Once upon a time in the city of Bagdad there lived a man whose name was Ali Cogia.

Now it happened that Ali Cogia wished to go on a journey across the desert. All he had besides his little home was a thousand pieces of gold. He fearded to take the gold with him, knowing how often travellers were robbed by robbers in the desert.

After much thought he made what he believed was an excellent plan. He took a large jar and put the thousand pieces of gold into it. Then he filled up the jar with olives and closed the jar tightly.

Taking the jar to a merchant who was his friend, he told him of the journey he was about to make. Then he asked the merchant if he would keep his jar of olives for him until he returned.

"Certainly, my friend," said the merchant. "Here is the key to my warehouse. Open it and put your jar where you think best. You shall find it there when you return."

So Ali put his jar in his friend's warehouse, locked the door, returned the key to his friend, said good-bye to him and went upon his journey.

Seven years went by, and still the traveller had not returned to Bagdad. One evening when the merchant was having supper with his family, his wife expressed the wish to have some olives.

"You remind me of the olives that Ali Cogia left with me," said the merchant. "He has been away seven years. He must be dead. We may eat his olives if they are still good."

He took a lamp and a dish, and went to his warehouse. He soon returned saying he had tasted the olives, they were bad and could not be eaten. He did not tell his wife he had discovered Ali's secret in the warehouse.

Now this merchant had been an honest man, but the love of gold made him dishonest. He spent the night in thinking how he might take the money without any risk of being found out if the owner should return and ask for his jar.

By the morning he had made a plan and he carried it out.

Some time after this Ali Cogia returned to Bagdad. One of the first things he did was to go to the merchant for his jar of olives. The merchant received him in the most friendly manner. "My dear friend," said the merchant, "there is the key to my warehouse. You will find your jar as you left it."

When Ali reached his home, he opened the jar. To his surprise, he found it full of olives only, without any piece of money.

"Is it possible that the man whom I supposed to be my best friend could rob me of my money?" he asked himself.

He at once went back to his friend and said to him: "My good friend, before I went upon the journey I put a thousand pieces of gold into that jar under the olives. I do not find them now.

If you needed them and have used them in trade, you are welcome to them until you can pay back. Only give me a written note that you will do so."

The dishonest merchant denied he had ever seen Ali's gold. He pretended to be much offended and said: "You left the jar in my warehouse. You found it in the same place. You took it away. Now you come back and ask me for a thousand pieces of gold! I wonder you don't ask me for pearls and diamonds! Go away from here at once!"

The noise of their quarrel drew many people to the place. They heard Ali say, "You shall go before our wise judge and be tried for what you have done."

"With all my heart," said the merchant, "We shall see who is in the wrong. You have to prove that what you say is true."

Ali Cogia took the dishonest merchant before the judge, to whom he told all that had happened. The judge asked who had been present when all this took place. When Ali Cogia told him that no one had been present except the dishonest merchant and himself, the judge set the merchant free. He said that since Ali Cogia could not prove that what he said was true, nothing could be done to the merchant.

Ali was not satisfied with this sentence. He wrote at once to the Caliph who ruled Bagdad, telling him the whole story and begging him to try the merchant himself. The Caliph answered that the trial would take place the next day.

That evening the Caliph was walking through the city with one of his officers called Grand Vizier. They were dressed in such a way that no one could recognize who they were.

As they passed a walled court where a group of children were playing, they heard one boy saying: "Let us play at judge and court! We will try Ali Cogia and the merchant."

To this the other boys agreed, for they had all heard about Ali Cogia and his friend. The boy who had suggested playing the game took the part of the judge. He seated himself very gravely upon a stone bench. Several of the boys were ready to act as court officers. Another boy was to act the part of Ali, and yet another boy was to be the dishonest merchant.

The boys did not know that hidden in the shadow of the wall watching their game were the Caliph and his Grand Vizier.

The trial began.

The judge (sitting cross-legged on a bench, while in front of him stand Ali Cogia and the dishonest merchant): What charge, Ali Cogia, have you to bring against this merchant?

