Story of Khwaja Hassan Hawwal – Alif Laila
Khwaja Hassan said that before telling my story, I want to tell about two of my friends. He is still alive and lives here in Baghdad. They will confirm my every statement. One of them’s name is Saadi. Saadi believed that happiness in the world comes from wealth and wealth comes from industry and hard work. Against this, Saad was of the opinion that wealth comes only by the grace of God and the fate of man. The two had a close friendship and there was no quarrel but there was always a debate on this subject. One day there was a lot of debate between the two regarding this matter. Saadi said, either a man is always poor by being born in a poor family, or by taking birth in a rich family, he becomes poor by spending money on pleasures and pleasures in his youth. Otherwise an enterprising and intelligent man would not be poor. Saad used to say, Nothing beats enterprise and intelligence. Man gets rich by his luck. Poverty and riches are games of destiny. Wealth comes from many other avenues besides capital and enterprise. Saadi said, your statement is absolutely false. Come, let us both examine our statements. We will look for some poor professional man. I’ll give him some money. You see that he will become a big man by venturing out on the strength of that money. Only then will you believe my words.
Then both of them came roaming towards my house. I was tying the rope sitting in front of my house, because the profession of tying rope had been done since the time of my forefathers. I saluted both of them. Seeing the condition of my clothes and house, he realized my poverty. Saad said to Saadi, this is the kind of man you were looking for. I have known this for a long time. This is very poor. He works hard all day long and continues to rope and still barely sustains the family. Saadi said, well, but first let’s take a good look at him. He said these things in such a low voice that I could not hear anything. Then Saadi, who was richer than Saad, came up to me and asked my name.
I said, my name is Hassan and people call me Hasan Hawwal because of the ropes. Saadi said, you must have earned a lot of income in your profession. Your forefathers used to do the same thing, so they must have left a lot for you too. You too must have earned a lot of money from your hard work and your wealth will have increased further. I replied, it is not like that at all. I don’t have any wealth. I could not even get enough food. I tie the rope from morning till evening, not taking rest even for a moment. Still, somehow I am able to raise only dry bread for my family. I have five small children. None of them qualified to help me. I alone collect food and clothes for them. I sell rope I spend some of its value on food etc. And after buying the rest of the flax, I make rope from it the next day. Still I thank God that I am only poor. I am not a slave of anyone, I do my work freely.
Saadi said, you told me your whole situation. Thanks for that but it turned out to be the opposite of what I thought. Well, if I give you two hundred asharfis, then you will not have this condition. After getting two hundred Asharfi, you will become rich and live happily? I said, two hundred Ashrafis themselves cannot make me rich. But by this I can run my profession better and earn more money. Saadi saw that I am a reliable man, so he took out a bag of two hundred Asharfis from his pocket and gave it to me and said, I am giving these two hundred Asharfis to you. This is not a loan, I am giving it in charity. You grow your business with this. May God bless your earnings. But keep in mind that this money should not be wasted. Not only me, but my best friend Saad will also be happy in your prosperity. God have mercy on you.
I could not get bloated after getting two hundred asharfis. I kissed Saadi’s dress as a thank you and greatly admired her brotherhood. After that they both left. After they left I was worried about where should I keep these Asharfis. There was neither a safe place nor a box in my house where I had so much wealth, which I had not seen all my life, Keep it In the end, it was decided that I should hide the bag in my turban. I took ten asharfis from the bag, put them in the pocket and tightly tied the mouth of the bag with a string and placed it carefully in the turban. I did not tell anything about this wealth to my wife and children. Putting the same turban on my head, I went to the market and bought enough flax. While returning, bought some meat from the butcher’s place for the evening meal as the meat was not available for months. The meat I bought was in my hand. On the way, an eagle pounced on the meat. I pulled away the eagle with the other hand. Now the eagle swooped from the other side. This time also I saved the meat and drove the eagle away with the other hand. But in this jump, my turban fell from my head and the fucking eagle took the same turban and flew away and soon, Lost out of sight. I cried out immediately. Due to this, the women and children of the locality gathered and after hearing my condition, started running after the eagle, but where was the eagle going to come. I came to my house with great sadness and began to regret the one hundred and ninety Ashrafis who went with the turban, who had gone out of my hands because of my stupidity.
