  SHREWD DECISION OF ALI, CALIPH OF BAGDAD.In the Preliminary Dissertation to Dr. Richardson’s Arabic Dictionary the following curious anecdote is recorded:— Two Arabians sat down to dinner: one had five loaves, the other three. A stranger passing by desired permission to eat with them, which they agreed to. The stranger dined, laid down eight pieces of money, and departed. The proprietor of the five loaves took up five pieces and left three for the other, who objected, and insisted on having one-half. The cause came before Ali, who gave the following judgment:—“Let the owner of the five loaves have seven pieces of money, and the owner of the three loaves one; for, if we divide the eight loaves by three, they make twenty-four parts; of which he who laid down the five loaves had fifteen, while he who laid down three had only nine. As all fared alike, and eight shares was each man’s proportion, the stranger ate seven parts of the first man’s property, and only one belonging to the other. The money, in justice, must be divided accordingly.” THE WISDOM OF ALI.The Prophet once, sitting in calm debate, Said, “I am Wisdom’s fortress; but the gate Thereof is Ali.” Wherefore, some who heard, With unbelieving jealousy were stirred; And, that they might on him confusion bring, Ten of the boldest joined to prove the thing. “Let us in turn to Ali go,” they said, “And ask if Wisdom should be sought instead Of earthly riches; then, if he reply To each of us, in thought, accordantly, And yet to none in speech or phrase the same, His shall the honor be, and ours the shame.” Now, when the first his bold demand did make, These were the words which Ali straightway spake:— Whom Allah favors; riches, of his foes.” Unto the second he said:—“Thyself must be Guard to thy riches; but Wisdom guardeth thee.” Unto the third:—“By Wisdom wealth is won; But riches purchased Wisdom yet for none.” Unto the fourth:—“Thy goods the thief may take; But into Wisdom’s house he cannot break.” Unto the fifth:—“Thy goods decrease the more Thou givest; but woe enlarges Wisdom’s store.” Unto the sixth:—“Wealth tempts to evil ways; But the desire of Wisdom is God’s praise.” Unto the seventh:—“Divide thy wealth, each part Becomes a pittance. Give with open heart Thy wisdom, and each separate gift shall be All that thou hast, yet not impoverish thee.” Unto the eighth:—“Wealth cannot keep itself; But Wisdom is the steward even of pelf.” Unto the ninth:—“The camels slowly bring Thy goods; but Wisdom has the swallow’s wing.” And lastly, when the tenth did question make, These were the ready words which Ali spake:— “Wealth is a darkness which the soul should fear; But Wisdom is the lamp that makes it clear.” Crimson with shame, the questioners withdrew, And they declared, “The Prophet’s words were true: The mouth of Ali is the golden door Of Wisdom.” When his friends to Ali bore These words, he smiled, and said, “And should they ask The same until my dying day, the task Were easy; for the stream from Wisdom’s well, Which God supplies, is inexhaustible.” MOHAMMEDAN LOGIC.The laws of Cos discountenance in a very singular manner any cruelty on the part of females towards their admirers. An instance occurred while Dr. Clarke and his companions were on the island, in which the unhappy termination of a love-affair occasioned a trial for what the Mohammedan lawyers casuistically describe as “homicide by an intermediate cause.” The following was the case: a young man desperately in love with a girl of Stanchis eagerly sought to marry her, but his proposals THE ALEXANDRIAN LIBRARY.Said Omar, “Either these books are in conformity with the Koran, or they are not. If they are, they are useless, and if not, they are evil: in either event, therefore, let them be destroyed.” Such was the logic that led to the destruction of seven hundred thousand manuscript volumes. TURKISH EXPEDIENTS.A Turkish testator left to his eldest son one-half of his seventeen horses, to his second son one-third, to his third son one-ninth of his horses. The executor did not know what to do, as seventeen will neither divide by two, nor by three, nor by nine. A dervise came up on horseback, and the executor consulted him. The dervise said, “Take my horse, and add him to the others.” There were then eighteen horses. The executor then gave to the eldest son one-half,—nine; to the second son one-third,—six; to the third son one-ninth,—two: total, seventeen. The dervise then said, “You don’t want my horse now; I will take him back again.” |
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