The Columbian. [volume] (Bloomsburg, Pa.) 1866-1910, 1872-08-16
Miscellaneous.
ARABIAN STORIES DOWN TMENILE.

1t is wonderful how much pleasure
Orientals manage TO get out of q trum.
perry tale. AS you float down the sa-
cred river, for example, leaving Nubia
and the cataracts, and the reaches of
Syene far behind, and pass islets doing
in the lull of waters, green corn fields,
palmy slopes, shadowy dells, and
mounds with ruined temples which on
a sunny afternoon look like landscape
of Claude, You are forever hearing the
hum Of tho story-tellor to his group on
the fore. AS the sun went down, the
sailors would invariably snuggle to-
gether in the dusk, Abdallah having no
longer scattered or casual group of list
eners, and under the dewy glimmer of
a lantern at the mast, look and move
| like Spoctres as they listen to some ter
rible climax in the traditional story.
Like opium, ii seemed to soothe the
nerves and take off the deadness of in.
dolence. Our dragomen once translated
for us some of these tales. They were
not without point, and were thoroughly
characteristic of Eastern life. Fancy
the story-teller, hemmed in by bare
chested, open -mouthed, turbaned listen
ers, as intoning and see saving, he mar
rates as follows:
Once upon time there lived on the
edge Of the desert Sheik named Ben
Achma. Now this man was philos.
opher, who, gathering wisdom from
every passing adversely, as leech cull5
simples, had come TO possess quite q
hoard OF it. He was still III the pride
Of manhood His renown, however,
had WaXGd 50 great that even old men
from The neighboring tribes, distant far
from us the sunset oaSis-came to SUBJ
nit their quarrel5 to him and abide by
his judgment. One day caravan from
Meshid encamped near his dwelling.
Two Arabs, watering their camols at
the well, discussed about the wisdom
Of the Kadi of Meshid. "IIc can repeat
the Koran," said one, "from the Fattha
to the end without dropping point"
Gle cuts through deceit as with
knife" answered the other
Ben Achma, smoking his afternoon
chibouQue under the shadow of palm,
on hearing this arose.
"Tell me, o brother" said he, "who
is this man thou art so eager to praiso"'
"What then, thou dolt ?' replied the
camel driver. "Iast thou not heard of
Haleol, Kadi of Meshid? Allah i
Even the Father of the Faithful him
self is a green tree before him.
"Dolt ~ nfIttered the Shcik to him
self, as he walked homo musing, "and
yet / am called Ben Achma the Wise."
Next morning Ben Achma saddled
his horse, and Disgusting himself as q
merchant, started for Meshid to soc the
sage himself. As he journeyed, an old
man met him on the way who said
"My lord, l, like thyself am travelling
| to the next town, but l am weary
Pray permit mo to ride" Ben Achma
made sign of assent, and tho pilgrim
climbed up behind. Whom they had
come to the gates OF Meshid, the ShelE
desired his companion to get down.
"Nay," said he, ''it is for thee tc
alight.n
"Aud wherefore?" asked Ben Ach
ma.
"To leave the horse with me-" re
piled the pilgrim.
"But," cried the shcik, "thc horS'
Is mine"
81 know" answered the Old vaga
bond, "that We are now in the city o
the just Kadi, and that when he shall
have set eyes on us two-thou with thy
lusty limbs and brave looks, and nj
with my trembling knees and feeble
frame-he will decide in simple equity
that the horse belongs to him who ha
the most need Of him."
"If he decide contrary to that whicl
is true and right" returned the Sheik
she is not the just Kadi thou sayest
Nevertheless, will profit by the evi
doing aud judge his equity. Let Il
plead before him." The old man agree,
and both started for the court. The
had to wait while two cases took tn
precedence. The first of these Dor
upon a quarrel before II butcher an
an oil merchant. Both men were i
court standing before the Kadi--the on
grimy with oil, the other bespattere
with blood The butcher said, 81 wei
to buy oil ut this knaVe's shop, and, /