Well, there were only ten Asharfis. On their strength, for a few days, my children and women ate a full meal.
One or two clothes were also made for women and children. But how long could this go on? After a few days I became poor again. Satisfying my condition, I thanked God that nothing of my own was lost. I used to console my soul by thinking that when poverty and hard work are written in my destiny, then I should be content in that, if those asharfis were of my fate then why would they have come out of my hands.
I used to explain my mind in different ways, yet the pain of lost money did not come out of my mind. I had not even told the condition of the Ashrafis to my wife and children. Seeing my worry and sadness, they all started asking me the reason for it. Many of my neighbors also came and asked why are you starting to be so sad. At first I kept quiet, but on the insistence of those people, I told them everything. My neighbors, even the children, started laughing at my words. They started saying, have you seen a single Asharfi in your whole life that you talk about two hundred Asharfis? From where did you get two hundred Asharfis? There was also a lot of talk about flying with an eagle’s turban, what will the eagle do with the turban? The neighbors did not believe but my wife believed in me and she cried a lot over it. Then life went on like that.
After six months both the friends Saadi and Saad came to my street. Saad said that go and see Hasan Hawwal, how much his condition changes after getting two hundred Ashrafis. Said Saadi, it is very well said. We will definitely see him. If his condition improves, then we will be satisfied to see that the life of a poor person will improve with the money given by us. When both of them came closer, Saad said, brother, I feel his condition as before. His clothes are torn as well as old, yes, his turban definitely looks new. You also see, maybe I have made a mistake in looking at me. Saadi also looked and said, you are right.
Now both came to me. Saad said, Hassan brother, how are you now? Your business must have increased considerably with two hundred Ashrafis. I said, what should I tell you about my misfortune? I am ashamed to say. Even if I don’t tell, it doesn’t work. You guys have showered me with so much kindness, even if I hide it from you, though you will be surprised to hear my condition. Saying this I told the whole situation. Saadi said, Hassan, why are you fooling us? The eagle takes food items or turbans. You have also done what people like you do. When money is received unexpectedly, then they leave their work and fall into the luxuries. And after robbing everything in a few days, then they become fakers. You have done the same.
I said, you have every right to say whatever you say for me. But I haven’t told any lie. Everyone here knows what has happened to me. I also know that usually eagles do not carry turbans, but this ghastly incident has happened to me and there are many people who are witness to it. Saad took my side and said, there is nothing to disbelieve in it. It has been seen many times that the eagles have also taken such things which cannot be used for their food. On hearing this, Saadi took out a heavy bag from his pocket and counted two hundred ashrafis and gave it to me and said, Brother Hassan, I am again giving you two hundred asharfis. Keep them carefully and safely and don’t lose them like before. Increase your business with this so that your financial condition will be fine. Do not misuse them. I thanked Saadi very much and wished her a long life. After this, both of them left after taking farewell from the friend.
I took the asharfis and went inside my house. At that time my wife and son were gone somewhere. I thought that the Asharfis should be kept in such a place where no outsider can see. I took out ten Asharfis and tied the remaining Asharfis in an old rag, but there was no box etc. in the house. Looking here and there, in one corner, a nand was seen, which was filled with husk. I kept the bundle of Asharfis inside the same husk. After sometime my wife came. I then hid the matter of Asharfis from him and went to the market to buy flax for rope. Here came a hawker who used to sell mud for washing heads. My wife needed soil but there was not even a penny in the house. He said to the hawker, brother, I do not have money, You give me this much soil and in return take this husk along with the sand. The hawker found the deal profitable and accepted it. So the hawker, giving him the soil to wash his head, took away the lump of husk.
After he left, I came to my house carrying a bundle of flax on my head. When he first came into the house, he saw the lump of husk and could not find it where it was kept. I asked my wife where the sand had gone, she said that after giving the sand to the hawker, she took soil to wash her head. Hearing this, I beat my head and started raining on my wife. I said, fucking you did the work of cutting your neck. Starved the whole family and filled the hawker’s house. You go and die somewhere. He did not understand my displeasure and he asked, why are you crying, then I told that a friend had given me two hundred asharfis, out of which ten were taken out and tied in a cloth I hid the rest in a husk so that no one else Let the eyes not fall on them.
