The Washington times., 1916-09-04
Stories of
Stories
, THE JAR or OLIVES.
Frons the Arabic.

A Ii HowAJA was q merchant Of
/ ~ Bagdad. BeinS commanded In
n In a Vision to mako the pill
srimase to the Prophets Shrine.
at the holy city of Mecca. he sold his
shop and his goods.
First setting aside enough money for
the journey. he changed what was left
Of his savings into 1000 gold pieces OF
highest value. that this princeiy sum
might support him on his return and
for the remainder OF his life.
Now All H9Nata was sore troubled a.
to the best Esy to keep this hoard safe
until he should come again to Bagdad.
And. at last, ne hit upon what seemed
to him n wise plan.
He placed the gold pieces IN the bot
olive. snd i' f:sn.S snn q nsS esS.r ,ns upon ss
Z. Then he took the great jar to Abou
NASH. fellow merchant and his dearest
,rienS. Hs,S. And All Howsjs said to Abou
II pray you, brother, let me place
this jar Of delicious Asahri olives In
your storehouse. that may refresh my
sen with the contents. upon my return.
As the olives are Of a good flavor. and
back. pray. swear to me that they snail
| not be disturbed In my absence"
| Abou Nasif right willingly took oath.
ana ne bsde All Howaja place the jar
himself In the storehouse.
! Then All Howaja made the sacred
Mecca pilgrimage. which every true be-
never must perform at least once in a
lifetime II he would earn the title Of
disc. And. after he had compieted the
pngrimage. he journeyed hither and
thlther, for his own pleasure and profit,
Ior seven long years-to Cairo, to Jeru-
salem. to Damascus. to Aleppo-and at
L xu,aN har L. 20 shn h4v
or his fathers In Bagdad.
FOR more than six years Abou Nasif
hsd % taken no thought OF the olive Jar
opened II to learn II the olives were stiil
fresh. Tie found them white with mold.
Inting the jar to see II those near the
bottom were eresher. he came upon the
All Howaja had died teise he would
surely have. come hither during these
seven years for his treasurel. Abou
Nasif took for himself the thousa nd
pieces OF gold and filled the jar with
fresh olives and set back the jar where
he had found II.
Soon thereafter Ali Howaja arrived at
Bagdsd. and he went to the storehouse
OF Abou Nasif and bore away the treas:
ure jar. But when he found the gold
lamentations and he besought Aboil
Nasif to make good the theft. And
Abou Nasif. facing toward Mecca. made
oath that the jar had not been opened
In all the years Of All Howaja's alb.
sence. Then All Howaja hastened Il
the khalif. demanding Justice.
Now the night before the case was &c
he tried the Khalif chanced to see q
group Of boys at play. And one Of the
bows said to his comrades:
IF were the Khalif should cal
upon several olive merchants TO testif!
as to how long an olive will remair
fresh. Then I should ask them n th'
olives In All HowaJS's jar be sever
years old or not"
The next day the Khaltf acted on thil
hint. And the olive mechsnts examined
the fruit In the jar and they declared ]
was Of the present wears crop. Als'
they swore that no olive will remain un
spoiled for more than three years. Abo'
Nasif, hearing this. fell upon his fac'
and confessed the theft.
The khaiif sent for the boy who's,
cIevernes had solved the mystery. ant
=. bade him say what punishment shoui'
he dealt to this thief and perJurer. Ant
the lad made shrewd answer:
!. ION, Commander OF the raithfu'
z Allah hath given me the wisdom !.
, | prove Abou Nasif guilty. But Ailal
hath given the power OF earthly punish
. ment and OF divine mercy unto yo'
r alone n In not for a mere child to pro
h nounce iife-and-death judgment. but 10
= you!'
Copyright 1870.