The Three Apples

THE THREE APPLES.

The Khalif Haroun er Reshid summoned his Vizier Jaafer one night and said to him, ‘I have a mind to go down into the city and question the common folk concerning the conduct of my officers and governors and those who are in authority; such as are complained of we will depose from office and those who are commended we will promote.’ ‘Hearkening and obedience,’ answered Jaafer. So the Khalif went down with his Vizier and Mesrour his Sworder of Vengeance, all three disguised as merchants, and as they walked about the city, they came to a certain bridge, where they saw an old man stark blind, asking alms. The Khalif gave him somewhat and passed on with Jaafer and Mesrour, but hearing the blind man cry out and weep sore, he turned back and asked him what ailed him. ‘O my lord,’ answered the blind man, ‘I conjure thee, by the Prophet’s face, strike me one blow on the neck for God’s sake!’ The Khalif marvelled and said, ‘I cannot grant thy request; but tell me thy story and why thou makest so strange a prayer.’ ‘O my lord,’ replied the blind man, ‘I have bound myself by an oath to God the Most High, that whosoever gives me alms, I will not cease to importune him, till he smite me a blow on the neck; else am I forsworn.’ Then said the Khalif, ‘Thy desire is granted.’ So he raised his hand and struck him one blow, whereat the blind man thanked him and said, ‘God acquit thee of responsibility therefor!’ Then the Khalif went on with Jaafer and Mesrour and said to the Vizier, ‘Verily, this is a marvellous thing! This blind man asks alms and conjures him who gives to him to strike him a blow on the neck. There must needs be a reason for this; bring him to me to-morrow, that I may question him of his case.’ ‘On my head and eyes be it,’ answered Jaafer.

They went on and came presently to a second bridge, where they fell in with a fisherman, who stood casting his net into the river. He cast it thrice, but caught nothing, whereat he was sore troubled and lamented his ill fortune, saying, ‘O luckless lot! O length of weary night! O failing patience! O lack of livelihood!’ and recited the following verses:

They tell me I shine, by my wisdom and wit, Midst the rest of my kind, as the moon in the night. But, an ill-omened star rule my fortunes, I sit In despite of my lore, without victual or light. My skill cannot help me my bread to attain; Nor my dullness debars me from lordship and might. But God, in His goodness, His wisdom and grace,

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Hath decreed what shall be and His ordinance is right.

When he made an end of his verses, he cast his net a fourth time and drawing it in, found it heavy; so he tugged at it, till he brought it ashore, when he found in it a chest, locked and weighted. He rejoiced and said, ‘Good is come!’ Then he busied himself with the chest, but could not open it; so he dragged it along, intending for his lodging, but the Khalif, who had watched him unseen, came up to him and asked him what he would take for the chest. ‘O my lord,’ answered the fisherman, ‘I will sell it thee for a hundred dinars.’ ‘It is too much,’ said the Khalif. ‘Nay,’ replied the fisherman, ‘by Allah, I know not what is therein, but I sell it thee at a venture for a hundred dinars.’ So the Khalif sent Mesrour to fetch the money and returning with it, paid it to the fisherman, who went away rejoicing, whilst Mesrour, aided by the Khalif and Jaafer, carried the chest to the palace and set it down before the Commander of the Faithful. The latter bade them break it open, and when they did so, they found therein a basket of palm-leaves, corded with red worsted. They cut the cords and took out of the basket a piece of carpet, wrapped round a woman’s praying-rug, which being opened, discovered a white veil, that covered the body of a young lady, fair as the full moon, whose throat was cut and she hewn in pieces. When the Khalif saw this, the tears ran down his cheeks and he cried out, saying, ‘Alas, the pity of it! Alas, the pity of it!’ Then, turning to Jaafer, in a transport of rage, he said to him, ‘O dog of Viziers, shall folk be murdered in my time and cast into the river, to be a burden and a responsibility to my account on the Day of Judgment? I must avenge this woman on her murderer and put him to death without fail. By Allah, thou must bring me him who killed her, else will I hang thee in his stead, thee and forty of thy kinsfolk!’ And the Khalif was exceeding wroth. ‘Grant me three days’ delay,’ said Jaafer. ‘I grant it thee,’ replied the Khalif.