Hearing this, my wife beat her head and started crying. He said, hi now where can I find that rogue hawker. I don’t even recognize him. No one in the locality even knows him. He had come to the locality for the first time. And you also consider me your enemy that you have not told me. He hid the Ashrafis from me both times and lost them both times. I told him, Unfortunate, the loss that will happen has already happened. Why are you crying so much now? If the neighbors hear this, they will laugh at our stupidity. What’s the use of crying now?
Both of us bought some items of household and household items from ten Ashrafis, then started living a life of poverty in the same way. There was no place for my worry and shame. Poverty was a habit from the beginning. He was not so worried. The problem was that this time Saadi would come, what would I say to him? I cannot tell any lie and he will not believe the truth and he will understand that I have blown two hundred asharfis in pleasure. After a few days again, Saad and Saadi came to my house arguing about me. Seeing them coming from afar, I started thinking that how will I make eye contact with them. I wanted to get up and go somewhere but he came straight to me. And saluting me and asking for my well-being. I sat down with my head bowed in shame. They were surprised to see my poverty undone. Saadi said, what is the matter? I said, believe it or not, The truth is that after you left, I hid the Asharfis in a husk under the husk. Yes, ten Asharfis had definitely been taken out of it earlier. At that time there was no one in the house except me. Taking ten Asharfis I went to the market so that I could buy flax. Meanwhile my wife had come home. After some time a hawker came out from here selling mud for washing his head. My wife didn’t have a penny at that time. Considering the husk to be useless, he asked the hawker to give me soil to wash the head instead of the lump of husk. The hawker agreed to the deal. And my wife gave him a lump of husk instead of clay. One hundred and ninety Asharfis also went with him. Ten Asharfis must have been taken out of them earlier. At that time there was no one in the house except me. Taking ten Asharfis I went to the market so that I could buy flax. Meanwhile my wife had come home. After some time a hawker came out from here selling mud for washing his head. My wife didn’t have a penny at that time. Considering the husk to be useless, he asked the hawker to give me soil to wash the head instead of the lump of husk. The hawker agreed to the deal. And my wife gave him a lump of husk instead of clay. One hundred and ninety Asharfis also went away with him. Ten Asharfis must have been taken out of them earlier. At that time there was no one in the house except me. Taking ten Asharfis I went to the market so that I could buy flax. Meanwhile my wife had come home. After some time a hawker came out from here selling mud for washing his head. My wife didn’t have a penny at that time. Considering the husk to be useless, he asked the hawker to give me soil to wash the head instead of the lump of husk. The hawker agreed to the deal. And my wife gave him a lump of husk instead of clay. One hundred and ninety Asharfis also went away with him.
Saadi said, why didn’t you tell your wife that Asharfis are kept in the nand? I said, you said to keep the asharfis carefully, so I kept them in a safe place. When the woman came, I was in a hurry to go to the market and then I did not even want to tell her because things are not digested in the stomach of women. There was also a fear that he might spend them in his hobby. Twice you tried to make me rich from poor but can you and can I. Poverty is written in my destiny, then from where will the money come to me. Yes, I will not forget the favor you have done for me throughout my life and will continue to sing your praises throughout my life. Saadi said, Brother, the help I gave you was not given to lose your merits, but because you should become rich. I am very sorry that even after trying twice, I could not do it.
Now Saad, who already knew me, took out a copper penny from his pocket. He said to Saadi, I am giving this money to Hassan. You see that if God wills it, then its fate will be reversed and it will become rich. Saadi burst out laughing at this. Started saying, this one penny will definitely make him rich from poor. By investing this one penny in business, it will generate thousands of rupees. What stupid thing are you talking about? Saying this he started laughing again.
Saad said to me, don’t take care of Saadi’s words. Let it laugh It is such a habit that he keeps on laughing without thinking. You watch. If God wishes, you will see its miracle within a day. This will remove your poverty. I too could not believe how one penny would remove poverty. Still, I thanked and kept that money in my pocket. After sometime both the friends left and I started undoing the rope and forgot the money.
