89-9 -
The Story of the Hunchback:
The Story
of the Barber's Third Brother
On
the 32nd Night contd ...
So the
Barber started the story of his third brother - "My third brother's
name is Al-Fakeek, the Gabbler, he is blind. Fate and Destiny
impelled him one day to go to a large house. He knocked the door in the
hope that its master will open the door and he might beg him a small
thing. The owner called out - "Who is it?" But my brother did
not answer the call; then heard him call in a loud voice - "Who is
this?" Still he did not answer him. Then he came down and opened the
door and asked him - "What do you want?" My brother said -
"Something in the name of God." "Are you blind? Then give me your hand." My brother stretched out his hand, the
man held his hand and took him away into the house. He led him staircase
to staircase until they reached at the highest point in the house. My
brother thought that he would give him some food or money.
The
owner asked him again - "What do you want?" "I desire
something for the sake of God." The man replied - "May God open
to you some other door." My brother said - "But you could say
this to me when I was below." You should have asked me this while you
heard my voice first time." "Does this mean that you should
behave like this to me." The man said - "I have nothing to give
you." "Then take me downstairs." "The way is before
you." So my brother continued to descend until there remained,
between the door and him, only 20. steps. That his foot slipped and he
fell down and broke his head.
He
went forth, not knowing where to go and he met two other blind men, his
companions, who asked him - "What did you gain today?" My
brother told them the event that happened with him and then said - "I
wish to take some money which is in our possession to expend it on
myself." Now the owner of the house which he had entered just before,
had followed him to know about him without his knowledge until he entered
his house and went inside the house still unknown.
My
brother was waiting for his companions. When they came in, he said to them
- "Shut the door and search the room lest any stranger has followed
us. When that owner of the house heard this he clung to a rope attached to
the ceiling. The other blind searched the room feeling everything in the
room and could not find
anybody. So they sat down with my brother, brought forth their money and
counted it - it was more than 12,000 pieces of silver. Each took as much
as he wanted, and then they laid it in a corner of the room. Then they ate, but my brother heard the sound of
a strange movement of jaws by his side, so he asked his friends - "Is there any stranger
among us?" Then he stretched forth his hand and grasped the hand of
the stranger. He cried out - "Here is the stranger." and they fell
upon him, hit him until they were tired. Then they called the people that
they had found a thief in their house and he wanted to steal their property.
At
this the stranger also shut his eyes, pretending to be blind, and shouted
- "I want protection of Allaah and Valee. I have some important
information to give to Ameer." But the officers of Valee arrested
them all and took them to Valee. The Valee asked - "What is the
matter?" The stranger said - "The truth of our case will not be
known to you until you beat and you begin by beating me before
others." and he pointed out towards my brother. So the Valee asked his people to beat him.
They beat him 400 sticks. When they were beating him, he opened his one eye, then later he opened the other
eye. Valee asked him - "What is this?" The man said -
"Grant me immunity, I will tell you everything." The Valee
granted his request.
He
said - "We four pretend that we are blind. We go to other's houses,
see their women, take their money. By these ways we have acquired 10,000
pieces of silver. When I said to my companions, "Give me my due,
3,000." they beat me and took my property. I beg your protection.
If you desire to know the truth, beat each of them more than you have
beaten me and he will open his eyes."
So the
Valee immediately ordered to beat them and the first of them who suffered
was my brother. They continued beating him until he almost died. Valee
said to them - "You are denying God's gift pretending to be
blind." My brother said - "There is none among us who can
see." But they did not listen to him and continued beating him until
he became unconscious. The the Valee asked them to leave him until he
recovered. The man asked them to open their eyes otherwise the officers
would beat them more.
Then
he said to the Valee - "Send somebody with me to bring that property
for these men will not open their eyes fearing the disgrace before the
spectators." So the Valee sent a man with him and they brought the
money. He gave 3,000 pieces of silver to the informer according to the
share and retained the rest and banished my brother and the two other men
from the city. But I went forth and overtook my brother and he told me
what had happened to him. I then brought him back secretly and allotted
him a supply of food and drink till he lives."
The
Caliph laughed at my story and said - "Give him a present and let him
go." But I replied - "I will not take anything until I have
declared to the Caliph what happened to the rest of my brothers." So
I proceeded thus ....
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