So Jaafer went out from before him, distracted and sorrowful, saying to himself, ‘How shall I find the murderer of this damsel, that I may bring him before the Khalif? If I bring another than the murderer, it will be laid to my charge by God the Most High. By Allah, I must needs go forth from Baghdad and hide myself the three days of the delay, and if the murderer be found, well and good; else will I take leave of my children and make my moan and bid farewell to the world; for God the Most High, who saved me the first time may save me again. By Allah, I will not leave my house during the three days and God shall do what He will.’ So he shut himself up in his house for the three days’ space that the Khalif had granted him, abiding in fear and sorrow and confusion. On the fourth day, the Khalif sent one of his chamberlains for him, and as he went out, he embraced his children, weeping, and took leave of them and his household. Then he went in to the Khalif, who received him roughly and asked him for the murderer of the damsel. ‘O Commander of the Faithful,’ answered Jaafer, ‘am I the Knower of hidden things, that I should be able to discover to thee her murderer?’ The Khalif was furious at his answer and bade hang him forthright. The scaffolds were set up and the hangman came and throwing the cord about Jaafer’s neck, stood awaiting the Khalif’s word, whilst the folk wept for the Vizier. As they stood thus, behold, a young man, fair of face and shapely of shape and richly clad, pressed forward through the crowd and coming up to the Vizier, said to him, ‘Safety be thine from this strait, O prince of Viziers, O pillar of the poor! I am he who killed the woman ye found in the chest; so hang me for her and do her justice on me!’

When the Khalif heard this, he said to Jaafer, ‘See to this young man and question him of the murder.’ So Jaafer turned to the young man and said to him, ‘Dost thou confess that thou didst kill the damsel?’ ‘Yes,’ answered he. ‘And what was the cause of thy killing her?’ asked the Vizier. ‘Know, O Vizier,’ replied the youth, ‘that this damsel was my wife, the daughter of my paternal uncle. I married her, virgin, and God blessed me with three male children by her; and she loved me and served me and I saw no evil in her. At the beginning of this month she fell grievously sick and continued so for some days, till she began to recover; when I went in to her and said to her, “O daughter of my uncle, I have a longing to eat three apples; couldst thou get me some from the city?” “O my lord,” answered she, “apples are scarce at this season and are only to be found in the Commander of the Faithful’s garden at Bassora.” I was poor and knew the price of apples was high; however, I rose and went about the city all day, seeking for them, but found none. I passed the night, full of thought, and rose in the morning and went again on my quest, searching everywhere, but without success. However, I fell in with an old gardener, of whom I enquired for apples and who answered, “O my son, they are scarce at this time and are not to be found save in the garden of the Commander of the Faithful at Bassora. Nevertheless, wait till next month and thou shalt have of them abundantly.” I returned home, vexed and despairing, and my love for my wife constrained me to risk my life; so I journeyed to Bassora, where I sought out the gardener of the Khalif’s palace and complaining to him of my case, begged him to help me to some apples. He answered, “None may have them save the Khalif himself; but, O my son, tell me thy story; maybe I can help thee.” So I told him my story and concern for her moved me to undertake the journey to Bassora. So I set out and travelled thither and bought three apples of the gardener there for three dinars, with which I returned to Baghdad, after having been absent fifteen days and nights, going and coming. I went in to my wife and gave her the apples; but she took no pleasure in them and left them lying by her side. She was still suffering from her sickness and continued ailing for ten days, after which she recovered and I went out and betook myself to my shop and sat there, buying and selling.

‘Towards noon, as I sat in my shop, behold, a tall black slave passed, having in his hand an apple, with which he was playing. Quoth I to him, “O my lord, whence hadst thou that apple? I would fain have one like it.” “I had it,” answered he, laughing, “from my mistress, for whom I went to seek it. I had been absent some time and on my return, found three apples lying by her side; so I said to her, ‘O my lady, whence hadst thou these?’ And she answered, ‘My kind husband brought them to me; he journeyed to Bassora for them and bought them for three dinars.’ Then I ate and drank with her and took this apple from her.” When I heard this, O Vizier, the world grew black before my face and rising, I shut my shop and went home, beside myself for rage. I looked for the apples and finding but two of the three, said to my wife, “O perverse woman, where is the third apple?” She raised her head languidly and answered, “I know not, O my dear husband, where it is gone.” This convinced me that the slave had spoken the truth; so I rose and taking a knife, came down upon her and cut her throat. Then I cut off her head and limbs and wrapping her in her veil and a piece of carpet, sewed her up in a praying-rug and put the whole in a chest, which I locked. Then I loaded the chest on my mule and throwing it into the Tigris with my own hands, went away. So God allot thee thy reward for my wife’s death! By Allah, I know not if she were innocent or guilty; yet was I moved to kill her by jealousy and the malice of the slave; and I repent me of having slain her; wherefore I pray God that He may have mercy on her, even as I hope He will have mercy upon me!’ Then he wept and repeated the following verses:

When will my eyes be solaced by thy sight? When shall we meet again, O my beloved? Long have I wept for sorrow of our parting; My lids are ulcered with the tears I shed. O thou, whose love torments me beyond measure,

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Whose face is fairer than the moon in heaven, Be pitiful to one who is thy captive, Whose heart for thee is wasted and consumed! Have mercy on a youth, whose force is failing, Who groans and cries aloud for stress of passion! His state declares his case, his body’s leanness Bears witness to the love he bears within him. O pearl among the fair! O branch of bâban! O slender shape, that shamest the lithe sapling! Thine eyes have magical enchantment in them;

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They rob the wisest of their wit and judgment. I pray that God may pardon my transgression, For indeed I killed her, moved by causeless jealousy.

