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

A pious widow's cottage chanced to stand
Hard by the Calif's palace; and he sought,
For his own use, to buy her bit of land:
But all in vain,—the land could not be bought.

“It was my husband's home,” the woman said,
“Who, dying, left it to his loving wife;
Here will I dwell, in honor of the dead,
Nor with it part until I part with life!”

The haughty Calif's anger knew no bound,
That thus the dame withstood him to his face;
By force he razed her cottage to the ground,
And built a grand pavilion in its place.

Straight to the Cadi, then, the widow goes,
And asks for justice at his Honor's hand:
“Leave me awhile,” the Cadi said, and rose;
“Allah is great, and hears your just demand.”

Then with an empty sack, he took his way
To the pavilion, where he chanced to meet
The Calif at the door. “Great Sire! I pray
A little of the earth beneath your feet;

“Enough to fill,” the Cadi said, “this sack.”
“'T is granted!” said the Calif, laughing loud.
“Now, please to put the load upon my back,
Most potent Prince!”—and reverently bowed.

“Nay,” said the Calif, “I should surely fail
Should I essay to lift a load so great;
For such a task my strength would not avail;
A porter would be crushed beneath the weight!”

“Prince of Believers!” said the Cadi, then,
“If this be even so, how wilt thou fare
In the great day of final judgment, when
The weight of all this land thou hast to bear?”

The Calif, stricken with remorse, exclaimed,
“Allah is Allah!—be his name adored!
For wit and wisdom thou art justly famed;
This day shall see the widow's land restored.

“And for the wrong I did the woman's land,
In tearing down her house, I thus atone:
This fine pavilion in its place shall stand;
For, with the soil, the building is her own!”