When I started taking off my clothes to sleep at night, the money fell on the ground. I picked it up and kept it in a table. Incidentally, on the same night a fisherman needed a penny. His net was somewhat broken and he had to take twine to fix it. He asked his wife to ask a neighbor for a penny. She went to everyone’s house but did not get a single penny from anywhere. The fisherman asked him whether you had gone to Hasan Hawwal’s place or not. She said, I did not go there, her house is far away. The fisherman scolded him that you are not moved even a little bit, you go there now, you will definitely get money from him. So the woman came murmuring to my house and opened the door and said, Hassan Bhaiya, we need a penny to get the twine for the net, If you have it, give it. I noticed the money that I had put on hold at the same time. And I asked my wife to give the money lying around. The fisherman’s woman did my wife a great favor and said, because of you guys, our day was saved from getting worse yesterday. My husband goes fishing before daybreak. I promise you that I will give you all the fish that come from the first time you cast the net. My wife didn’t say anything on this. When the fisherman’s woman gave him money and said that I had promised to give him the first fish, he happily accepted it. Because of you guys, our day was saved from getting worse yesterday. My husband goes fishing before daybreak. I promise you that I will give you all the fish that come from the first time you cast the net. My wife didn’t say anything on this. When the fisherman’s woman gave him money and said that I had promised to give him the first fish, he happily accepted it. Because of you guys, our day was saved from getting worse yesterday. My husband goes fishing before daybreak. I promise you that I will give you all the fish that come from the first time you cast the net. My wife didn’t say anything on this. When the fisherman’s woman gave him money and said that I had promised to give him the first fish, he happily accepted it.
In the morning the fisherman got up in the dark and went to the river. Taking the name of God, he cast a net and pulled it, then only one fish of modest size came in it. He put it aside because I had to give that fish. Then he threw the net several times, and each time big and many fish were caught in the net. All the fish were bigger than the fish that were caught in the first net. During the day, the fisherman came to his house with a consignment of fish and before taking them to the market, he came to my house with my share of fish and said to me, Hassan brother, in the night my wife had promised you that the first net The fish will be given to you. I have brought that for you. Now it is your luck that for the first time only this small fish got caught. If more fish came in the first time, he would have given you all. Now accept this one fish.
I said, I had given the money after seeing your need, not to get the fish. You take it too. But the fisherman was adamant on keeping his promise and eventually went away by forcibly giving me the fish. I called my wife and said, in return for the money you gave to the fisherman’s woman yesterday, I have got this fish. That money belonged to Saad and Saad had said that with this one penny only your fortune will shine. So this one fish has come to shine the fortune. Hearing this, she started laughing.
He thought that there is no oil and spices in the house to make this fish brothy. That’s why he thought that roasting it in the same way should be given to the children. When he cleaned the fish by taking it, a big diamond came out from inside it. We had seen Heera Kahe. My wife thought it was a piece of glass. But he did not throw it away but put it aside so that the youngest would give it to the child to play with. When the little child came, my wife gave him that diamond to play with. He played with her for some time. Then his brothers took the diamond from him and one by one all the children played with it for a while. They kept playing with him till evening. When it was dark, they brought him into the house.
When the lamp was lit, the diamond started shining brightly in its light. All the children were very happy seeing him and started crying. He was happy with her for a long time. Then my wife prepared the food and invited everyone to eat. While eating, the elder boy put the diamond aside and everyone continued to eat peacefully. After the meal I lay down on my cot and the children again started playing with the diamond and making noise because every child wanted to play with the sparkling diamond. At first we did not pay attention to their quarrel, but when their noise got louder, I asked them what was the matter. He said that mother had given us a piece of glass to play with. There is a fight over that.
When I asked for it and saw it, I was also surprised to see its glow. I asked the wife where did you find this piece. He said, in the stomach of the fish. I kept the lamp in the oat, even then there was so much light in the piece that we could see everything clearly. I said, that’s enough. We have found such a thing which will save oil and light.
