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PAGE HOW THE HODJA SAVED ALLAH 1 BETTER IS THE FOLLY OF WOMAN THAN THE WISDOM OF MAN 13 THE HANOUM AND THE UNJUST CADI 23 WHAT HAPPENED TO HADJI, A MERCHANT OF THE BEZESTAN 29 HOW THE JUNKMAN TRAVELLED TO FIND TREASURE IN HIS OWN YARD 35 HOW CHAPKIN HALID BECAME CHIEF DETECTIVE 43 HOW COBBLER AHMET BECAME THE CHIEF ASTROLOGER 52 THE WISE SON OF ALI PASHA 65 THE MERCIFUL KHAN 73 KING KARA-KUSH OF BITHYNIA 77 THE PRAYER RUG AND THE DISHONEST STEWARD 80 THE GOOSE, THE EYE, THE DAUGHTER, AND THE ARM 84 THE FORTY WISE MEN 89 HOW THE PRIEST KNEW THAT IT WOULD SNOW 103 WHO WAS THE THIRTEENTH SON? 107 PARADISE SOLD BY THE YARD 120 JEW TURNED TURK 126 THE METAMORPHOSIS 130 THE CALIF OMAR 138 KALAIDJI AVRAM OF BALATA 140 HOW MEHMET ALI PASHA OF EGYPT ADMINISTERED JUSTICE 144 HOW THE FARMER LEARNED TO CURE HIS WIFE: A TURKISH AESOP 148 THE LANGUAGE OF BIRDS 153 THE SWALLOW'S ADVICE 156 WE KNOW NOT WHAT THE DAWN MAY BRING FORTH 158 OLD MEN MADE YOUNG 161 THE BRIBE 165 HOW THE DEVIL LOST HIS WAGER 169 THE EFFECTS OF RAKI 172
HOW THE HODJA SAVED ALLAH
Not far from the famous Mosque Bayezid an old Hodja kept a school, and very skilfully he taught the rising generation the everlasting lesson from the Book of Books. Such knowledge had he of human nature that by a glance at his pupil he could at once tell how long it would take him to learn a quarter of the Koran. He was known over the whole Empire as the best reciter and imparter of the Sacred Writings of the Prophet. For many years this Hodja, famed far and wide as the Hodja of Hodjas, had taught in this little school. The number of times he had recited the Book with his pupils is beyond counting; and should we attempt to consider how often he must have corrected them for some misplaced word, our beards would grow gray in the endeavor.
Swaying to and fro one day as fast as his old age would let him, and reciting to his pupils the latter part of one of the chapters, Bakara, divine inspiration opened his inward eye and led him to pause at the following sentence: "And he that spends his money in the ways of Allah is likened unto a grain of wheat that brings forth seven sheaves, and in each sheaf an hundred grains; and Allah giveth twofold unto whom He pleaseth." As his pupils, one after the other, recited this verse to him, he wondered why he had overlooked its meaning for so many years. Fully convinced that anything either given to Allah, or in the way that He proposes, was an investment that brought a percentage undreamed of in known commerce, he dismissed his pupils, and putting his hand into his bosom drew forth from the many folds of his dress a bag, and proceeded to count his worldly possessions.
Carefully and attentively he counted and then recounted his money, and found that if invested in the ways of Allah it would bring a return of no less than one thousand piasters.
"Think of it," said the Hodja to himself, "one thousand piasters! One thousand piasters! Mashallah! a fortune."
So, having dismissed his school, he sallied forth, his bag of money in his hand, and began distributing its contents to the needy that he met in the highways. Ere many hours had passed the whole of his savings was gone. The Hodja was very happy; for now he was the creditor in Allah's books for one thousand piasters.
He returned to his house and ate his evening meal of bread and olives, and was content.
The next day came. The thousand piasters had not yet arrived. He ate his bread, he imagined he had olives, and was content.
The third day came. The old Hodja had no bread and he had no olives. He suffered the pangs of hunger. So when the end of the day had come, and his pupils had departed to their homes, the Hodja, with a full heart and an empty stomach, walked out of the town, and soon got beyond the city walls.
There, where no one could hear him, he lamented his sad fate, and the great calamity that had befallen him in his old age.
What sin had he committed? What great wrong had his ancestors done, that the wrath of the Almighty had thus fallen on him, when his earthly course was well-nigh run?
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