The Envious Wazir
Long, long time ago, there reigned a king in Oman. He
was very kind, just and prudent. The king had a wicked wazir who abhorred all
people. This wazir often tried to have power over the king’s
thoughts. The king always venerated the wazir’s thoughts. One day, the wazir
asked the king, “Your Majesty, what’s your opinion of your people?”
“I’m the happiest king of all because my people are
dutiful and obedient. They like me, too,” the king answered.
“I hope that you’re not misinformed because you reside
in Nizwa,” said the wazir.
“What have you heard,” asked the king.
“I’ve neither seen nor heard anything, but I believe
that the people don’t like you,” the wazir replied.
“What I know is that all people are well-trained, law-abiding
and observant. You know well that I am not cruel, democratic and concerned
about them all. They are all equal before the law and me. I revere everyone of
them whatsoever his social standing and honour his criticism and opinion of me.
Moreover, every citizen is free to express his thoughts and opinions. They are
happy with me. I have never heard that anyone expressed complaints, discontent
or displeasure about me or anything else. What about you?” the king said.
“Your Majesty, everything’s well. If there had been
anything out of the ordinary, we would have heard of it,” said the wazir.
“What do you think of them?” asked the king.
“Your Majesty, I have an idea. What about trying their
loyalty and submission to you by doing something weird that causes a problem
for them,” said the wicked wazir.
“A problem?” wondered the king.
“What I mean is that you issue an odd royal decree
that has never ever been made out. For instance, you order that all people must
wear a dress that they have never heard of it or its quality,” proposed the
wazir.
“No, I do not accept this. Think of another thing,” said
the king.
“What about the order that all people must not enkindle
a fire every Friday nightlong, and anyone who breaks it. . .,” suggested the wazir.
“Who has the audacity to contravene it? No one dares
to disobey me,” interrupted the king.
“Your Majesty, you are kind-hearted, but don’t think
that all people are good-hearted and compliant,” said the wazir.
“This is untrue,” answered the king.
“Untrue! OK. Would you like to try?” said the wazir.
“Yes, I will issue this decree just to prove that you are
wrong and that all my people like me very much, and they never abuse any order”
said the king.
Then the king had issued a royal decree that it was forbidden
to light a fire or use a candle or any other source of light whatsoever every
Friday nightlong. All people obeyed this order and no breach had ever been
registered. Two months later, the king asked his wazir, “Hmm! What do you think
of my people?”
“Your Majesty, you are in your palace in the capital
surrounded by your bodyguards, court and policemen, and all your soldiers and
civil servants are also here. So how could you know?” If you want to know the
truth, let’s go disguised to the other Wilayats to see with your own eyes,” said
the wazir.
“OK. We will see who is right,” said the king.
“What about starting with Albattinah1
marriageable age, then we visit a Wilayat every Thursday. Afterwards we visit
Althahirah2, Alsharqiah3 and the other Wilayats without
apprising the Walis4 and Sheikhs in order to see with our own eyes,”
proposed the wazir.
The king and his wazir had visited disguised all the Wilayats
from east to west and from north to south without noting any breach. All
citizens had complied with the decree and the king spoke very highly of his
people’s loyalty and greatly praised them. He also criticise the wazir because
of the latter’s weak confidence and trust in people. One Friday evening, they
saw a distant fire among the hills in the desert while they were on their last
trip back to the capital. The wazir smiled and said, “Your Majesty. Look! Do you see what I see? This is the foe. Do you see where the traitor hides in
this desert so as to go against your order?”
“Let’s go there and see what he has. Perhaps he has an
excuse,” replied the king.
“Your Majesty. This man should be put to death. He doesn’t deserve your clemency,” said the wazir.
“Let’s go there first and see. Hastiness is always fruitless,”
said the king.
As the king and his wazir had gone there, they saw a Bedouin sitting with his
mother. The Bedouin received them warmly in his tent. Then he slew a big ram to
provide a rich dinner for them5. Afterwards he joined them in the
tent, and his mother began cooking the dinner. After welcoming
them sincerely, the Bedouin had asked them, “What’s the news?”
In response, after thanking him for the warm reception,
the king answered, “In fact, there is nothing special. God bless you and confer
happiness and long life on you.”
“Haven’t you heard of anything?” the Bedouin asked
again.
“Good news!” replied the king.
The Bedouin repeated this question several times, and
the king answered him gently. Then the Bedouin said, “So, nothing’s unusual.”
“Everything’s well, thanks to God. But what about
you?” asked the king.
“In fact, we know nothing. As you see, we live in a
desert,” answered the Bedouin.
“Haven’t you heard of anything?” asked the king.
“Nothing! God make your life longer.