When the children saw that the piece of glass not only lit up but also gave light in the dark, they started jumping and making more noise. It was enough night, so other people of the locality also heard his voice. When the noise increased a lot, I scolded them and silenced them. We were all sleeping on our beds and I completely forgot about that piece of glass.
An old Jewish couple lived in our neighborhood. Both of them were woken up by the screams of our children and then did not come for a long time. In the morning the old lady came to my house with this remark. By that time I was busy with my work. When the old Jew came to our house, my wife understood that she must have brought a rebuke. Before he could speak, my wife said, “Sister, I know you must not have slept at night because of these fucking noises.” We have also reprimanded them a lot, you also forgive them. What to do, children are only children, they become happy over the slightest thing, they lift the sky on their head over the smallest thing. Look, these unfortunate people were dying last night fighting for this piece of glass. Saying this my wife showed him the diamond.
The Jew himself was a gem merchant and the Jew also knew the gems. She stooped in surprise, then said, I have such a piece of glass. If you sell it, I will wear it as a pair. He did not tell with his cunning that this is a very valuable diamond. My wife would have sold it too but all the children started crying that don’t sell this piece, we will never make noise again. That’s why the talk was over because the old lady did not want to tell the truth. But before going home, I secretly told my wife that no one should see it and do not sell it to anyone without informing me. Then the old lady went to her husband’s shop and gave a complete description of that diamond, then she said, buy such a rare diamond at any price. First you put a little price on it. Those people do not know its value, they may give it in a short time. If not, then gradually increase the price. But be it at any cost, definitely take it.
On the orders of her husband, the Jew came to my wife and said, I can give you twenty asharfi for this piece of glass. My wife was shocked to hear this and understood that there is something special in this piece, only then it is ready to pay such a price. He didn’t answer anything. In the meantime, I also came to the house to have lunch and saw both the women talking. My wife took me aside and said, This Jew is giving twenty asharfis for a piece of glass. I haven’t replied yet. If you say I will take it, after all it is a piece of glass.
I remembered Saad’s words at the same time that this money will brighten your luck. Before I could say anything, the Jew came to me and said that I want to take this piece for twenty ashrafis. I remained silent. Then the Jew said, Hasan Miyan, if you find twenty ashrafis short, I will give fifty. I saw that she had come from twenty to fifty, so I understood that this piece would be of great value. Still I remained silent. He said, take a good hundred Asharfi, although my husband will be angry at paying such a price. I said, look brother, I will not sell it for less than a million asharfis. Yes, you people are neighbors, that’s why I say that if someone else will give more than a lakh asharfi, I will give it to you only in lakh ashrafi.
The Jew grew up to five thousand ashrafis, but I did not agree, so she started saying that do not sell it to anyone till the evening, in the evening my husband will come and talk to you himself. In the evening the old Jew came. He tested the diamond thoroughly in the light of the lamp and when he believed in its integrity, he said, My wife has put fifty thousand of it, I put seventy thousand. I can’t give more than that.
I said, your wife must have told you that I am not ready to sell diamonds for less than one lakh asharfis. If you are not ready to take him for that much then I will deal with another jeweler. After much hesitation, the Jewish jeweler agreed to a deal of one lakh asharfis because the diamond was huge and the Jew was to make a big profit by buying one lakh ashrafis. The Jew gave me two thousand Ashrafis in earnest and said that by tomorrow evening I will pay the full price and take away the diamond. The next day the Jewish jeweler, taking a loan from several of his friends, gave me ninety-eight thousand ashrafis and took the diamond.
I thanked God after getting so much money. With the money given by the same God, I bought household items like the rich and my wife also got good clothes made for herself and for the boys. I bought a big house to live in. Put curtains, floors etc. in it. I told my wife, we have got so much money but I will keep my profession as paternal. She also agreed to this. I invested only a part of my capital in business, Keep the rest carefully so that it will be useful for the rest of the time. I hired many artisans of the city and, by paying several hundred asharfis, got many rope weaving factories set up in the city. There were also many trusted administrators who took care of those factories. At present, there is no street in the city of Baghdad in which my rope-sharing factory is not present. Similarly, I opened rope factories in the administration centers of other big cities and districts also. There, the accountants were hired for the administration and accounting. I got a lot of money from this.
