The poetical works of John Godfrey Saxe :: :: University of Virginia Library

The Caliph, Ben Akas, whose surname was “Wise,”
From the wisdom and wit he displayed,
One morning rode forth in a merchant's disguise
To see how his laws were obeyed.

While riding along, in a leisurely way,
A beggar came up to his side,
And said, “In the name of the Prophet, I pray
You'll give a poor cripple a ride.”

Ben Akas, amazed at the mendicant's prayer,
Asked where he was wishing to go.
“I'm going,” he said, “to the neighboring fair;
But my crutches are wretchedly slow.”

“Get up!” said the Caliph; “a saddle like this
Is hardly sufficient for two;
And yet, by the Prophet!—'t were greatly amiss
To snub a poor cripple like you.”

The beggar got up, and together they rode
Till they came to the neighboring town,
When, hard by the house where the Cadi abode,
He bade his companion get down.

“Nay, get down yourself!” was the fellow's reply,
Without the least shame or remorse.
“Indeed!” said the Caliph, “and pray tell me why?”
Quoth the beggar, “To give me the horse!

“You know very well that the nag is my own;
And if you resort to the laws,
You do not imagine your story alone
Sufficient to carry the cause?

“The Cadi is reckoned the wisest of men,
And, looking at you and at me,
After hearing us both, 't is a hundred to ten
The cripple will get the decree.”

“Very well!” said Ben Akas, astonished to hear
The impudent fellow's discourse,
“If the Cadi is wise, there is little to fear
But I soon shall recover my horse.”

“Agreed!” said the beggar; “whate'er the decree,
The verdict shall find me content.”

118

“As to that,” said the other, “we'll presently see.”
And so to the Cadi they went.

It chanced that a cause was engrossing the Cadi,
Where a woman occasioned the strife;
And both parties claimed the identical lady
As being his own lawful wife.

The one was a peasant; a scholar the other;
And each made a speech in his turn;
But, what was a very particular pother,
The woman refused to be sworn.

“Enough for the present!” the Cadi declared,
“Come back in the morning,” said he;
“And now” (to Ben Akas) “the Court is prepared
To hear what your grievance may be.”

Ben Akas no sooner the truth had narrated
When the beggar as coolly replies:
“I swear, by the Prophet! the fellow has stated
A parcel of impudent lies!

“I was coming to market, and when I descried
A man by the wayside alone,
Looking weary and faint, why, I gave him a ride;
Now he swears that the horse is his own!”

“Very well,” said the Judge, “let us go to the stable,
And each shall select in his turn.”
Ben Akas went first, and was easily able
His favorite steed to discern.

The cripple went next; though the stable was full,
The true one was instantly shown.
“Your Honor,” said he, “did you think me so dull
That I could n't distinguish my own?”

Next morning the Cadi came into the court,
And sat himself down at his ease;
And thither the suitors and people resort
To list to the Judge's decrees.

First calling the scholar, who sued for his spouse,
His Honor thus settled the doubt:
“The woman is yours; take her home to your house,
And don't let her often go out.”

Then calling before him Ben Akas, whose cause
Stood next in the calendar's course,
He said: “By the Prophet's inflexible laws,
Let the merchant recover his horse!

“And as for the beggar, I further decide
His villany fairly has earned
A good hundred lashes well laid on his hide;
Meshallah! The court is adjourned.”

Ben Akas that night sought the Cadi's abode,
And said: “'T is the Caliph you see.
Though hither, indeed, as a merchant I rode,
I am Abou Ben Akas to thee.”

The Cadi, abashed, made the lowest of bows,
And, kissing his Majesty's hand,
Cried: “Great is the honor you do to my house;
I wait for your royal command!”

“I fain would possess,” was the Caliph's reply,
“Your wisdom; so to tell me, I pray,
How your Honor discovered where justice might lie
In the causes decided to-day.”

“Why, as to the woman,” the Cadi replied,
“It was easily settled, I think;
Just taking the lady a moment aside,
I said, ‘Fill my standish with ink.’

“And quick, at the order, the bottle was taken,
With a dainty and dexterous hold;
The standish was washed; the fluid was shaken;
New cotton put in for the old”—

119

“I see!” said the Caliph; “the story is pleasant;
Of course it was easy to tell
The scholar swore truly; the spouse of a peasant
Could never have done it so well.

“And now for the horse?” “That was harder, I own,
For, mark you, the beggarly elf
(However the rascal may chance to have known)
Knew the palfrey as well as yourself.

“But the truth was apparent, the moment I learned
What the animal thought of the two;
The impudent cripple he savagely spurned,
But was plainly delighted with you!”

Ben Akas sat musing and silent awhile,
As one whom devotion employs;
Then, raising his head with a heavenly smile,
He said, in a reverent voice:—

“Sure Allah is good and abundant in grace!
Thy wisdom is greater than mine;
I would that the Caliph might rule in his place
As well as thou servest in thine!”