Evening star., 1920-01-25
THE POMEGRANATE

Hassan of the Scent Bazaar.
etaring. refiectively, at two Americas
ladies paying fabulous prices for the
goods of his mendacious neighbor on
the lefD. They have adopted other,
and more lucrative. professions; but
in my fathers time, 1t was an excel
lent business.
For one thing. the stories which
you call the Arabian Nights are no
longer recited. because they are said
to be unlucky. This has considerably
reduced the story-teller's stock in
trade; for unless man is blessed with
much originality lie cannot we'll re-
frain 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 tale-teller of much re-
pute. With his tale-telling he COM
bines the profession of barber; and,
like the famous barber of the Ara
bian Nights" bears the nickname es-
SAINT (the Silent). An old man is
this es-Samit, who no more will know
his, ninetieth year, of dark counte-
nance. and white beard and eyebrows,
with small ears, like the ears of a
gazelle. and long nose like that of a
camel, and naughty aspect. This
barber enjoys every comfort in his
declining years by reason of his
amusing manner. and because his
ridiculous stories and disclosures re-
specting his six brothers (for in all
things he resembles. or claims to re-
semble, his famous namesake) divert
all who hear them, causing him
whose bosom is contracted with woe
10 swoon with excessive laughter, and
hllingthe saddest heart with joy; such
is the absurd loquacity and imperti-
nence of the barber called es-Samit.
the Silent.
1t. CHANGED one day that found nv
SELF at the wedding festivities of a
prosperous merchant distantly re-
iated tos,me; and for the entertain
ment Of his guests this wealthy man.
in addition to the usual dances and
songs. had engaged es-Samit to di-
Vert us with one of his untruthful
stories. In order to refresh the An
teree's mendacity the host thus ad-
dressed the barber:
% Es-Samit, thou silent one. it
hath come to my ears that in thine
exceeding paucity of speech thou hast
omitted, hitherto. to relate the story
or thy seventh brother. Since thou
mast a seventh brother, let not thy
love of silence Un thee even greater
than in thy famous ancestor) de-
prive us of a knowledge of his de-
pravity, but acquaint us with his
case"
% Merchant Prince" replied the
barber, ito none other than myself
so handsome, SO liberal and of such
excellent morality-would break my
VOW, to speak of that wretched viii
lain, that maievolent mule, that vilest
of the vile, my twin brother, Ahzab."
Ny cousin, feigning establishment
al the manner of his speech, said:
Thy twin brother, o Es-Samit, was
not, like thee, man of rectitdde, of
exalted mind, and of enlightened in
telligence?"
AidS. TeplIeu tne DarDer, ne was
a dog of the most mongrel kind My
bosom, is pierced when / utter his
accursed name! At the hands of
-Ahzab, my twin brother, met with
every indignity. and with penalties
Of a most unfortunate description"
When the host heard this he laughed
exceedingly saying:
"Acquaint us, Es-Samit, with his
shameless misdeeds."
The barber, signing as though his
soul sought rest from all earthly af-
f1ictions, proceeded as follows:
Know, o light of my eyes. that my
other brother, Ahzab, was born in
the city of Cairo, and his birth was
unattended by darkeniDg of the
sun and other unpleasant calamities
only by reason of the fact that l was
born in the same hour.
My twin brother, Ahzab, was blessed
with handsome stature, an elegant
shape, perfect figure, with cheeks
like roses, with eyebrows meeting
above an aquiline nose brightly shin
ing. In short, this shame of my
mother was endowed with all those
perfections which Allah (whose name
be exa.ted) had also bestowed upon