I took a big old house which had a lot of land. His building was demolished and a big building was built there. That’s what you saw yesterday. I made it my central office and kept the extra household items there too. Leaving the old house and settled in the new house.
After a long time, Saad and Saadi came to my old house asking me. The people of the locality said that now no one calls him Hasan, now he is called Khwaja Hasan Hawwal and he lives in a big house in that locality. He has got a big business. Both those friends came to my house asking me. At that time Saadi did not believe at all that his condition had changed with the money given by Saad, he thought that I had made up a false story twice about the loss of Asharfis.
He told Saad that Hassan lied to me twice that the asharfis given to him were lost from him, from where did he grow this business if those asharfis were lost. But he said that it doesn’t matter whether Hasan told the truth or a lie, I would be happy to see his prosperity. I am absolutely not ready to believe that the copper money you gave him made him rich.
Saad said, your point is absolutely baseless. I have known Hassan for a long time. He was poor but he was never in the habit of lying. Whatever he said about those Ashrafis will all be true. You will also know that it is only because of my one penny that his business has flourished so much.
In the same way, they came to my house while arguing. When he called on the door, the concierge opened the gate. Saadi was scared to see many servants inside that he had not entered any Sardar’s house. He asked the concierge that where does Khwaja Hasan Hawwal live? The concierge said, live here and is sitting in his meeting at this time. You go inside The servant will inform them of your arrival. When I got information about the arrival of both of them, instead of calling them, I got up from the Diwankhana and went to welcome them. Seeing him, I ran and kissed his clothes in honor. He wanted to hug me but I didn’t let it happen because he still considered him higher than me. Taking him inside, I made him sit on a high place in a hallway. They wanted to make me equal to themselves but I said, Excellencies, I have not forgotten that I am the same rope puller Hassan and you guys are my benefactors. I sat down in front of him and we started talking after the initial courtesy.
Saadi said, Brother Hasan, I am very happy to see this prosperity of yours. I am seeing you the way I wanted to see you. I firmly believe that all your prosperity is due to the four hundred Ashrafis which I gave to you twice. Now tell me the truth that why did you lie to me both times that the Asharfis are lost from you. Saad kept on listening to his words with annoyance and when he became silent, he said, why are you driving your absurdity and why are you making Hasan a liar. I have told you that this is not a liar. On this both of them quarreled again.
I said, gentlemen, do not quarrel with each other about my point. Believe it or not, the asharfis were lost to me just like I told you guys. And how I got this wealth, I will tell you now. After this, Sarkar, I told them about the diamond coming out of the stomach of the fish, just as I have told you. On this Saadi said, Hassan, the matter of getting such a big diamond out of the stomach of that small fish is like the matter of carrying the turban of an eagle. Who would believe these things? It is possible to talk about Asharfis kept in the husk of the husk, but I do not believe in that either. However leave it. whatever happened was good. After that both got up to leave. I said,
At first he did not listen to this, but when I insisted a lot, he agreed to stop. I made various dishes for them. I showed them the valuables of my house. They were very happy to see all this and kept talking about laughter and jokes. When the meal was ready I took them to my dining room. A variety of delicious dishes prepared by my servants were kept there. Large lamps were burning at different places, on the one hand singers were singing in melodious voices, on the other hand dancers and dancers were performing. After the meal, many games and spectacles were arranged for the entertainment of those people.
After that we slept. Waking up in the morning, resting on our routine, we boarded a boat and proceeded through the river to my country house. We reached there in a few hours. After getting off the boat, we came to my country house while walking around the village. I had set up a factory there too. They were happy to see the decoration of the house and the factory. Then I took them to the garden that I had planted there. Various types of fruit and flower trees were planted in the garden. Irrigation water came from the river through paved canals. There were various ripe fruits on the trees. Various flowers were spreading fragrance all around. Fountains and sheets of water falling from above were visible everywhere. Both those friends were even more happy seeing all this. He thanked me for taking him to visit such a beautiful place. At the same time he also blessed me from the heart that my prosperity and
Then I took them to a small house built in the garden itself. I had arranged for lunch in the same garden house. There in a beautiful and clean place where the masanad pillows were fitted, those people were seated. Two or three days before bringing them here, I had sent my two sons and their teacher to change the climate in the country house. Those boys were also roaming in the garden looking for the nests of birds. On a tree they saw a big and white nest. They were small and did not even know how to climb trees, so they asked a servant to climb up and bring down the nest for them to play with. When the servant climbed the tree, he was surprised to see that there was a turban in the nest, one end of which was wrapped around the nest due to the wind. The servant took off the nest and handed it over to the boys.
