The Merchant of Baghdad, Mr. Boots, The Golden Fish, Three Golden Flowers, | Folktales | Little Fox

Ali, the Merchant of Baghdad Long ago in Baghdad lived a merchant named Ali. As a good Muslim, he decided to make a pilgrimage to Mecca. Knowing this journey would take a long time, he sold all of his belongings and rented out his house. His life savings of a thousand gold coins was too heavy to travel with. So he placed the coins in a large jar and covered them with olives. After sealing the jar, he took it to a neighbor who was also a merchant. My friend, I will leave for Mecca tomorrow. May I store these olives with you until I return? The merchant, whose name was Mahid, handed Ali a key. Put your jar anywhere in my warehouse. It will be safe and untouched until you return. Ali's journey took much longer than he had expected. After Mecca, he traveled further, exploring the wonders of the region. Soon, seven years had passed. Mahid had forgotten all about Ali until one evening over dinner. How delicious some olives would be, Mahid's wife remarked. Actually, we have some. Remember the jar Ali left with us? He has been gone so long that I doubt he will ever come back. I will check to see if the olives are still edible. Olives cannot keep for seven years. Besides, you shouldn't break your promise to Ali. Mahid gave in for the moment. But later that evening, while his wife was asleep, he sneaked into the warehouse. Opening the jar, he saw that the olives at the top were moldy. But then, something shiny caught his eye. Gold! he greedily whispered. The next day, he emptied the jar of the gold, filled it with fresh olives, and resealed it. Ali returned the following month and retrieved his jar from Mahid. To his dismay, he found no gold. He angrily went to Mahid. Mahid, however, denied stealing the gold. You placed the jar in my warehouse yourself! You retrieved it, and it was still sealed. How dare you say I've committed a crime! Ali decided to take his complaint to a judge. Not knowing how to resolve the dispute, the judge sent Ali away. Ali was determined to get his gold back. He wrote to the Caliph, the ruler of Baghdad, who agreed to hear the case. Meanwhile, news of Ali and Mahid's dispute had spread throughout Baghdad. The Caliph was angry that the judge had done nothing. But the Caliph too was puzzled by the evidence. The night before the hearing, the Caliph and his advisor walked through the city. They soon came upon some children acting out a courtroom scene. One boy pretended to be the Caliph. Bring me the olives! He demanded to another boy who was pretending to be Ali. The pretend Ali placed an invisible jar before the pretend Caliph. The child Caliph pretended to eat an olive. Delicious! But olives cannot keep for seven years. Summon an olive merchant to give testimony on this matter. The pretend Caliph ordered. At this, the real Caliph realized the answer he had been seeking. Bring this boy to me tomorrow. And remind the real Ali to bring his jar of olives. He whispered to his advisor. Bring an olive merchant as well. The next day, Ali and Mahid stood before the Caliph. The child Caliph was nearby. Today this child shall hear your case and give you a fair verdict. The Caliph said. Ali and Mahid both pleaded their case to the child who seemed uninterested. Then the child called the olive merchant. Taste an olive! The child instructed. The olive merchant was irritated at being given orders by a child. He looked to the real Caliph who nodded approvingly. And so the merchant tasted an olive. Does it taste like a seven-year-old olive? The child asked. No. Olives lose their color and turn rotten after three years. The merchant replied. These olives are fresh. The boy pointed at Mahid. You are lying, sir. These olives are new and you have stolen Ali's gold. Mahid panicked, for he knew the punishment for thieves was harsh. Then he confessed and begged for mercy from the real Caliph. The Caliph ordered Mahid to give back Ali's gold. Then he rewarded the child with a hundred gold coins and sent him to replace the useless judge. Mr. Boots Once upon a time there was a man who had three sons named Peter, Paul and Boots. The father was very poor. He didn't have a single penny to give to his sons. One day he said to his sons. I am poor. I have nothing to give you. It is time for you to lead your own lives in the world. As the brothers were preparing to start their new lives, a man came to their town. He said to everyone. Our great king has two terrible tasks. First, you must chop down a giant oak tree that is blocking his window. Next, you must dig him a well. If you complete these two tasks, he will give you half of his kingdom and half of his treasure. If you fail these tasks, you will be sent to a far away island. The father was delighted. The task did not seem too hard. The brothers were delighted because they had already chopped down many trees and dug a well for their father. They set off for the palace with dreams of gold and jewels. What the king's messenger had not said was that as soon as one chip of the oak's trunk flew off, two more grew back in