An outline of humor: Being a true chronicle from prehistoric ages to the twentieth century
History
An outline of humor: Being a true chronicle from prehistoric ages to the twentieth century
Wit and humor
There was once a thief who repented to God the Most High and making
good his repentance, opened himself a shop for the sale of stuffs,
where he continued to trade awhile. One day, he locked his shop and
went home; and in the night there came to the bazaar a cunning thief
disguised in the habit of the merchant, and pulling out keys from his
sleeve, said to the watchman of the market, “Light me this candle.”
So the watchman took the candle and went to get a light, whilst the
thief opened the shop and lit another candle he had with him. When
the watchman came back, he found him seated in the shop, looking over
the account books and reckoning with his fingers; nor did he leave
to do thus till point of day, when he said to the man, “Fetch me a
camel-driver and his camel, to carry some goods for me.” So the man
fetched him a camel, and the thief took four bales of stuffs and gave
them to the camel-driver, who loaded them on his beast. Then he gave
the watchman two dirhems and went away after the camel-driver, the
watchman the while believing him to be the owner of the shop.
Next morning, the merchant came and the watchman greeted him with
blessings, because of the two dirhems, much to the surprise of the
former, who knew not what he meant. When he opened his shop, he saw
the droppings of the wax and the account-book lying on the floor, and
looking round, found four bales of stuffs missing. So he asked the
watchman what had happened and he told him what had passed in the
night, whereupon the merchant bade him fetch the camel-driver and
said to the latter, “Whither didst thou carry the stuffs?” “To such
a wharf,” answered the driver; “and I stowed them on board such a
vessel.” “Come with me thither,” said the merchant. So the camel-driver
carried him to the wharf and showed him the barque and her owner. Quoth
the merchant to the latter, “Whither didst thou carry the merchant and
the stuff?” “To such a place,” answered the master, “where he fetched
a camel-driver and setting the bales on the camel, went I know not
whither.” “Fetch me the camel-driver,” said the merchant; so he fetched
him and the merchant said to him, “Whither didst thou carry the bales
of stuffs from the ship?” “To such a khan,” answered he. “Come thither
with me and show it to me,” said the merchant.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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