When the young man had made an end of his story and his verses, the Vizier marvelled and said, ‘Thou knowest that death is thy due; yet thy confession is goodly and thy story marvellous. Hast thou any desire, which thou wouldst have fulfilled before thy death?’ ‘Yes,’ answered the young man, ‘I have a desire, which I commend to thy charge and that is that thou take my eldest son, who is seven years old, and bring him up till he be a man, when do thou give him my slave-girl.’ Then he put his hand to his bosom and pulled out an amulet and a purse containing a hundred dinars, which he gave to the Vizier, saying, ‘I conjure thee, by Allah, give this money to his mother, my second wife, thy daughter, that she may bring him up; and this amulet do thou hang upon his neck with thine own hand.’ ‘Grant God I may not need to do this!’ said Jaafer and carried the young man before the Khalif, to whom he related his story. The Khalif marvelled exceedingly and said, ‘By Allah, this young man is excusable; his slaughter of the damsel was caused by the accursed slave; the fault is his alone. By Allah, I will hang none but the accursed slave!’ Then he turned to Jaafer and said to him, ‘Bring me the slave who was the cause of this calamity, and if thou bring him not, thou shalt hang in his stead.’ So the Vizier went out, saying to himself, ‘It was not enough for me to seek the murderer of the damsel, but I must now seek the slave who was the cause of her death! By Allah, this is indeed a strange fortune! But He who saved me the first time may save me again. By Allah, I will not leave my house during the three days and God shall do what He will.’ So he shut himself up in his house as before.

Now Jaafer had a daughter, a little maid of five years old, who was very dear to him; indeed, he loved her more than all his other children. It chanced that he went into his wife’s apartment on the third day, whilst he was still pondering this matter, and taking the little girl in his arms, kissed her and seated her on his knees; when, feeling something hard and round in her pocket, he said to her, ‘What is this, O my little darling?’ ‘O my father,’ answered she, ‘it is an apple, which our slave Reyhan brought me four days ago. He would not give it me till I coaxed him into it and bought it of him for two dinars.’ When Jaafer heard this, he cried out for joy and snatching the apple from her, knew it for one of the three apples of Bassora. Then he called for the slave, who was terrified, knowing not why he was sent for, and Jaafer said to him, ‘Whence hadst thou this apple?’ ‘By Allah, O my lord,’ answered Reyhan, ‘I stole it not from thy palace; but, as I was walking through the city some days ago, I saw some children playing, and amongst them a little boy with an apple, which I snatched from him and beat him; whereupon he cried and said, “This apple belongs to my mother, who is ill. She longed for apples and my father journeyed to Bassora and bought her three for three dinars. I took one of them to play withal.” Then he wept again and I had pity on him and gave him back the apple; but he would not take it; so I left him and brought it hither, thinking to give it to my little lady here. She took it from me and gave me two dinars for it.’

When Jaafer heard this, he marvelled exceedingly at this strange coincidence and said, ‘No doubt it was God’s will to save my life! O slave, thou must come with me before the Commander of the Faithful.’ The slave was sore afraid; but Jaafer soothed him and taking him by the hand, carried him to the Khalif, before whom he related the slave’s story. The Khalif marvelled exceedingly and laughed till he fell backward and said, ‘By Allah, this is indeed a wonderful coincidence! Verily, the story of this apple should be written in letters of gold.’ Then he sent for the young man and said to him, ‘Wilt thou forgive thy wife’s murderer?’ ‘O Commander of the Faithful,’ answered the young man, ‘I have forgiven him both in this world and the next.’ Then the Khalif sent for the husband of the young man’s second wife, the father of the boy from whom the slave had snatched the apple, and making peace between them, bestowed on the young man a fair slave-girl from his own palace and gave him gifts and favours and appointed him one of his chamberlains. Moreover, he said to Jaafer, ‘Bring me the boy’s father, that I may do him justice on the slave.’ But Jaafer said, ‘O Commander of the Faithful, the boy’s father is dead.’ ‘How knowest thou that?’ asked the Khalif. ‘O Commander of the Faithful,’ answered Jaafer, ‘know that I am the father of the boy and the slave Reyhan is my slave.’ The Khalif marvelled and said, ‘Verily, this is yet stranger than the story of the apple!’ Then he pardoned the slave Reyhan for Jaafer’s sake and bestowed robes of honour upon the Vizier and the young man and the slave and gave them gifts. And they all lived in peace and happiness till there came to them the Destroyer of delights and the Sunderer of companies.