its place. The king's messenger also forgot to say that the king's palace was on top of a high hill and that this hill was made of solid rock. When the brothers entered the forest, they heard something chopping and hacking away among the trees. Do you hear that sound? asked Boots. Yes, said Peter and Paul together. Is it unusual for a woodcutter to chop trees? asked Paul. No, but this sounds strange, said Boots. I want to see what it is. Oh, Boots, you're the one who is strange. Our father was too poor to give you a real name, so he named you after an old pair of boots. His brothers laughed. Boots didn't care what they said. He walked towards the noise, and when he reached where it was coming from, he couldn't believe what he saw. There hung an axe, hacking and chopping all by itself. Good day, said Boots. You look busy. Can I help you? Yes, I am busy, and yes, you can help. I've stood here chopping and hacking for a long time, waiting for you, said the axe. Well, I'm here, and you can come with us, said Boots. He took the axe and tucked it under his belt. From the forest, the brothers walked into the mountains. The mountains were very rocky, but soon they heard a noise that sounded like digging. I wonder, said Boots, what could be digging and shoveling in all this rock? There you go acting strange again. Poor Boots, Peter laughed. It's just a woodpecker, continued Paul. This sounds different, said Boots. I think I'll go see what it is. He climbed up the rocks. His brothers laughed and made fun of him, but he didn't let their teasing upset him. When he got to the top, he couldn't believe what he saw. There was a shovel that stood digging all by itself. Good day, said Boots. You look busy. Can I help you? Yes, I am busy, said the shovel, and yes, you can help. I've stood here digging and shoveling for a long time waiting for you. Well, I'm here, and you can come with us, said Boots. He took the shovel and put it over his shoulder. After climbing over the mountains, the brothers were thirsty, so they stopped at a brook. I wonder where all this water comes from, said Boots. We wonder if you're sick in the head. Peter and Paul laughed. Still, I would like to see it for myself, said Boots. You're crazy, or you'll go crazy soon, said Paul. The brook's here. That's all that matters. Who cares where it comes from? Still, I'd like to see it just the same, said Boots. So he went away. He followed the brook, and soon he could no longer hear the laughter of his brothers. The brook got smaller and smaller, and finally he couldn't believe what he saw. There was a large walnut, and out of that walnut came a stream of water. Good day, said Boots. You look busy. Can I help? Yes, I am, said the walnut, and yes, you can, because I have let this water run for a long time, waiting for you. Well, I'm here, said Boots. He plugged the hole with some moss, so the water wouldn't run out anymore. Then he stuffed the walnut into his pocket. His brothers hadn't waited for him. They decided that they didn't want to share the kingdom and the treasure with their strange brother, Boots. The oak was now twice as wide and twice as tall as it had been at first, because two chips grew for every one chopped out. When Boots reached the city, his two brothers had already tried and failed. The king was very angry. He had seen many men try and fail. He looked at Boots and said, If you are going to perform as well as your brothers, then go directly to the ship. I don't want to watch another person fail. Well, I can't succeed unless I try, said Boots. The king wasn't happy, but he gave Boots permission, and Boots took out his axe. Chop away, he said to the axe, and away it chopped. It chopped out four chips for every two that grew back, so it wasn't long before the old oak came down. When that was done, Boots took out his shovel. Dig away, he said to the shovel, and the shovel began to dig and dig. The rocks flew like leaves in the wind. Soon he had dug the well, but still there was no water. Boots took out the walnut. He placed it in one corner of the well, and then he pulled out the moss. Run away, said Boots, and so the water ran out. At first the well filled with water very slowly, but soon the well filled and made a stream. The king had all the water he could ever want. The king gave Boots half his kingdom, and half his treasure as promised, but he was so pleased with Boots, he said, Is there anything else that I can give you? Boots thought for a second and said, Well, it would be nice if you'd let all the people who failed come back from the island. The king agreed and said, Still, that is a gift to those who failed. Is there anything else I can give to you? Boots remembered that his brothers made fun of his name, and he said, Yes, I would like to change my name. Can I be called Mr. Boots? The king smiled and said, Yes, Mr. Boots, you can. Once upon a time, there lived an old fisherman and his wife. They lived in a modest hut on a small island. Every day, the fisherman went fishing with his net. Usually, he did not catch many fish, but one day, his luck changed. Oh, my! the fisherman exclaimed