The Ottawa free trader. [volume] (Ottawa, Ill.) 1843-1916, 1878-08-03

Saladin, whose great talents were such as
enabled him not only to raise himself from an
humble station to the dignity of Sultan of
Babylon, but also to be victorious in many bat
ties with Saracen and Christian kings having
exhausted all his treasure by his various wars
and the prodigality Of his magniflcence, and
being also from other causes in want of money,
and finding it impossible to Obtain with the
necessary speed so large sum as he required,
bethought himself Of applying to a certain Jew,
named Melchisedech, a mOney-lender of Alex
andria, who possessed ample means of supply
ing his necessities, were he so inclined But
this Jew was so avarlcious that Saladin felt
sure he would never, of his own tree will, trust
him with so much money, and not wishing to
resort to violence, he considered how he might
reason with him so as to render it impossible for
him to refuse.
Having ordered the Jew to be brought be
fore HIM, he received him graclously, caused
him to be seated, and thus addressed him:
Honest man, having heard from many per
sons that you are wise IN the things appertain
ing to God, | would willingly know of you
which you esteem the true one of the three
laws of faith, the Jewish, the Saracen, or the
Christian"
The Jew, who was really wise man, readi-
" perceived the aim of the Sultan; and seeing
that whichever of the three forms of faith he
might give the preference, his opinion would
be used as an argument against himself con
sidered earnestly how he should frame suit
able reply, and after a short space answered
thus:
my lord, the question you have put to me,
is one of great moment, and in order fifty to
answer it, | will relate story which | have
many times heard told:
MANY years ago there lived man who,
among other precious jewels owned very
beautiful and valuable ring, which he esteem
ed so highly as to desire that it might always
remain among his descendants; and therefore
he commanded that the one of his children in
whose possession the ring should be found at
the time of his own death should not only re-
tain that, but be considered heir to all his
fathers other wealth, and be esteemed and
honored as the eldest and greatest by his broth
ers and sisters. The one to whom the ring de-
seconded, in compliance with this rule, directed
that the same should Ike observed at his death
and thus the ring descended from hand to
hand through many generations, when it came
INTO possession of a man who had three chill
dren, all equally obedient to their father, and
all equally loved by him.
These young men knew the custom OF the
ring, and were each DESTROYS of holding the
first rank in the family so they sevcrally en-
treated their father in his old age to leave them
after his death the ring The old man, to
whom they were all dear alike, promised 1t to
each one privately, and then thought how he
might content them all He caused a certain
cunning jeweler to make two other rings eX-
actly similar to the first, and when they were
finished hardly might he who made them
know the difference and shortly atterward,
when he was on his death bed he called each
of his sons TO him secretly and gave to each a
ring and after little while he was gathered
to his fathers.
Now, when their father was dead, each son
produced ring, claiming to be the heir of all ;
but as there was no way Of proving which OF
the three was the original one, the question
could not be decided, and is even yet pending,
And thus | reply to you, my lord, with regard
to the question you proposed to me concerning
the laws given to three nations by God the
Father. Let each one conform to his own law,
to the religion of his fathers, and obey the
commandments they observed; to which be
longs the superiority, as with the rings, the
question is yet undecided"
The Sultan was delighted with the ingen-
ious reasoning by which the Jew had avoided
the snare laid for him, and openly told him OF
what he stood in need, and with what intention
he had sent to have HIM brought before him
and Melchlsedeck, on hispaIt, amply provided
Saladin with the money he required, for which
he received full security and many gifts, and
during many succeeding years he remained
about the Sultans Court, who ever held him
in great honor and treated him as a friend.