Everything’s quiet,” replied the Bedouin.
Then the wazir asked the Bedouin, “We see that you
enkindle a fire! Why do you light it?”
“If anyone hears what you say, he will think that you’re
the Bedouin, and I’m the Towner. My dear guest, people light a lantern or a fire
in order to be able to see in darkness,” answered the Bedouin.
“Haven’t you heard that the king had issued a decree
that bans lighting a fire or a lamp every Friday nightlong,” asked the wazir.
“No, I haven’t. We go to the city once a year in order
to sell several sheeps, two or three jarfuls of butter ghee, and buy two
datebaskets, some sugar and some flour. Then we ask about the king, and the
news of the government.. we give and take… as a result, we know
something about the affairs of the country. Otherwise, we know nothing,” replied the Bedouin.
“Since you have just known this, put the fire out now,”
said the king.
“Now, brother! How can we serve the dinner if we
extinguish it,” said the Bedouin.
When the Bedouin had gone to bring the meal, the king
and his wazir started talking. Then the wazir said to the king, “Your Majesty.
Look how he has let off the hook, even though he has discovered that you have
already issued the decree. I will belie him tonight. It would be better to cut off his head,” said the wazir.
“But he is preparing a rich dinner for us, and such a generous man should be forgiven and respected,” said
the king.
“He should have put the fire out,” said the wazir.
“Do want the truth? He is excused. You do not want to
find fault with him, do you?” said the king.
“Your Majesty. I would like to put him to test on another
issue. He probably became aware of you as the king, or of us as solons. However,
I have another idea that I will tell him to go to the king asking for money,
and you will see how fast he will run to you,” suggested the wazir.
“You are still running in an empty desert. But I still
persist that my people are faithful,” said the king.
At this time, the Bedouin brought in the dinner, and the fire was still on. The Bedouin tried to leave
them alone so that they would feel free while eating, but they insisted that he
would join them.6 While they were having their dinner, the wazir
asked the Bedouin, “When are you going to extinguish the fire?”
“Immediately after you finish your dinner,” answered the Bedouin.
“Are you married?” asked the wazir.
“Not yet,” replied the Bedouin.
“Is your father alive,” asked the wazir.
“No, he departed. May God mercy descend upon him. My
mother and I live alone in this desert. I don’t know when I’ll get married
because of dowry. The problem is that I’m unable to propose to my cousin
because I haven’t got enough sheeps to give my uncle as a dowry for her,”
answered the Bedouin.
“Wouldn’t you like a house?” asked the wazir.
“Our house has been a tent since the time of my great, great grandparents,” replied
the Bedouin.
“Look! Every Friday, the king leads people in pray.
After the pray, he stays in the mosque for a while and peoples come asking for
help. The king is so generous that he never turns anyone down. If you come to
him, he will give you enough money to build a house. So, you can settle down
with your mother, and put an end to this state of exposure to the sun, the wind
and the rain without enough shelter,” said the wazir.
“Indeed, it’s a good piece of advice. I’ll ask my mother’s
counsel, and everything will go well, God Please,” said the Bedouin.
Early in the morning, the king and his wazir left for
the capital city. Months had gone by and the Bedouin did not come to the king.
The king forgot the Bedouin because he had trusted his people, but the wazir
did not. When the wazir had found out that the Bedouin did not show up, he capitalized
on this opportunity to criticise the people vehemently and accuse them of
infidelity, treachery, and ingratitude. He discussed the Bedouin’s
case with the king, and said, “Your Majesty. Do you remember that Bedouin? It seems
he is so headstrong and conceited that he did not come and ask you for
assistance. He even did not want to come. That Bedouin is indeed full of
himself. Therefore, send some soldier to bring him here and execute him,” said
the wazir.
“Do you think that he does not want to come? Perhaps he is not in a hurry. Let’s go and visit him to
see what has prevented him from coming,” said the king.
Disguised as passers-by, the king and his wazir went
to where the Bedouin lived. But they were unable to exactly determine his place.
Instead, they saw a big city. There the king suggested to visit the Wali and his
deputy, or the Sheikh of the city. They entered the city and asked where its Sheikh
resided. They walked on until they reached his palace, which was very big, as
well as well-decorated and encircled with trees. They knocked on the door. The
retainers opened the door and showed them in. then a Sheikh entered welcoming
them, “Peace be upon you, our honourable guests! You’re very welcome. You haven’t
visited us for a long time.” Then the Sheikh turned aside and ordered one of
the servants, “Slay two bulls and ten bellies.”
“Do you know who we are?” asked the king.
“Of course, I do. I don’t remember your names, but I’ll never forget you. You were very good to me,”
said the Sheikh (the Bedouin). “All this eudaemonia is due to you, especially
that man,” he pointed to the wazir.