as he started to haul in his heavy net. I must have caught an enormous fish! But when the fisherman looked in the net, he was stunned. The heavy net was empty, except for one tiny golden fish. The fisherman peered more closely at the fish. Suddenly, the creature opened its mouth, startling the man. Please do not kill me, the golden fish pleaded. Return me to the sea, and I will do whatever you wish. This is no ordinary fish, the old man realized. He took pity on the small creature. I am content, he said. I do not need anything from you. Go back to the sea. At home, the fisherman's wife asked, as she always did, Did you catch anything today? The fisherman shrugged. Nothing but a small golden fish. Then the fisherman told his wife about the extraordinary golden fish in his net. When the man relayed that he had let the golden fish go, his wife's face darkened with fury. You fool! she bellowed. That was a magic fish! Why did you let it go? Why did you not wish for something, like bread for us to eat? The wife reprimanded her husband all night long. Finally, the fisherman couldn't stand his wife's complaints anymore. He returned to the sea to look for the magic fish. Little fish! Little fish! the man called out. Soon, the golden fish swam to the shore. What do you want, old man? My wife is very angry, the fisherman said. She wants me to ask you for something. What does she want? asked the fish. She wants bread, replied the man. You gave me my life, answered the fish. Go home, and you will find what your wife wished for. Then it swam away. When the man returned to his hut, he asked, Do we have bread now? We have plenty of bread now, his wife informed him. But our hut is in disrepair and about to collapse. Return to the golden fish and demand a fine new cottage. Little fish! Little fish! the man called out. Soon, the golden fish swam to the shore. What do you want, old man? My wife is discontent. Now she wants a fine new cottage. the man answered. Go home, and you will find what she wished for, said the fish. Then it swam away. When the man returned home, he was amazed to see that a fine new cottage had replaced his small modest hut. Just then, his wife ran toward him. Go back to the golden fish, she demanded. And tell the fish, I want to be queen of this island. Again, the man obeyed his wife's command and headed back to the sea. Little fish! Little fish! he called out. Soon, the golden fish swam to the shore. What do you want now, old man? My wife wants to be the queen of the island. Go home, and you will find what she wished for, said the fish. Then it swam away. When the fisherman arrived home, he stopped in his tracks and stared in amazement. A magnificent palace, bustling with guards, horses and servants, had replaced the cottage. The old man entered the palace. Sitting on a golden throne, dressed in the elegant attire of a queen, was his wife. Pardon me, wife? the man spoke quietly. Wife? How dare you address the queen as your wife? she screamed loudly. Guards! Take this disgusting man away! The guards dragged the fisherman away. While his wife ruled the island, he spent his days sweeping the palace like a servant. Then one day, the queen summoned the fisherman. You old fool! she ordered him. Go back to that fish and tell him that I no longer want to be queen. Now, I am the empress of the sea! What? The man stared at his greedy wife in disbelief. No! He refused, slowly shaking his head. You already have more than you need. Go to the fish or I will chop your head off! threatened the queen. The fisherman was taken back to the sea. Little fish! But this time, he called again. Little fish! The man called again. Still, the golden fish did not answer. The old man called out a third time. Little fish! Suddenly, the sky turned dark and the waves in the sea crashed and roared. At last, the golden fish swam up to the shore. What do you want, old man? The fisherman bent his head low and spoke in a trembling voice. My... my wife... now she wants to be the empress of the sea. The fish did not say a word. Instead, it simply turned and disappeared into the churning waters. When the old man returned home, he could not believe his eyes. The magnificent palace was gone. In its place stood their old modest hut. The fisherman and his wife returned to their former life. Every day, the fisherman went fishing as usual. But he never caught the extraordinary golden fish again. Far away on the beautiful island of Hawaii, a powerful chief lived with his daughter. She was a tropical princess and they were happy on the island. One day, the princess became very ill from eating a spoiled mango. The chief sent for the magical healer to save his daughter. The healer shook his head sadly and said, There is only one thing that will save this girl. You must find three golden flowers. They grow where the glorious sun shines into sparkling water. The chief wanted his daughter to stay alive, so he gathered all the men in the village. He told them that whoever found the golden flowers could marry the princess. Three brothers who lived across the river heard the chief's plea. They were