and Merchant of Baghdad

In the reign of Haroun-ul-Rashid, there lived in Bagdad a merchant named Ali Khoja. He was a bachelor and was contented with the modest profits produced by his trade. He had spent some years quite happily in the house his father had left him. One night he dreamt that an old man had appeared to him, and reproached him for having neglected the duty of a good Muslim, in delaying his pilgrimage to Mecca. Ali Khoja was much troubled by this dream, as he was unwilling to give up his shop, and lose all his customers.

Finally, he resolved to go on a journey to Mecca. The first thing he did was to sell his furniture and the wares he had in his shop. The only matter he could not settle satisfactorily was the safe custody of a thousand pieces of gold which he wished to leave behind him.

After some thought, Ali Khoja hit upon a plan. He took a large vase, and placing the money in the bottom of it, filled up the rest with olives. After corking the vase tightly down, he carried it to one of his trusted friends and told him:

"My brother, you have probably heard that I am going to Mecca. I have come to ask whether you would do me the favor to keep this vase of olives for me till I come back?"

The merchant replied readily, "Look, this is the key of my shop: take it, and put the vase wherever you like. I promise that you shall find it in the same place on your return."

A few days later, Ali Khoja mounted the camel that he had laden with merchandise, joined the caravan, and arrived in due time at Mecca. Like the other pilgrims he visited the sacred Mosque, and after all his religious duties were performed, he set out his goods to the best advantage, hoping to gain some customers among the passers-by.

Very soon two merchants stopped before the pile, and when they had turned it over, one said to the other:

"If this man was wise he would take these things to Cairo, where he would get a much better price than he is likely to do here."

Ali Khoja heard the words, and lost no time in following the advice. He packed up his wares, and instead of returning to Bagdad, joined a caravan that was going to Cairo. The results of the journey gladdened his heart. He sold off everything almost directly, and bought a stock of Egyptian curiosities, which he intended selling at Damascus; but as the caravan with which he would have to travel would not be starting for another six weeks, he took advantage of the delay to visit the Pyramids, and some of the cities along the banks of the Nile.

Now the attractions of Damascus so fascinated the worthy Ali, that he could hardly tear himself away, but at length he remembered that he had a home in Bagdad.

On way home, Ali Khoja decided to go to India, and so it came to pass that seven years had slipped by since he had left Bagdad, and during all that time the friend with whom he had left the vase of olives had never once thought of him or of it. In fact, it was only a month before Ali Khoja actually returned home that the friend’s wife remarked one day, that it was a long time since she had eaten any olives, and would like some.

"That reminds me," said the husband, "that before Ali Khoja went to Mecca seven years ago, he left a vase of olives in my care. But really by this time he must be dead, and there is no reason we should not eat the olives if we like. Give me a light, and I will fetch them and see how they taste."

"My husband," answered the wife, "beware, I pray, of your doing anything so base! Supposing seven years have passed without news of Ali Khoja, he need not be dead for all that, and may come back any day. How shameful it would be to have to confess that you had betrayed your trust and broken the seal of the vase! Pay no attention to my idle words, I really have no desire for olives now. And probably after all this while they are no longer good. I have a feeling that Ali Khoja will return, and what will he think of you? Give it up, I pray."

The merchant, however, refused to listen to her advice, sensible though it was. He took a light and a dish and went into his shop.

"If you will be so determined," said his wife, "I cannot help it; but do not blame me if it turns out ill."

When the merchant opened the vase he found the topmost olives were rotten, and in order to see if the under ones were in better condition he shook some out into the dish. As they fell out a few of the gold pieces fell out too.

The sight of the money roused all the merchant's greed. He looked into the vase, and saw that all the bottom was filled with gold. He then replaced the olives and returned to his wife.

"My wife," he said, as he entered the room, "you were quite right; the olives are rotten, and I have put the lid of the vase so well that Ali Khoja will never know it has been touched."

"You would have done better to believe me," replied the wife. "I trust that no harm will come of it."

The merchant spent the whole night in wondering how he could manage to keep the gold if Ali Khoja  should come back and claim his vase. Very early next morning he went out and bought fresh new olives; he then threw away the old ones, took out the gold and hid it, and filled up the vase with the olives he had bought. This done he again lid the vase and put it in the same place where it had been left by Ali Khoja.

A month later Ali Khoja returned Bagdad. The following day he set out to see his friend the merchant, who received him with open arms and many expressions of surprise. After a few moments given to inquiries Ali Khoja begged the merchant to hand him over the vase that he had taken care of for so long.

"Oh certainly," said he, "I am only glad I could be of use to you in the matter. Here is the key of my shop; you will find the vase in the place where you put it."

Ali Khoja fetched his vase and carried it home. He opened the jar. He thrust down his hand but could feel no money, but still was persuaded it must be there. So he got some plates and vessels and emptied out the olives. To no purpose. The gold was not there. The poor man was dumb with horror, then, lifting up his hands, he exclaimed, "Can my old friend really have committed such a crime?"

