The Caliph And The Gardener

    There was once a caliph of Cordova whose name was Al Mansour. One day a strange merchant came to him with some diamonds and pearls which he had brought from beyond the sea. The caliph was so well pleased with these jewels that he bought them and paid the merchant a large sum of money. The merchant put the gold in a bag of purple silk which he tied to his belt underneath his long cloak. Then he set out on foot to walk to another city.

    It was midsummer, and the day was very hot. As the merchant was walking along, he came to a river that flowed gently between green and shady banks.

    He was hot and covered with dust. No one was near. Very few people ever came that way. Why should he not cool himself in the refreshing water? He took off his clothes and laid them on the bank. He put the bag of money on top of them and then leaped into the water. How cool and delicious it was!

    Suddenly he heard a rustling noise behind him. He turned quickly and saw an eagle rising into the air with his moneybag in its claws. No doubt the bird had mistaken the purple silk for something good to eat.

    The merchant shouted. He jumped out of the water and shouted again. But it was no use. The great bird was high in the air and flying towards the far-off mountains with all his money.

    The poor man could do nothing but dress himself and go sorrowing on his way.

    A year passed by and then the merchant appeared once more before Al Mansour. "O Caliph," he said, "here are a few jewels which I had reserved as a present for my wife. But I have met with such bad luck that I am forced to sell them. I pray that you will look at them and take them at your own price."

    Al Mansour noticed that the merchant was very sad and downcast. "Why, what has happened to you?" he asked. "Have you been sick?"

    Then the merchant told him how the eagle had flown away with his money.

    "Why didn't you come to us before?" he asked. "We might have done something to help you. Toward what place was the eagle flying when you last saw it?"

    "It was flying toward the Black Mountains," answered the merchant.

    The next morning the caliph called ten of his officers before him. "Ride at once to the Black Mountains," he said. "Find all the old men that live on the mountains or in the flat country around, and command them to appear before me one week from to-day."

    The officers did as they were bidden. On the day appointed, forty gray- bearded, honest old men stood before the caliph. All were asked the same question. "Do you know of any person who was once poor but who has lately and suddenly become well-to-do?"

    Most of the old men answered that they did not know of any such person. A few said that there was one man in their neighborhood who seemed to have had some sort of good luck.

    This man was a gardener. A year ago he was so poor that he had scarcely clothes for his back. His children were crying for food. But lately everything had changed for him. Both he and his family dressed well; they had plenty to eat; he had even bought a horse to help him carry his produce to market.

    The caliph at once gave orders for the gardener to be brought before him the next day. He also ordered that the merchant should come at the same time.

    Before noon the next day the gardener was admitted to the palace. As soon as he entered the hall the caliph went to meet him. "Good friend," he said, "if you should find something that we have lost, what would you do with it?"

    The gardener put his hand under his cloak and drew out the very bag that the merchant had lost.

    "Here it is, my lord," he said.

    At sight of his lost treasure, the merchant began to dance and shout for joy.

    "Tell us," said Al Mansour to the gardener, "tell us how you came to find that bag."

    The gardener answered: "A year ago, as I was spading in my garden, I saw something fall at the foot of a palm tree. I ran to pick it up and was surprised to find that it was a bag full of bright gold pieces. I said to myself, 'This money must belong to our master, Al Mansour. Some large bird has stolen it from his palace.'"

    "Well, then," said the caliph, "why did you not return it to us at once?" "It was this way," said the gardener: "I looked at the gold pieces, and then thought of my own great necessities. My wife and children were suffering from the want of food and clothing. I had no shoes for my feet, no coat for my back. So I said to myself, 'My lord Al Mansour is famous for his kindness to the poor. He will not care.' So I took ten gold pieces from the many that were in the bag.

    "I meant only to borrow them. And I put the bag in a safe place, saying that as soon as I could replace the ten pieces, I would return all to my lord Al Mansour. With much hard labor and careful management I have saved only five little silver pieces. But, as I came to your palace this morning, I kept saying to myself, 'When our lord Al Mansour learns just how it was that I borrowed the gold, I have no doubt that in his kindness of heart he will forgive me the debt.'"

    Great was the caliph's surprise when he heard the poor man's story. He took the bag of money and handed it to the merchant. "Take the bag and count the money that is in it," he said. "If anything is lacking, I will pay it to you."

    The merchant did as he was told. "There is nothing lacking," he said, "but the ten pieces he has told you about; and I will give him these as a reward."