The boys came running to me with the nest and jumped up and said, “Look, Abba, this nest is made of cloth.” I was surprised to see this, Saad and Saadi wondered even more than me that where did such a big cloth in the nest come from. When I looked at the cloth, I came to know that it is a turban and it is the same turban that the eagle had taken away from my head. I said to both the friends, see if this is the same turban that I was wearing that day. Saad said, I did not pay attention to your turban, so cannot say whether it is the same turban or not.
Saadi said, I don’t even recognize your turban. But if it is the same turban, then it will also have the remaining one hundred and ninety ashrafis. I said, I know. This turban is the one that the eagle took away.
When I picked up the turban from the nest, it felt very heavy. When I opened its folds, a bag came out of it. I told Saadi, you do not recognize my turban, but you must have recognized this bag. In fact, I was furious at Saadi’s disbelief, but I had not said anything earlier, remembering his favour. Saadi said, “This bag is really what I gave you.” It should also have asharfis. I opened the bag and reversed it in front of him and said that count the asharfis too. When he counted the Asharfis, their number turned out to be exactly one hundred and ninety.
Saadi was ashamed to see this but he said, your once said thing has been proved but I do not believe that your luck has changed in one penny. You must have started business with two hundred ashrafis, if not with four hundred ashrafis which I gave you for the second time. I kept silent on this but Saad again interrupted him that you are stuck on useless insistence. The same absurd argument started again between the two of them.
Well when the food arrived, the debate ended. After the meal we slept there. Saad and Saadi had urgent work the next day and we had to return at night. There was no point in walking upstream in the night and back on the course of the river. So the three of us rode on horses and left for Baghdad in the evening. We had three slaves with us. When the night was enough, we got down at one place. The horses did not get feed in the evening, so I asked the slaves to arrange fodder for the horses from somewhere. By nightfall, all the shops were closed, only one grocery store was open. The grain was not found but a lump filled with husk was found. My slaves found it lucky and brought it by paying the price of husk and promising to return the empty ball in the morning. When a servant began to take out the husk from the hut and give it to the horses, he put his hand on a bundle and brought it to me so that the bag could be given to the shopkeeper in the morning.
When I saw the bundle, I recognized that it is the same bundle in which I had tied Asharfis and kept them in the knot of the husk. Going out and seeing Nand, he also recognized that it was mine. I called both the friends and showed them the naand and the bundle that came out of it, then opened the bundle and reversed the asharfis in it in front of Saadi, and said, count them. When he counted, it turned out to be one hundred and ninety. Saadi said, now I have full faith in Hassan’s truthfulness and in your theory that wealth does not come on the strength of capital, nor on the strength of enterprise but by luck. After that we went to sleep and came to Baghdad in the morning where both the friends left me and went to their homes.
The Caliph after listening to the whole story of Hasan said, Hassan Miyan, had heard from your neighbors that you are a man who spends money wisely. It is known from your story that you are also a straightforward and decent man. The diamond you are talking about is in the treasury, I bought it from a Jewish jeweler for half a million asharfis. You send Saadi here so that she can see the diamond and take a rest. You go to my treasurer and give my order that he should listen to the story of the receipt of the diamond from your mouth and get it written down and kept with the diamond.
Saying this the Caliph signaled Hasan to leave. He came back after kissing the foot of the throne. Baba Abdullah and Sidi Numan also went to their respective homes after kissing the throne of the Caliph.
On hearing the story, Duniyajad praised him and asked whether any other story also comes. Shehrzad said that it is a very entertaining story. But Shahryar said, it is now morning. Starting the second story tomorrow.
