bring
the monkey caged as it was to the court, and, Inshallah, they would
see for themselves that the child of the Jew had been converted into a
monkey. This was ultimately agreed to, and the monkey was brought.
Hadji Hussein took special care to place the cage opposite Ben Moise,
and no sooner did the monkey catch sight of him than it set up a
scream, and the judges said: 'Chok shai!' Hussein Agha then opened the
cage door, saying: "Go to your father," and the monkey with a bound
and a yell embraced Ben Moise, putting his head, in search of food,
first on one shoulder of the Jew and then on the other. The judges
were thunderstruck, and declared their incompetency to give judgment
in such a case. Ben Moise protested, saying that it was against the
laws of nature for such a metamorphosis to take place, whereupon Hadji
Hussein told the judges of an analogous instance of some gold pieces
turning into olives, and called upon Ben Moise to witness the veracity
of his statement. The judges, much perplexed, dismissed the case,
declaring that provision had not been made in the law for it, and
there being no precedent to their knowledge they were incompetent to
give judgment.

Leaving the court, Hadji Hussein informed Ben Moise that there would
still be pleasure and happiness in this world for him, provided he
could reconvert the olives into gold. Needless to add that Ben Moise
handed the money to Hadji Hussein, and the heir of Ben Moise returned
to his home none the worse for his transformation.

THE CALIF OMAR

The Calif Omar, one of the first Califs after the Prophet, is deeply
venerated to this day, and is continually quoted as a lover of truth
and justice. Often in the face of appalling evidence he refrained from
judgment, thus liberating the innocent and punishing the guilty. The
following is given as an example of his perseverance in fathoming a
murder.

At the feast of the Passover, a certain Jew of Bagdad had sacrificed
his sheep and was offering up his prayers, when suddenly a dog came
in, and snatching up the sheep's head ran off with it. The Jew pursued
in hot haste, in his excitement still carrying the bloody knife and
wearing his besmeared apron. The dog, carrying the sheep's head,
rushed into an open doorway, followed closely by the Jew. The Jew in
his hurried pursuit fell over the body of what proved to be a murdered
man. The murder was laid against the Jew, and witnesses swore that
they had seen him