When Alexander The Great Met The Chief of A Forest Tribe in Central Asia

Sham S. Misri

(Hashim And Qassim are the two Tribesmen)

[The house of the chief of a tribe in the forest in Central Asia. The chief and his guest, Alexander the Great, are sitting together to eat their dinner. Dates made of gold have been served on a plate to Alexander. He looks at them and feels them and is surprised.]

Alexander:    Do you eat golden dates here?

Chief:                          No, we don’t. We eat the natural dates. We’ve plenty of them of here.

Alexander: Then why do you give me these golden dates to eat?

Chief:                          I thought you were not satisfied with the natural fruits which grew in your country and were killing people of other lands to get golden fruit.

Alexander: {feeling ashamed} : I don’t want any  gold from      you. Please let me eat what you’re eating.

Chief: Very well, you can have the natural dates which l eat every day. [Serves him the natural dates from a basket.]

Alexander: Please tell me about the life of your people.

Chief: You’ll soon know something about it. Let’s finish     our dinner first.

[When they have finished their dinner,  two tribesmen named Hashim and Qassim enter and stand in front of their chief. The plates and the basket of dates is removed by a servant and the chief nods to the two men]

Hashim: Sir, I brought a piece of land from this man. When I Ploughed it, I found two bagful’s of gold  under the soil. I took the gold to this man but he refused to take it. Sir, I bought the piece of land only, not the gold in it. How can I keep this gold?

Qassim: Chief, this man is not all fair to me. When I’ve sold the piece of land to him, how can I take what he finds in it? Today he’s asking me to take the gold which he has found under the soil ;tomorrow he may ask me take the fruit which he grows on it. No, no, I can’t take what does not belong me.

Alexander: { softly to himself} : I’ve never heard such a case before in my life. Let me see how the old man decides it.

Chief { to Hashim} : You have an only son, haven’t you?

Hashim: Yes , chief , I have.

Chief {to Qassim}: And you have an only daughter. Am I right?

Qassim: Yes, sir, you are right.

Chief: Then the solution is very easy. Go and give your daughter in marriage to Hashim’s son and let the gold be a dowry to the couple. Do you both agree?

Hashim & Qassim: We agree, sir.

[Hashim and Qasim go out. Alexander is amazed]

Chief: How do you like my decision, great conqueror?

Alexander: How do I Iike it? I must say I’m amazed. I’ve  never seem such a thing happen before.

Chief: How is such a thing decided in your country?

Alexander: Such a case is not possible in my country. I must say I’m confused.

Chief: Well, let me ask you a few more questions. They may help to clear your mind. Does the sun shine in your country?

Alexander: What a question! The sun shines all over the world. It shines in my country as it shines here.

Chief: And does the rain fall in your land?

Alexander: Yes, it does. We have plenty of rain and sunshine in our country.

Chief: Wonderful! There are many gentle, harmless animals in your country, aren’t there?

Alexander: There are. But, why do you ask these funny questions?

Chief: My questions aren’t funny, sir. I was wondering why the sun shines and the rain falls in a country where the ruler is so confused. I have got the answer now. The sun shines and the rain falls there for the sake of those gentle animals.

Alexander: I don’t know why the sun shines and the rain falls in my country, but I have learnt a great lesson today, and I thank you for it.