    "No," said Al Mansour, "it is for me to reward the man as he deserves."

    Saying this, he ordered that ten gold pieces be given to the merchant in place of those that were lacking. Then he rewarded the gardener with ten more pieces for his honesty.

    "Your debt is paid. Think no more about it," he said.

The Golden Tripod, Inspirational Story

    I

    One morning, long ago, a merchant of Miletus was walking along the seashore. Some fishermen were pulling in a large net, and he stopped to watch them.

    "My good men," he said, "how many fish do you expect to draw in this time?"

    "We cannot tell," they answered. "We never count our fish before they are caught."

    The net seemed heavy. There was certainly something in it. The merchant felt sure that the fishermen were having a good haul.

    "How much will you take for the fish that you are drawing in?" he asked.

    "How much will you give?" said the fishermen.

    "Well, I will give three pieces of silver for all that are in the net," answered the merchant.

    The fishermen talked in low tones with one another for a little while, and then one said, "It's a bargain. Be they many or few, you may have all for three pieces of silver."

    In a few minutes the big net was pulled up out of the water. There was not a fish in it. But it held a beautiful golden tripod that was worth more than a thousand fishes.

    The merchant was delighted. "Here is your money," he said. "Give me the tripod."

    "No, indeed," said the fishermen. "You were to have all the fish that happened to be in the net and nothing else. We didn't sell you the tripod."

    They began to quarrel. They talked and wrangled a long time and could not agree. Then one of the fishermen said, "Let us ask the governor about it and do as he shall bid us."

    "Yes, let us ask the governor," said the merchant. "Let him decide the matter for us."

    So they carried the tripod to the governor, and each told his story.

    The governor listened, but could not make up his mind as to who was right. "This is a very important question," he said. "We must send to Delphi and ask the oracle whether the tripod shall be given to the fishermen or to the merchant. Leave the tripod in my care until we get an answer."

    Now the oracle at Delphi was supposed to be very wise. People from all parts of the world sent to it, to tell it their troubles and get its advice.

    So the governor sent a messenger to Delphi to ask the oracle what should be done with the tripod. The merchant and the fishermen waited impatiently till the answer came. And this is what the oracle said:—

    "Give not the merchant nor the fishermen the prize; But give it to that one who is wisest of the wise."

    The governor was much pleased with this answer.

    "The prize shall go to the man who deserves it most," he said. "There is our neighbor, Thales, whom everybody knows and loves. He is famous all over the world. Men come from every country to see him and learn from him. We will give the prize to him."

    So, with his own hands he carried the golden tripod to the little house where Thales lived. He knocked at the door and the wise man himself opened it.

    Then the governor told him how the tripod had been found, and how the oracle had said that it must be given to the wisest of the wise.

    "And so I have brought the prize to you, friend Thales."

    "To me!" said the astonished Thales. "Why, there are many men who are wiser than I. There is my friend Bias [Footnote: Bi'as] of Priene. [Footnote: Prie'ne] He excels all other men. Send the beautiful gift to him."

    So the governor called two of his trusted officers and told them to carry the tripod to Priene and offer it to Bias.

    "Tell the wise man why you bring it, and repeat to him the words of the oracle."

    II

    Now all the world had heard of the wisdom of Bias. He taught that men ought to be kind even to their enemies. He taught, also, that a friend is the greatest blessing that any one can have.

    He was a poor man and had no wish to be rich. "It is better to be wise than wealthy," he said.

    When the governor's messengers came to Priene with the tripod, they found Bias at work in his garden. They told him their errand and showed him the beautiful prize.

    He would not take it.

    "The oracle did not intend that I should have it," he said. "I am not the wisest of the wise."

    "But what shall we do with it?" said the messengers. "Where shall we find the wisest man?"

    "In Mitylene," [Footnote: Mit y l e'ne.] answered Bias, "there is a very great man named Pittacus. [Footnote: Pit'ta ous.] He might now be the king of his country, but he prefers to give all of his time to the study of wisdom. He is the man whom the oracle meant."

    III

    The name of Pittacus was known all over the world. He was a brave soldier and a wise teacher. The people of his country had made him their king; but as soon as he had made good laws for them he gave up his crown.

    One of his mottoes was this: "Whatever you do, do it well."

    The messengers found him in his house talking to his friends and teaching them wisdom. He looked at the tripod. "How beautiful it is!" he said.

