The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1920-01-24

TceDeh (Story-tellerS) IN cairo |
now (said my acquaintance, Has
san OF the Scent Bazaar. staring, Re |
'ectively. az two American ladies' pay
ing fabulous prices for the goods of !
his mendacious neighbor on the left). |
They have adopted other, and more
lucrative. professions; but in my |
fathers time. it was an excellent busi- |
ness.
For one thing, the stories which you
call the ArGbSGn Nights are no longer |
recited, because they are said to be un-
lucky. This has considerably reduced
the story teller's stock-in-tr trade; for
unless man is blessed with much
originality, he cannot well refrain from
using IN his narratives some part Of
the thousand and one tales.
To this day. however, there is in the
city of Cairo a ta1e-teller of much re-
pute. With his tale-telling he COM
bines the profession Of a barber; and
like the famous barber Of the Ardbtd71
Nights bears the nickname Es-Samit
(the Silent5. An old man is this Es-
SAINT, who no more will know his
ninetieth year, OF dark countenance,
and white beard and eyebrows, with
small ears like the ears Of a gazeIle,
and a long nose like that of a camel,
and a naughty aspect. This barber
enjoys every comfort in his declining
years by reason Of his amusing man
ner. and because his ridiculous stories
and disclosures respecting his six
brothers (for in all things he re-
senlbles, or claims to resemble, his
famous nafnesalSe) divert all who hear
them, causing him whose bosom is con-
tFacted with woe to swoon with Excess
sive laughter, and filing the saddest
- Is Oh TTI-d
loquacity and impertinence Of the bar
Der called Bs-Samit. the Silent.
It CHANGED one day that I found
myself at the wedding festivities Of a
prosperous merchant diStantly related
20 me: and for the entertainment OF
his guests, this wealthy man, in addi-
ton to the usual dances and songs.
had engaged Es-Samit to divert us
with one of his untruthful stories In
order to refresh the Anferee,s mem
dacity, the host thus addressed the
barber:
20 Es-Samit, thou silent one! It hath
come to my ears that in thine exceed
ing paucity Of speech thou hast omitted
hitherto, to relate the story of thy
seventh brother. Since thou hast Q
seventh brother, let not thy love Of
silence lin thee even greater than in
thy famous ancestor) deprive us of a
knowledge Of his depravity. but ae-
quaint us with his case"
20 Merchant Prince!" replied the
barber, ito none other than thyself-
so handsome, so liberal, and Of such
excellent morality-would I break my
vow, to speak of that wretched villain
that malevolent mule. that vilest OF the
vile my twin brother Ahzab."
My cousin, feigning establishment a.
the manner Of his speech, said:
Thy twin brother. o Es-Samit, wal
not, like thee, a man of rectitude, o.
exalted mind, and Of enlightened intelh-
.Kence7"
"Alas!" replied the barber. "he wal
a dog OF the most mongrel kind NJ.
bosom Is pierced when I utter his &C
cursed namel At the hands O
Ahzab, my twin brother, I met Will
every indignity, and with penalties Of ,
most unfortunate description"
When the host heard this, he laughes
exceedingly. saying:
"Acquaint US, o Es-samit. with hi
shameless misdeeds"
The barber, signing as though hi
soul sought rest from all earthly af1ic
lions. proceeded as follows:
Know, o light of my eyesi that m,
other brother. Ahzab. was born IN tn
city OF Cairo. and his birth was un
attended by darkening Of the sun an
other unpleasant calamities only b
reason OF the fact that I was born Il
the same hour.
My twin brother, Ahzab, was blssse
with handsome stature. an eiegan
shape, q perfect figure, with cheek
like roses, with eyebrows msetin
above an aquiline nose brightly shining
In short, this shame OF my mother wa
endowed with all those perfection
which Allah Whose name be exalted
had also bestowed upon me; but b.
heart was the heart OF a serpent, an
he lacked the nobility of mind wtic
thou hast observed in thy servant,
Py.Sgon of wisdom!
When we were yet in the bloom an
blossom OF handsome youth. a dispui
arose between us, and for many moor
I saw not Ahzab, but pursued my Ok
cupation as a barber and teller
wonderful stories in a distant part
the city. In this way it befeu that
knew OF his state only by report. unit
one day as sat before my shop oil
serving II the ascendent of the HOT
were favorable to one who waited
be shaved. there came to me q neg
most handsomely dressed, who said:
My Master. Ahzab the Merchar
desires that you repair as soon as po
sible to his magazine. He hal
urgent need of thee"
Upon hearing these words, and o.
serving the richness of the negro's al
parel, I perceived that those repor
which had come to me. respectiI
Ahzab's wealth. were no more ths
true; and spoke thus to myself:
within the viiest heart may bloc
the flower OF brotherly affection. Ahzi
desires to share with me, the most e
llghtened of his family, this good 70
tune which hath befallen him.
Accordingly, shut up my shop. di
missing the one who waited to
shaved. and followed the black to I
Khan Khalil, where were the shops
IN.