In great haste he went back to the house of the merchant. "My friend," he cried, "you will be astonished to see me again, but I can find nowhere in this vase a thousand pieces of gold that I placed in the bottom under the olives. Perhaps you may have taken a loan of them for your business purposes; if that is so you are most welcome. I will only ask you to give me a receipt, and you can pay the money at your leisure."

The merchant, who had expected something of the sort, had his reply all ready. "Ali Khoja," he said, "when you brought me the vase of olives did I ever touch it?"

"I gave you the key of my shop and you put it yourself where you liked, and did you not find it in exactly the same spot and in the same state? If you placed any gold in it, it must be there still. I know nothing about that; you only told me there were olives. You can believe me or not, but I have not laid a finger on the vase."

Ali Khoja still tried every means to persuade the merchant to admit the truth. "I love peace," he said, "and shall deeply regret having to resort to harsh measures. Once more, think of your reputation. I shall be in despair if you oblige me to call in the aid of the law."

"Ali Khoja," answered the merchant, "you allow that it was a vase of olives you placed in my charge. You fetched it and removed it yourself, and now you tell me it contained a thousand pieces of gold, and that I must restore them to you! Did you ever say anything about them before? Why, I did not even know that the vase had olives in it! Yon never showed them to me. I wonder you have not demanded pearls or diamonds. Retire, I pray you, lest a crowd should gather in front of my shop."

By this time not only the casual passers-by, but also the neighboring merchants, were standing round, listening to the dispute, and trying every now and then to settle matters between them. But at the merchant's last words Ali Khoja resolved to lay the cause of the quarrel before them, and told them the whole story. They heard him to the end, and inquired of the merchant what he had to say.

The accused man admitted that he had kept Ali Khoja’s vase in his shop; but he denied having touched it, and swore that as to what it contained he only knew what Ali Khoja had told him, and called them all to witness the insult that had been put upon him.

"You have brought it on yourself," said Ali Khoja, taking him by the arm, "and as you appeal to the law, the law you shall have! Let us see if you will dare to repeat your story before the Qazi."

Now as a good Mussulman the merchant was forbidden to refuse this choice of a judge, so he accepted the test, and said to Ali Khoja, "Very well; I should like nothing better. We shall soon see which of us is in the right."

So the two men presented themselves before the Qazi, and Ali Khoja again repeated his tale. The Qazi asked what witnesses he had. Ali Khoja replied that he had not taken this precaution, as he had considered the man his friend, and up to that time had always found him honest.

The merchant, on his side, stuck to his story, and offered to swear solemnly that not only had he never stolen the thousand gold pieces, but that he did not even know they were there. The Qazi allowed him to take the oath, and pronounced him innocent.

Ali Khoja, furious at having to suffer such a loss, protested against the verdict, declaring that he would appeal to the Caliph, Haroun-al-Rashid, himself. But the Qazi paid no attention to his threats, and was quite satisfied that he had done what was right.

Judgment being given the merchant returned home triumphant, and Ali Khoja went back to his inn to draw up a petition to the Caliph. The next morning he placed himself on the road along which the Caliph must pass after mid-day prayer, and stretched out his petition to the officer who walked before the Caliph, whose duty it was to collect such things, and on entering the palace to hand them to his master. There Haroun-al-Rashid studied them carefully.

Knowing this custom, Ali Khoja followed the Caliph into the public hall of the palace, and waited the result. After some time the officer appeared, and told him that the Caliph had read his petition, and had appointed an hour the next morning to give him audience. He then inquired the merchant's address, so that he might be summoned to attend also.

That very evening, the Caliph, with his grand-vizir,  and, chief of the eunuchs, all three disguised, as was their habit, went out to take a stroll through the town.

Going down one street, the Caliph's attention was attracted by a noise, and looking through a door which opened into a court he saw ten or twelve children playing in the moonlight. He hid himself in a dark corner, and watched them.

"Let us play at being the Qazi," said the brightest and quickest of them all; "I will be the Qazi. Bring before me Ali Khoja, and the merchant who robbed him of the thousand pieces of gold."

The boy's words recalled to the Caliph the petition he had read that morning, and he waited with interest to see what the children would do.

The suggestion was welcomed with joy by the other children, who had heard a great deal of talk about the matter, and they quickly settled the part each one was to play. The Qazi took his seat seriously, and an officer introduced first Ali Khoja, the accuser, and then the merchant who was the culprit.

Ali Khoja made a low bow, and pleaded his cause point by point; concluding by pleading the Qazi not to impose on him such a heavy loss.

The Qazi having heard his case, turned to the merchant, and inquired why he had not repaid Ali Khoja the sum in question.

The false merchant repeated the reasons that the real merchant had given to the Qazi of Bagdad, and also offered to swear that he had told the truth.

