THE TALE OF TWO MERCHANTS
OF EGYPT AND BAGDAD.
Once upon a time there were two wealthy merchants, one of whom lived in Egypt and the other in Bagdad. Although they had never yet seen one another they had transacted much business together by means of messengers, who passed frequently between them. Both were men of honor and good repute, and each came to think of the other as a real friend. If anything unusual should happen in the land of Egypt, the merchant of that country would send word of it to the other in Bagdad, who, in like manner, would in turn send news of events in his own land. So, without either of them having seen the other, much kindness was shown on both sides.
One night, as the merchant of Bagdad lay upon his bed, he said to himself: "My correspondent in Egypt has shown much friendship toward me, and as I have never seen him I will pay him a visit." So he hired a ship and went to Egypt, where his friend met him, and received him with great pleasure.
At the house of the Egyptian the merchant of Bagdad met a girl of wondrous beauty, and so smitten was he with her charms that he fell sick and pined away.
"My friend," said the other, "What is the matter with you that you neither eat nor drink?"
"There is a woman of your household upon whom my heart has fixed itself," returned his comrade, "and unless I may marry her, I shall die." Thereupon the Egyptian summoned all the household before him, save only the girl in question, but the man from Bagdad said: "I care little for any of these; she whom I love is not among them." Then this girl was brought before him, and he said that to her alone must he owe his life.
"My friend," said the other, "I brought up this girl with the intention of making her my wife, and through her I shall obtain much wealth. But, so great is my friendship for you that I give her to you with all the riches which would have fallen to my share."
So the sick merchant, overjoyed at his good fortune, received both the lady and her wealth, and returned with her to Bagdad.
After a while ill-fortune came to the merchant of Egypt, and he was without home or money. Then said he: "I will go to my friend of Bagdad, from whom I am sure to receive aid."
So he went to Bagdad, and as he reached that city during the night, he did not like to awaken his friend, thinking that, poorly dressed, desolate and destitute as he was, he might not know him, so he decided to wait until the next day. Happening to look toward a burial-ground, he saw that the doors of the mosque there were open, so here he determined to remain for the night.
He had not been in the mosque long before two men entered. They were quarrelling, and soon began to fight, and in the end one killed the other, and fled.
The alarm was spread, and went through the whole city. "Where is the murderer?" was the general cry.
The thought came to the Egyptian that to die would bring an end to his troubles, and so he said to the searchers: "I am he."
Then they laid hands on him, and led him away to prison. In the morning he was taken before the judge, who sentenced him to death.
Now among those who went to witness the execution was the merchant whom he had befriended, and who knew him at once. He was horrified at the sad plight of his friend.
"What!" cried he, "Shall he be done to death while I live?" Then he raised his voice and shouted: "Hold! Do not destroy an innocent man. I am the murderer, and not he."
He was at once arrested, and both were taken to the place of execution. The sentence was about to be carried out when there came another interruption, this time from the real murderer, who happened to be present.
Seeing these two men about to die for a crime which he had committed, he was filled with remorse. He said to himself: "I will not permit innocent blood to be shed; if I do, the vengeance of God will sooner or later overtake me, and it is better to suffer a short pain in this world than to be in everlasting torment in the next."
So he cried out, "Slay not the guiltless, for neither of these men has done murder. I only am the criminal; let them go."
The people were filled with amazement, and the three men were at once taken to the judge, who was much astonished at this unusual occurrence. The matter was explained to him, and then, addressing the Egyptian, he said:
"Friend, why did you confess yourself the murderer?"
"My lord," answered he, "I will tell you the reason. In my own land I was, until recently, a man of wealth, and had all that riches could buy, but through no fault of mine I lost all this, and am now destitute. I was ashamed at my condition, and saw, in this confession, an end to my misfortunes. I am willing to die, and beseech you to order my death."
The judge then turned to the merchant of Bagdad and said: "And you, my friend; why did you acknowledge yourself to be the murderer?"
The merchant replied: "My lord, this man is my benefactor. I have enjoyed his hospitality, and while at his home he bestowed upon me a wife, whom he had educated for his own, and who possessed great wealth. When, therefore, I saw my friend being led to his death, I proclaimed myself the murderer, hoping thus to take his place. For his love I would willingly perish."
It was now the turn of the third man, who was the real criminal. The judge asked him what he had to say for himself, and he answered:
"When I confessed, I told the truth. The burden which would have been mine had I allowed these two innocent men to suffer death for a crime that was my own would have been too heavy for me to bear, and I preferred to pay the penalty."
For some time the judge considered the stories of the three men, then he said to the last one to speak:
"As you have declared the truth and thereby saved the lives of two innocent men, I pardon you. Study to amend your future life, and go in peace."
The decision of the judge was praised by all the people, who were quick to acknowledge the generosity of the merchant who would have given his life to save his friend, and the honorable manner in which the guilty person had rescued from death the two who were innocent.