The Caledonian. [volume] (St. Johnsbury, Vt.) 1837-1867, 1854-08-05
ST. JOiNSBURY, VT. SATURDAY, AUGUST 5 1854

rOun Al lRaschld. was four or five times as
much as it is nowadays. Thus they liv-
ed togetL er for several weeks, the wood cut
ter going to the forest every day, anG payin.
his gains every night into the hands of Zu-
b"ydch. who kept his miserable house clean
and comfortable, and prepared his food
She managed things with 30 much economy
that She was enabled to save two paras eve
rv day, out of the piastrc which he gave her.
When she had amasscd twenty piastrcs in
this way. she gave them to the wood-cut:cr,
saving: "Go now to the market and buy
thee an ass with this money. Thou canst
thus bring home twice as much wood as be-
fore, and the ass can su5Sst upon the grass
which he finds in the forest, and which costs
thee nothing" "Bv Allah" exclaimed the
wood-cuttcr: "thou art wonderful woman,
and will obey thee in every tEing."
He forthwith did as Zubcylrh ordered,
and he was now enabled to give her three
or four piaStrcs every evening. She pre-
>cntcd him with more decent garment and
added butter to his pillau of rice, bat still
preserved such stlict economy, that in a
short time he was master of three asses instead
of one. and was Obliged to hire man to
assist him, in cuttin. wood One evening as
the asses came home with their loads. w.
hcvdch remarked that the wood gave out a
grateful fragrance. like that Of musk or am
hcrgris. aud upon examining it more closely,
She found that 1t was most precious article
in fact. that it bal been cut from one of
those spicy trees which srranr up where the
tears of Adam fel! upon the earth, as he be-
walled his expulsion from Paradise. For at
that time the Juices of the fruits of Paradise
still r, manned in his body. and his tears were
tlavorcd hv thcm-whlcl was the cause of
all the spices that grow in the lands OF Screen
dlhand India. Zubcydch asked of the wood
cutter: ITO whom lo>t then sci! this wood ="
and from Lis answer. she tonnd that it was
all purchased hv some Jewish mcr, haut>, " no
cave him no more for 1t than for the common
wood with which she cooked her rice The
accur>cd Jews" she exclaimed: 30 thou to
them Immediately. and threaten to accuse
them before the Cn!i of dctraudinga a son OF
the Faith. unless they agree TO pay thee for
this wood hcncctorth. twelve times as much As
they have paid before,
The man los, no time in visiting the Jewish
merchants, who, ,whcn ,hcv saw tha, their fraud
had been discovered, were greatly alarmed.
and Immediately agreed to pay him al tla, he
demanded. The wood-cuttcr row hrou-ht
home every night three donkey loads Of the
prcciou> wood, and pald to Zuhry'lch from
one to two hundred pa>trc>. She was soon
able to purchase better house. where she
not only gave the man more nouri>hinr food.
but sent for a teacher to instruct him how 10
read and write. He had so improved in ap-
pcarancc by this time. and had proitcd 50
we'll hv the wise conversation Of Iuhcvlch.
that he was quite like another person and
those who had known him in his poverty no
longer recognized him. For this reason. the
Caliph. who soon rcpcntcd Of his anger to-
wards Zulrvdrh and made every effort to
recover her. was unable to find any trace of
him. Mr>rour sought day and night through
the streets of Bachdad, but as Zubcv'lch new
cr left the woodcuttcr's house. all his search
was in vain, and the Caliph was like one
distracted.
One dav. as the wood-cuttcr was on his
way to the forest, lie was met by three persons,
who desired to hire bis asses for the dav-I
"But," said he: "imakc my living from the
wood which the asses carry to the city,
"What profit do you make upon each load ="
asked one of the men. "If it isa good load |
often make fifty pastrc>, answered the
wood-cu,tcr. "Wcl." said the men, I'VE will
give you two hundred pia>trcs as the hire of
each ass for one day" The wood-cutter. who
had not expected such an extraordinary offer.
was about TO accept it at once when he reflect
ed that he had ohcycd in all things the advice
OF Zubcydch. and ought not to take such step
without her consent. He thcrcnpon request
ed the men to wait while he returned home
and consulted his wife "You have done
right. Omv lord" said Zubcy,lch IL COM
mend your prudence, andamquitc willing that
you should accept the offer of the men, as the
money will purchase other asses and repay
You for the loss Of the days profit if the per-
sons should not return
Now, the three men were three celebrated
robbers who had amasscd vast treasure
which they kept concealed Ia a cave in one
of the nci ghboring mountains. They hired
the asses in order to transport this treasure
to barque in which they had taken passage
to Bassora, where they intended to establish
themselves as rich foreign merchants. But
Allah, who governs all hings, allows the plans
Of the wicked to prosper fora time, only that
he may throw them into more utter ruin at
the last. The robbers went to their secret
rave with the asses and loaded them with all
their spoils-grcat sacks of gold, of rubies,
diamonds and cmcralds. which the beasts
we're scarcely strong enough to carry. On :
heir way to the river below Baghdad, where I
he boat was waiting for them, two of them
stopped to drink at a well while the other I