    Then the messengers told him how it had been taken from the sea, and they repeated the words of the oracle:—

    "Give not the merchant nor the fishermen the prize; But give it to that one who is wisest of the wise."

    "It is well," said he, "that neither a merchant nor a fisherman shall have it; for such men think only of their business and care really nothing for beauty."

    "We agree with you," said the messengers; "and we present the prize to you because you are the wisest of the wise."

    "You are mistaken," answered Pittacus. "I should be delighted to own so beautiful a piece of workmanship, but I know I am not worthy."

    "Then to whom shall we take it?" asked the messengers.

    "Take it to Cleobulus, [Footnote: Cle o bu'lus.] King of Rhodes, [Footnote: Rhodes (pro. rodes).]" answered the wise man. "He is the handsomest and strongest of men, and I believe he is the wisest also."

    IV

    The messengers went on until they came at last to the island of Rhodes. There everybody was talking about King Cleobulus and his wonderful wisdom. He had studied in all the great schools of the world, and there was nothing that he did not know.

    "Educate the children," he said; and for that reason his name is remembered to this day.

    When the messengers showed him the tripod, he said, "That is indeed a beautiful piece of work. Will you sell it? What is the price?"

    They told him that it was not for sale, but that it was to be given to the wisest of the wise.

    "Well, you will not find that man in Rhodes," said he. "He lives in

    Corinth, [Footnote: Cor'inth.] and his name is Periander. [Footnote:

    Per i an'der.] Carry the precious gift to him."

    V

    Everybody had heard of Periander, king of Corinth. Some had heard of his great learning, and others had heard of his selfishness and cruelty.

    Strangers admired him for his wisdom. His own people despised him for his wickedness.

    When he heard that some men had come to Corinth with a very costly golden tripod, he had them brought before him.

    "I have heard all about that tripod," he said, "and I know why you are carrying it from one place to another. Do you expect to find any man in Corinth who deserves so rich a gift?"

    "We hope that you are the man," said the messengers.

    "Ha! ha I" laughed Periander. "Do I look like the wisest of the wise? No, indeed. But in Lacedaemon [Footnote: Lacedaemon (pro. las e de'mon).] there is a good and noble man named Chilon.[Footnote: Chilon (pro. ki'lon).] He loves his country, he loves his fellow men, he loves learning. To my mind he deserves the golden prize. I bid you carry it to him."

    VI

    The messengers were surprised. They had never heard of Chilon, for his name was hardly known outside of his own country. But when they came into Lacedaemon, they heard his praises on every side.

    They learned that Chilon was a very quiet man, that he never spoke about himself, and that he spent all his time in trying to make his country great and strong and happy.

    Chilon was so busy that the messengers had to wait several days before they could see him. At last they were allowed to go before him and state their business.

    "We have here a very beautiful tripod," they said. "The oracle at Delphi has ordered that it shall be given to the wisest of wise men, and for that reason we have brought it to you."

    "You have made a mistake," said Chilon. "Over in Athens [Footnote: Ath'ens.] there is a very wise man whose name is Solon. [Footnote: So'lon.] He is a poet, a soldier, and a lawmaker. He is my worst enemy, and yet I admire him as the wisest man in the world. It is to him that you should have taken the tripod."

    VII

    The messengers made due haste to carry the golden prize to Athens. They had no trouble in finding Solon. He was the chief ruler of that great city.

    All the people whom they saw spoke in praise of his wisdom.

    When they told him their errand he was silent for a little while; then he said:—

    "I have never thought of myself as a wise man, and therefore the prize is not for me. But I know of at least six men who are famous for their wisdom, and one of them must be the wisest of the wise."

    "Who are they?" asked the messengers.

    "Their names are Thales, Bias, Pittacus, Cleobulus, Periander, and

    Chilon," answered Solon.

    "We have offered the prize to each one of them," said the messengers, "and each one has refused it."

    "Then there is only one other thing to be done," said Solon. "Carry it to Delphi and leave it there in the Temple of Apollo; for Apollo is the fountain of wisdom, the wisest of the wise."

    And this the messengers did.

    The famous men of whom I have told you in this story are commonly called the Seven Wise Men of Greece. They lived more than two thousand years ago, and each one helped to make his country famous.

A Clever Slave, an Inspirational Story

A long time ago there lived a poor slave whose name was Aesop. He was a small man with a large head and long arms. His face was white, but very homely. His large eyes were bright and snappy.