Ali Cogia (bowing almost to the ground before the judge): Sir, I regarded this man as my best friend. I believed I could trust him. Before leaving the city to go on a journey I carried to him a jar of olives asking him to keep it for me until I returned. He kindly gave me the key of his warehouse. I placed the jar in the warehouse, locked the door and returned the key to the owner, bade him farewell and left Bagdad. I had put a thousand pieces of gold in the jar and covered them with olives before closing the jar. After being away seven years I returned and went to my friend for the jar. He said I would find it where I had left it. And I did. But upon taking it home and opening it, I found it full of olives only. My money was gone. I was greatly alarmed at the loss. I returned to this man and asked him about the gold. But he declared that he knew nothing of the money. Then in anger he ordered me to leave the house.

Judge (turning to the merchant): What have you to say to this charge?

Merchant (bowing): Sir, as far as I know, this man has told the exact truth. I also told the exact truth when I said I knew nothing of the gold.

Judge: I should be glad to see the jar of olives. (Turning to Ali Cogia) Have you brought the jar, Ali Cogia?

Ali C.: No, Sir, I have not.

Judge: Then go and fetch it at once. (Ali bows, leaves the court, and soon returns with a jar which he places before the judge with another deep bow.)

Judge: Is this the jar you left with the merchant?

Ali C.: Yes, Sir.

Judge (turning to the merchant): Is this the jar that was left with you by Ali Cogia?

Merchant: It is, Sir.

Judge: Remove the cover of the jar, Ali Cogia. Let me see and taste the olives (tasting a few of the olives). Ah, these are fine olives, good and sweet. I do not think that olives kept for seven years would be so good. (Turning to one of the court officers.) Send for some olive merchants. I should like to hear what is their opinion. (Court officers bring in two olive merchants who bow before the judge.)

Judge: Are you olive merchants?

The O.M's: Sir, we have both been olive merchants for many years.

Judge: Then tell me how long olives will keep fresh and fit for eating.

Ist O.M.: Sir, let us take what care we may, olives will hardly be worth anything the third year. By that time they will have neither taste nor colour.

Judge: Now tell how long it is since these olives were put into that jar? (Both olive merchants take a few olives from the jar, look at them and taste them.)

2nd O.M.: Sir, these are very good fresh olives.

Judge: You must be wrong. Ali Cogia says he put these olives into the jar seven years ago.

1st O.M.: Sir, I can assure you that these olives are quite fresh.

2nd O.M.: Yes, Sir, and I am sure there is not an olive merchant in Bagdad who will not say the same.

Merchant: Sir, let me

Judge: Hold your tongue! You are a thief! Away with him, officers! Let him be thrown into prison!

Merchant (falling on his knees): Oh, Sir, do not send me to prison. I am ready to return Ali Cogia his thousand pieces of gold. They are buried in a strong iron box under the floor of my warehouse.

Judge: Very good! Ali Cogia shall have his money. But you shall be cast into prison. Away with this false friend and dishonest merchant! (The court officers lead away the dishonest merchant.)

When the play was over, the boys ran home well pleased. None of them had seen the Caliph and his Grand Vizier. The boy who had acted the part of the judge entered the house to which the courtyard where they had been playing belonged. "Come here in the morning," said the Caliph to his Grand Vizier, "and bring that boy-judge to me. He shall try the case of the real Ali Cogia. I cannot find words to express how I admire that bright boy. See that the judge who freed the merchant is present tomorrow when the case is tried before me by this boy. Also see to it that Ali Cogia's jar of olives is ready when the boy calls for it, and that two olive merchants are where they can be easily called."

The next day when the boy appeared before the Caliph he seemed to be frightened and full of wonder. "Well my son," said the Caliph, "I heard the trial and I am well pleased with you. You shall see the real Ali Cogia and the merchant who had the jar."

Calling Ali Cogia and the merchant before him, the Caliph said: "This child will try your case and do you justice."

The case was tried by the boy-judge just as he had tried it when playing with his friends. The dishonest merchant confessed that he had stolen Ali's gold and told where it was hidden. Thus he hoped to escape punishment. But the Caliph sent him to prison, he did not pardon him.

Then he turned to the judge who had let the merchant go free, and said: "Learn from this child how to do your duty with greater care."

Then the Caliph praised the boy-judge and his mother who had brought him up a just and intelligent boy.

Sean Townes

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