just poor farmers, but they knew their island paradise very well. The brothers alone knew where to find the sacred healing flowers. The first brother rode his small boat, called a skiff, up the river. He found the golden flowers by a sparkling waterfall. He knew that only nine flowers grew in that special spot every year. He took three of the magical flowers. As he rode back to the village, an old fisherman stopped him. What do you have there? The fisherman asked. The boy didn't trust the old man, so he answered, Worms! When the poor boy reached the village, he showed his basket to the chief. But worms came out of his basket instead of the three golden flowers. The next day, the very same thing happened to the second brother. The chief was sad. Then the third brother tried. He was the youngest, kind in nature, and shy. When the fisherman asked him what he had in the basket, he was honest. He said, I have three golden flowers. The old fisherman looked in the basket and said, So you do, and you will need this flute. The enchanted flowers cured the sick princess, but the chief went back on his promise. He did not want a poor simple farmer to marry his daughter. The chief said, Go out tonight with these one hundred birds. If you can return in the morning with all one hundred birds, then you may marry my daughter. But in the moonlight, the poor boy quickly lost all the birds. Then he remembered the flute the fisherman had given him. He played the mystical flute, and all the birds came back to him. The chief was very surprised. Had this poor farmer boy really charmed all one hundred birds? He counted the birds twice. Then the chief bowed his regal head and said, You will be a worthy husband for my daughter. The poor farmer boy moved his whole family to the chief's village. He lived there happily with his new wife. And sometimes, early in the spring, when the sun glinted off the sparkling waterfall, the young man and his princess would watch the golden flowers shining by the waterfall. A DINNER OF SMELLS One day, a poor man came to visit an Effendi while he was having tea. Effendi is a title of respect for a well-educated or wealthy man in the Middle East. The poor man said, Effendi Nasreddin, I need your help. I don't know if you will help me. I am a poor man, a man with no money. The Effendi looked at the man kindly. I will help you, he said. Tell me what is wrong. The poor man looked tired and hungry, and it took him a while to begin. I have a problem. He paused suddenly. Yes? Said the Effendi gently. Go on. Yesterday I stopped in front of the door of a restaurant. The poor man said, The restaurant belonged to a rich man. I ate nothing. I only smelled the food. However, the owner came out and noticed me. He said I was enjoying his food and... and he wanted me to pay him for the food. The poor man stopped. He turned his head and coughed. The Effendi wondered if the man was crying. But he waited patiently for the man to continue. Please, finish your story when you are ready. Said the Effendi. Well? Continued the poor man. I, of course, had no money with me. So I couldn't pay him. He became very angry. He shouted and shouted until the judge came. The judge said I must appear in court today. He will tell me how I am to be punished. Please, Effendi. Begged the poor man. Can you help me? Can you say something to the judge? The Effendi offered the man some tea. And he sat thinking quietly while the man drank. When the man had finished his tea, the Effendi spoke. Yes, I will go to court with you. Let's go. And they left together. When the Effendi and the poor man got to court, the rich man was already there. He was waiting for them. As soon as the rich man saw the poor man, he began shouting angrily. This man owes me the price of one dinner. I want my money. These beggars are all alike. They live off the work of others. It took the judge several minutes to calm the rich man down. You see how angry he is? Said the judge. You have filled yourself up on the smell of his restaurant. Yet you have not even paid him. You must pay him right now. After the Effendi heard what the judge said, he stepped forward. He looked at the rich man and said, Oh sir, do not be so upset. This poor man is my brother, my elder brother. He is a poor man and he cannot pay you. So I will pay you instead. After he heard this, the rich man smiled a greedy smile. The Effendi took a bag of coins from his belt. He bent down next to the rich man and shook the bag of coins. The coins jingled loudly. Listen, said the Effendi. Do you hear that sound? Of course I hear, said the rich man impatiently. Well then, answered the Effendi. The problem is solved. The debt is paid. My brother has smelled your food, and you have heard his money. The judge nodded. He was satisfied with the exchange. If the poor man only smelled the rich man's food, the rich man could only charge him the sound of his money. Afterward, the Effendi took the arm of the poor man and handed him the bag of gold coins. Go my brother, said the Effendi, and taste the food you have smelled so much of. The poor man bowed respectfully and left.