    When Aesop was about twenty years old his master lost a great deal of money and was obliged to sell his slaves. To do this, he had to take them to a large city where there was a slave market.

    The city was far away, and the slaves must walk the whole distance. A number of bundles were made up for them to carry. Some of these bundles contained the things they would need on the road; some contained clothing; and some contained goods which the master would sell in the city.

    "Choose your bundles, boys," said the master. "There is one for each of you."

    Aesop at once chose the largest one. The other slaves laughed and said he was foolish. But he threw it upon his shoulders and seemed well satisfied. The next day, the laugh was the other way. For the bundle which he had chosen had contained the food for the whole party. After all had eaten three meals from it, it was very much lighter. And before the end of the journey Aesop had nothing to carry, while the other slaves were groaning under their heavy loads.

    "Aesop is a wise fellow," said his master. "The man who buys him must pay a high price."

    A very rich man, whose name was Xanthus, came to the slave market to buy a servant. As the slaves stood before him he asked each one to tell what kind of work he could do. All were eager to be bought by Xanthus because they knew he would be a kind master. So each one boasted of his skill in doing some sort of labor. One was a fine gardener; another could take care of horses; a third was a good cook; a fourth could manage a household.

    "And what can you do, Aesop?" asked Xanthus.

    "Nothing," he answered.

    "Nothing? How is that?"

    "Because, since these other slaves do everything, there is nothing left for me to perform," said Aesop.

    This answer pleased the rich man so well that he bought Aesop at once, and took him to his home on the island of Samos.

    In Samos the little slave soon became known for his wisdom and courage. He often amused his master and his master's friends by telling droll fables about birds and beasts that could talk. They saw that all these fables taught some great truth, and they wondered how Aesop could have thought of them.

    Many other stories are told of this wonderful slave. His master was so much pleased with him that he gave him his freedom. Many great men were glad to call him their friend, and even kings asked his advice and were amused by his fables.

The hunted king

    What boy or girl has not heard the story of King Robert Brace and the spider? I will tell you another story of the same brave and famous king. He had fought a battle with his enemies, the English. His little army had been beaten and scattered. Many of his best friends had been killed or captured. The king himself was obliged to hide in the wild woods while his foes hunted for him with hounds.

    For many days he wandered through rough and dangerous places. He waded rivers and climbed mountains. Sometimes two or three faithful friends were with him. Sometimes he was alone. Sometimes his enemies were very close upon him.

    Late one evening he came to a little farmhouse in a lonely valley. He walked in without knocking. A woman was sitting alone by the fire.

    "May a poor traveler find rest and shelter here for the night?" he asked. The woman answered, "All travelers are welcome for the sake of one; and you are welcome"

    "Who is that one?" asked the king.

    "That is Robert the Bruce," said the woman. "He is the rightful lord of this country. He is now being hunted with hounds, but I hope soon to see him king over all Scotland."

    "Since you love him so well," said the king, "I will tell you something. I am Robert the Bruce."

    "You!" cried the woman in great surprise. "Are you the Bruce, and are you all alone?"

    "My men have been scattered," said the king, "and therefore there is no one with me."

    "That is not right," said the brave woman. "I have two sons who are gallant and trusty. They shall go with you and serve you."

    So she called her two sons. They were tall and strong young men, and they gladly promised to go with the king and help him.

    The king sat down by the fire, and the woman hurried to get things ready for supper. The two young men got down their bows and arrows, and all were busy making plans for the next day.

    Suddenly a great noise was heard outside. They listened. They heard the tramping of horses and the voices of a number of men.

    "The English! the English!" said the young men.

    "Be brave, and defend your king with your lives," said their mother.

    Then some one outside called loudly, "Have you seen King Robert the

    Bruce pass this way?"

    "That is my brother Edward's voice," said the king. "These are friends, not enemies."

    The door was thrown open and he saw a hundred brave men, all ready to give him aid. He forgot his hunger; he forgot his weariness. He began to ask about his enemies who had been hunting him.

    "I saw two hundred of them in the village below us," said one of his officers. "They are resting there for the night and have no fear of danger from us. If you have a mind to make haste, we may surprise them."

    "Then let us mount and ride," said the king.

    The next minute they were off. They rushed suddenly into the village.

    They routed the king's enemies and scattered them.

    And Robert the Bruce was never again obliged to hide in the woods or to run from savage hounds. Soon he became the real king and ruler of all Scotland,