Speaker 1: The withered hand from the Turkish. One of the caliphs
of theirbasids, named Mutasit blayansurbinur Ullah, was a sovereign of
great good judgment and careful justice. He one day, in
company with his attendants, visited a palace situated on the
banks of the Tigris, where he observed an expert fisherman
threw his net into the river, and after hauling it out,
found only three or four fish in it. The caliph,
remarking this, commanded the fisherman to throw it into the
water again for his sake, and let us see, said
he what my luck will be. The man did as
he was ordered, and soon after hauling his net out,
felt something weighty among its meshes. In consequence of the
increased weight, the attendants of the caliph had to aid him,
and when the net was on shore they found in
it a leather bag tightly bound round the mouth. In
this bag they at first perceived a number of tiles,
and finally at its bottom the hand of a tender
and young girl bent and shriveled. The caliph, on seeing
the hand, exclaimed, poor creature, what work is this that
the servants of God mussulmans should be thus cut to
pieces and thrown to the river without our knowledge. We
must find the committer of this wicked act. Now with
a caliph was one of his cuddies judges, who spoke
and said, oh, a mirror of the faithful, give your
precious self no trouble about this matter, for by your
favor we will investigate and with proper care and circumspection
bring it to light. The Caliph at the same time
called the governor of the city of bark, and, giving
the bag into his hands, said go to the bazaar,
show it to the sex seers and inquire whose work
it is. They know each other's work. And if you
find the individual who sued it, bring him to me.
The Kadi had the sex shown to the sewers, and
an old, grave looking man, on seeing it, exclaimed that
it was his own work. Lately I sold it, added
he and two others to one Yahi ya Illah, a
native of Damascus, of the family of the Mahides. The Kadi,
on hearing this, said, come with me to the Caliph.
Fear nothing. He has only a few questions to ask you.
So the old man accompanied him into the presence of
the Caliph, who demanded of him to whom he had
sold it. The old man answered as before, adding, O
Prince of the faith. He is a man of high rank,
but very wicked and tyrannical, and continually does injury and
vexation to true believers. Everyone fears him, and none dare
complain against him to the Caliph. Lately, a lady named
Inan Maginet purchased a female slave for one thousand dinars,
who was very fair and beautiful, and moreover a poetess.
This man supposed her mistress would sell her to him,
but receiving the lady's reply that she had already given
her her freedom, he sent her word that there was
to be a wedding in the house, and requested that
the female should be loaned him for the occasion. The
lady therefore sent her as a loan for three days,
and after four or five had elapsed, sending to demand
her received for answer that she had already left his
house two or three days ago, and nonewithstanding the lady's
tears and complaints, she could not obtain her slave, not
even hear any news of her. The lady, from fear
of this man's violence held her peace and left the
quarter wherein she had resided, for it is said he
had already put several of his neighbors to death. When
the old man was done speaking, the Caliph seemed greatly rejoiced,
and commanded that Yahi a Ilah should forthwith be brought
before him. He came, and when he was shown the
hand found in the back, his color changed, and he
falsely endeavored to exculpate himself. The lady was likewise brought,
and so soon as she saw the hand, she commenced weeping,
and exclaimed, Yes, indeed, it is the hand of my
poor murdered slave. Speak, said the Caliph to the Mahidas,
For by my I swear to know the truth of
this affair. So the man acknowledged that he had killed
the slave, and the Caliph, in consideration of Hashim footnote
Bni Hashim, one of the most ancient Arabian tribes from
which the prophet descended eight and a footnote, sentenced him
to pay to the owner of the slave one thousand
pieces of gold for the loss which she had sustained,
and one hundred thousand more for the law of retaliation,
after which he allowed him three days in which to
settle his affairs in the city, and then leave it forever.
On learning this sentence, the public loudly praised the caliph's
judgment and commended his justice in equity.