Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1909-04-04
AEOHAMMED the Syrian had
AvA been talking fully an hour,
ard hnd ro1nfod n .,,,r,, hor c,f cfor,ac
By D. e. S. Fields


and had related number of stories
to his attentive hearers. 1t was at the entrance
of gOnyb1, before pile of ashes which hid
dying embers left from the recent fire of brush
The night was damp, and from the ground
arose heavenward mingled odor of EARTH
musk. and Alpine plants.
Stretched on the ground, rolled up in
burnoose of goat hair which protects from cold
at night and heat in the day. my eyes followed
in the horizon the moving flames of fire. For
sometime ! ceased to hear the storyteller;
then he began to sing. 1t was slow and
langushing melody, constantly repeated, &C
companied by the confused cadence of an in
visible tomtom, in which fifteen-year-old
girl, Maileh. wept over her absent lover, who
had gone toward the desert and failed to return
But the singer stopped; he drew from his
neighbours narghile smelling puff and as
rose asked me to listen to him moment more
MaIleh's misfortune has moved thy heart and
thoughts? l am going to tell thee story well
known IN Syria. my country. which will chase
the clouds that have darkened thy eyes.
Listen!
l settled myself in an easy position, hearing
again in the silence that preceded the first
words of my storyteller the far away barking
of dog and the murmur of whispering among
the group of listeners Then all was still, and
Mohammed began thus.
FORMERLY, in the reign of master just
l. but severe. whose reputation stood like
halo above the immense Mussulman Empire,
lived a well known barber. noted for his obsti-
nate temper and his vanity. He lived in a
small town, near the capital of the Empire.
His name was Ell Farsi. Son of camel driver
whose life had been spent in driving his beast
from one town to another without accumu-
lating fortune he had at last settled down in
well patronized shop where he sold leeches
and at the same time shaved the skulls and
cheeks of the most respectable citizens He
had even acquired in his delicate profession a
renown that had spread over the white walls
| of the small city.
lone day, he standing before the
| door of his shop. donkey driver passed him,
with his beast heavily loaded with two bundles
| of firewood
THE man was known to him so he called.
Hey old sage Ahmed! Good luck to thee!'
Good-morning. barber, answered the man.
Is it thee who will take my wood to-day
al am willing to- said the barber, and he
| examined the merchandise. reflected moment.
and asked with a malicious smile, How much
dost thou want for all the wood / see on thy
animal9'
90 Well said the donkey driver, L shall be
satisfied to have ten copper pieces: for long
| to go back to my village.
''All right loudly said Ell Farsi. ten copper
pieces for all the wood l thy ass! l
agree; unload!
| Ahmed united the old ropes that bound the
firewood and threw it down But Immediately
| the barber, Selling the pack saddle that had
fallen at the same time carried 1t into his shop.
and ordered his servant to bring the wood.
The donkey driver, not understanding this
| action the part of the barber, looked per-
plexedly from the bald back of his animal
| to the knocking face of the man as he received
| the ten copper pieces.
SO But thou hast taken my pack saddle! ex
| claimed he.
Well, is it not made of wood. and hast
| thou not sold all the wood that was on thy
donkey?'
by the holy name of Allah, barber, thou
art rascal! The pack saddle alone is worth
three times more.
al believe it. retorted Ell Farsi; but it was
bargain. l gave you the price agreed upon.
And all that the poor donkey driver could say
| would not persuade the other to give back the
saddle.
However. it was getting late and the poor
fellow had to decide. The barber. little
feared for his bad tongue, had gathered all the
jokers his side, who laughed at Ahmed's
misfortune and his woebegone face.
A T last he left the place. leading his animal
- behind him Arriving at the shop of a
public writer. he told the man of his adventure
and asked what he should do.
go and ask audience of the kadi,' answered
the public counsellor at law.
He went there and the judge propounded
only one question.
Thou hadst sold all the wood that was on
thy BEAST"
"'Yes. master answered Ahmed.
"'Well, then the barber is right and the
haruain &c rap,t1ar Go AWAY