Told in the Coffee House: Turkish Tales

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Allan Ramsay. Told in the Coffee House: Turkish Tales

PREFACE

HOW THE HODJA SAVED ALLAH

BETTER IS THE FOLLY OF WOMAN THAN THE WISDOM OF MAN

THE HANOUM AND THE UNJUST CADI

WHAT HAPPENED TO HADJI, A MERCHANT OF THE BEZESTAN

HOW THE JUNKMAN TRAVELLED TO FIND TREASURE IN HIS OWN YARD

HOW CHAPKIN HALID BECAME CHIEF DETECTIVE

HOW COBBLER AHMET BECAME THE CHIEF ASTROLOGER

THE WISE SON OF ALI PASHA

THE MERCIFUL KHAN

KING KARA-KUSH OF BITHYNIA

THE PRAYER RUG AND THE DISHONEST STEWARD

THE GOOSE, THE EYE, THE DAUGHTER, AND THE ARM

THE FORTY WISE MEN

HOW THE PRIEST KNEW THAT IT WOULD SNOW

WHO WAS THE THIRTEENTH SON

PARADISE SOLD BY THE YARD

JEW TURNED TURK

THE METAMORPHOSIS

THE CALIF OMAR

KALAIDJI AVRAM OF BALATA

HOW MEHMET ALI PASHA OF EGYPT ADMINISTERED JUSTICE

HOW THE FARMER LEARNED TO CURE HIS WIFE – A TURKISH ÆSOP

THE LANGUAGE OF BIRDS

THE SWALLOW'S ADVICE

WE KNOW NOT WHAT THE DAWN MAY BRING FORTH

OLD MEN MADE YOUNG

THE BRIBE

HOW THE DEVIL LOST HIS WAGER

THE EFFECTS OF RAKI

Отрывок из книги

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.

.....

The Dervish reeled and fell senseless to the ground. The Hodja was overcome at his own words and trembled with fear, convinced that his last hour had arrived. The Dervish lay stretched upon his back on the grass like one dead. At last the Hodja took courage. Breaking a twig from off the tree, he threw it down upon the Dervish's face, but the Dervish made no sign. The Hodja took more courage, removed one of his heavy outer shoes and threw it on the outstretched figure of the Dervish, but still the Dervish lay motionless. The Hodja carefully climbed down the tree, gave the body of the Dervish a kick, and climbed back again, and still the Dervish did not stir. At length the Hodja descended from the tree and placed his ear to the Dervish's heart. It did not beat. The Dervish was dead.

"Ah, well," said the Hodja, "at least I shall not starve. I will take his garments and sell them and buy me some bread."

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