"Stop a moment!" said the little Qazi, "before we come to oaths, I should like to examine the vase with the olives. Ali Khoja," he added, "have you got the vase with you?" and finding he had not, the Qazi continued, "Go and get it, and bring it to me."

So Ali Khoja disappeared for an instant, and then pretended to lay a vase at the feet of the Qazi, declaring it was his vase, which he had given to the accused for safe custody; and in order to be quite correct, the Qazi asked the merchant if he recognized it as the same vase. By his silence the merchant admitted the fact, and the Qazi then ordered to have the vase opened. Ali Khoja made a movement as if he was taking off the lid, and the little Qazi on his part made a trick of looking into a vase.

"What beautiful olives!" he said, "I should like to taste one," and pretending to put one in his mouth, he added, "they are really excellent!"

"But," he went on, "it seems to me odd that olives seven years old should be as good as that! Send for some dealers in olives, and let us hear what they say!"

Two children were presented to him as olive merchants, and the Qazi addressed them. "Tell me," he said, "how long can olives be kept so as to be pleasant eating?"

"My lord," replied the merchants, "however much care is taken to preserve them, they never last beyond the third year. They lose both taste and color, and are only fit to be thrown away."

"If that is so," answered the little Qazi, "examine this vase, and tell me how long the olives have been in it."

The olive merchants pretended to examine the olives and taste them; then reported to the Qazi that they were fresh and good.

"You are mistaken," said he, "Ali Khoja declares he put them in that vase seven years ago."

"My lord," returned the olive merchants, "we can assure you that the olives are those of the present year. And if you consult all the merchants in Bagdad you will not find one to give a different opinion."

The accused merchant opened his mouth as if to protest, but the Qazi gave him no time. "Be silent," he said, "you are a thief. Take him away and hang him." So the game ended, the children clapping their hands in applause, and leading the criminal away to be hanged.

Haroun-al-Rashid was lost in astonishment at the wisdom of the child, who had given so wise a verdict on the case which he himself was to hear on the next day. "Is there any other verdict possible?" he asked the grand-vizir, who was as much impressed as himself. "I can imagine no better judgment."

"If the circumstances are really such as we have heard," replied the grand-vizir, "it seems to me your Highness could only follow the example of this boy, in the method of reasoning, and also in your conclusions."

"Then take careful note of this house," said the Caliph, "and bring me the boy to-morrow, so that the affair may be tried by him in my presence. Summon also the Qazi, to learn his duty from the mouth of a child. Bid Ali Khoja bring his vase of olives, and see that two dealers in olives are present." So saying the Caliph returned to the palace.

The next morning early, the grand-vizir went back to the house where they had seen the children playing, and asked for the mistress and her children. Three boys appeared, and the grand-vizir inquired which had represented the Qazi in their game of the previous evening. The eldest and tallest, changing color, confessed that it was he, and to his mother's great alarm, the grand-vizir said that he had strict orders to bring him into the presence of the Caliph.

"Does he want to take my son from me?" cried the poor woman; but the grand-vizir hastened to calm her, by assuring her that she should have the boy again in an hour, and she would be quite satisfied when she knew the reason of the summons. So she dressed the boy in his best clothes, and the two left the house.

When the grand-vizir presented the child to the Caliph, he was a little awed and confused, and the Caliph proceeded to explain why he had sent for him. "Approach, my son," he said kindly. "I think it was you who judged the case of Ali Khoja and the merchant last night? I overheard you by chance, and was very pleased with the way you conducted it. To-day you will see the real Ali Khoja and the real merchant. Seat yourself at once next to me."

The Caliph being seated on his throne with the boy next him, the parties to the suit were accompanied in. One by one they prostrated themselves, and touched the carpet at the foot of the throne with their foreheads. When they rose up, the Caliph said: "Now speak. This child will give you justice, and if more should be wanted I will see to it myself."

Ali Khoja and the merchant pleaded one after the other, but when the merchant offered to swear the same oath that he had taken before the Qazi, he was stopped by the child, who said that before this was done he must first see the vase of olives.

At these words, Ali Khoja presented the vase to the Caliph, and uncovered it. The Caliph took one of the olives, tasted it, and ordered the expert merchants to do the same. They pronounced the olives good, and fresh that year. The boy informed them that Ali Khoja declared it was seven years since he had placed them in the vase; to which they returned the same answer as the children had done.

The accused merchant saw by this time that his blame was certain, and tried to allege something in his defense. The boy had too much sense to order him to be hanged, and looked at the Caliph, saying, "Commander of the Faithful, this is not a game now; it is for your Highness to condemn him to death and not for me."

Then the Caliph, convinced that the man was a thief, bade them take him away and hang him, which was done, but not before he had admitted his guilt and the place in which he had hidden Ali Khoja's money. The Caliph ordered the Qazi to learn how to deal out justice from the mouth of a child, and sent the boy home, with a purse containing a hundred pieces of gold as a mark of his favor.

A Story from Arabian Nights -