“How do you know me? I have never seen you before,”
asked the wazir.
“You visited a Bedouin six months ago, and advised him
to go and see the king,” replied the Sheikh (the Bedouin).
“Yes, you are right. But we would like to see him,”
said the king.
“Where is he?” asked the wazir.
“I was that Bedouin who followed your advice. I went
to the capital city to see the king and ask him for help, as you recommended. I
stood up behind him during the pray. After he had finished the prayer, he
raised his hands towards heavens and said, “O Lord, confer upon us prosperity
and happiness! O Lord, shower Your favours on us, and grant all our
supplications. O Lord, have mercy on us. O Lord, grant us wealth and affluence
and make accessible all sources of revenue. O Lord, … O Lord, … etc.” The
Sheikh kept on saying, “I went out and thought to myself, ‘I ask the king to give me, and
the king himself asks God to give him. But since God gives the king, and the
king gives me, why shouldn’t I directly ask God to give me a sheep? Then, I raised
my hands towards heavens and said, ‘O Lord, grant me what you granted the
king’.” The Sheikh stopped for a moment and, then, continued telling them what
had happened to him, and said, “I returned to the desert where we lived. There
I found my mother sitting and crying. I asked her what had happened during my
absence. She told me that after I had gone to the capital city, a strong wind
came whirling furiously down upon us, and caught up everything including the
tent. He took away our clothes, cooking utensils, and the sheep.
I sat down patching up the tent. While I was digging
to set the tent up, I chanced upon a piece of iron. I heard it say, ‘ding,
ding, ring, ring. I started looking for this sound. While I was searching the
place, l came across an iron ring. I wore it on my finger, and went back to
complete setting up the tent. Finishing the tent, I sat inside to take some
rest. I looked at the ring, and began to play with it. Suddenly, a genie came
out of it. I was wholly scared. But he cooled me down and begged me not to be
angry with him. Then he said to me, “I’m the servant of the one who wears this ring
on his finger. I’m at your disposal now. You just order me.’ I discerned that he
would serve the one who puts on this iron ring on his finger. I asked him what
he could do for me, and he answered that he would do anything I would like him
to do, and that he would fulfil all my wishes in this life. Then I asked him to
construct a Falaj here, plant this land with trees and the best kind of palm
trees, and build two palaces one for me and for my mother. He indeed
accomplished all my wishes. Also, he is still at my disposal, and ready to
whatever I wish.
As you can see, I have built this city, and farmers, workers, handmaids, and an entourage. Thanks to God
who gave me as he gave the king, and if I had wanted more, He would have given
me.
The servants brought the ceremonial feast in. The Sheikh
invited the guests to help themselves, and apologised to them so as to leave
them alone to feel free while they were eating, without being aware that they were
the king and his wazir. But while they were eating, the wazir set a plan to
kill the Bedouin (the Sheikh), and so they agreed to murder him. The plan was
that the king had dreamt that he was saying in his dream, ‘Ho! Ho! Ho!. The
Bedouin would interpret this sound as dog’s barking. Therefore, the king would
kill him and take the ring, for leaving the ring with the Bedouin might scratch
the king’s reputation…
When the Bedouin (Sheikh) came in the king said to
him, “O Sheikh, I have dreamt ..., and I would like you to interpret it.”
“Please tell me what was your dream, even though I
don’t know how to interpret dreams... But since you want to do so, I will try,”
said the Sheikh (the Bedouin).
“I have dreamt that I was saying, ‘Ho..Ho..Ho... So,
interpret it to, God bless you!” said the king.
“The first ‘Ho’: O Provider of birds with the means of
subsistence in the air! The second ‘Ho’: O Provider of worms with the means
of subsistence in hard stones!
The third ‘Ho’: God protect you, me and the people
from this wicked wazir,” said the Sheikh (Bedouin).
Then the king executed the wazir, and married his daughter
to the Bedouin (the Sheikh) in a royal wedding ceremony.
___________________________________
1 Name of a Wilayat in Oman.
2 Name of a Wilayat in Oman
3 Name of a Wilayat in Oman
4 Wali is a governor or a mayor
5 Bedouins are famous for their
generosity and hospitality in the Arab world. Hence, as a sign of their
generosity and good hospitality they slay rams, or camels to be prepared as
rich meals for their guests.
6 It is traditional in Oman and
the Arab world that the host leaves the feast after serving it for his guests
so that the guests will feel free and eat as much as they can. The guests will
also, in turn, ask the host to join them, otherwise, they will not eat.
Reference:
Tales from Oman, translated by D. Abdulsalam Ali Hamad, pg: 63-76.
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