It is said that the Caliph Haaroon al-Rasheed was restless one night, he could not sleep, so he sent for his Vazeer Zaafar and asked him to entertain him so that he could sleep. Zaafar said - "My Lord, I have a friend named Alee the Persian who knows a lots of stories to entertain." The Caliph said - "Then fetch him soon." The Vazeer immediately went there and fetched him for the Caliph. The Caliph said - "I am unable to sleep, and I have heard that you have a huge store of tales and anecdotes. So tell me some to lighten my heart." Alee asked - "My Lord, Shall I tell you what I have seen, or what I have heard?" "Whatever you think is worth telling me, tell me that."

Alee said - "Lord, What happened some years ago, I left this city of Baghdaad on a journey with a boy who carried a light leather bag. We came to a city. And as I was buying and selling things there, a Kurd fell on me, seized my wallet and said "This is my bag and all that is in the bag is my property." At this I cried - "Please help me, free me from this rascal." But the folk said - "Come to Qaazee, he will judge you and you will abide with his judgment."

We both went to Qaazee. The Qaazee asked us, "Why have you come here?" I said - "We have a quarrel and need your judgment." He asked - "Who is complaining?" The Kurd came forward and spoke - "This bag is my bag and all that is in it is mine." The Qaazee asked him - "When did you loose it?" The Kurd replied - "Only yesterday. I could not sleep the whole night because of this." The Qaazee asked - "What is in your bag?"

The Kurd replied - "Two silver styles for eye-powders, and antimony for the eyes, a kerchief for the hands, two gilt cups, two candlesticks, two tents, two platters, two spoons, one cushion, two leather rugs, a brass tray, two basins, a cooking pot, two water jars, a ladle, a sacking needle, a she-cat and two bitches, two sacks, two saddles, a gown, two fur clothes, a cow, two calves, a she-goat, two sheep, two lambs, two green pavilions, a camel, two she-camels, a lioness, two lions, a she-bear, two jackals, a mattress, two sofas, an upper chamber, two saloons, a portico, two sitting rooms, a kitchen with two doors and a company of Kurds who will witness that this is my bag."

Then the Qaazee asked me - "What do you say?" I was surprised at Kurd's speech, but I said politely - "Lord Qaazee, I have only a ruined apartment and another without a door, a dog-house, a boy's school, youths playing dice, tents, tent ropes, city of Basaraa and Baghdaad, the palace of Shaddad bin Ad, an ironsmith's workshop, a fishing net, pickets, girls, boys, a 1,000 pimps who will testify that it is my bag."

When the Kurd heard this, he wept - "O Qaazee, This my bag is known, and its contents are also renowned, for in this bag there will be castles and citadels, cranes and beasts of prey and men playing chess and draughts. Furthermore in this bag are a brood-mare, two colts, a stallion, two blood-steeds, two long lances, a lion, two hares and a city and two villages, a whore, two gallows-birds, a blind man, two witches with good sight, a limping cripple, two lamenters, a Christian ecclesiastic, two deacons, a patriarch, two  monks, a Qaazee, two assessors who will witness that this bag is my bag."

Then Qaazee asked me - "What do you have to say in this regard?" I was filled with rage and said - "O Qaazee, I have in this bag a coat of mail, a broadsword, a 1,000 of fighting rams, a sheep-fold, with its pastures, a 1,000 barking dogs, gardens, vines, flowers, sweet smelling herbs, figs, apples, statues, singing women, marriage feasts, tracts of land, a company of daybreak-raiders with swords and spears and bows and arrows, men imprisoned for punishment, a drum, flutes, flags and banners, brides and singing girls, five Abyssinian women, three Hindoo maidens, four girls of Al-Madeenaa, a score of Greek girls, 80 Kurdish girls, 70 Georgian ladies, Tigris and Euphrates Rivers, a fowling net, a flint, a steel and multi-colored Iraam, a 1,000 rogues and pimps, horse courses, stables,  mosques, baths, builders, a carpenter, a plank, a nail, a black slave, a captain, a caravan leader, towns and cities, 100,000 Deenaar, Koofaa and Anbar cities, 20 chests full of stuffs, 20 storehouses, the palace of Kisaraa Anushirvaan, the Kingdom of Solomon, land from India to Sudan, doublets, clothes, a 1,000 sharp razors to shave off Qaazee's beard if he does not accept that this is my bag."

Hearing us both, which confounded the Qaazee, he said - "I can see that you two are poisonous fellows, atheistic villains who make sport of Qaazees and magistrates and do not fear from anybody. By Allaah, from China to Shajarat, nor from Faaras to Sudan nor from Waadee Noomaan to Khorasan, was ever heard the things you told me. Is this bag a bottomless sea or the Day of Resurrection that shall gather together the just and unjust?" Then the Qaazee asked us to open the bag. I opened the bag. It contained only a bread, a lemon, cheese, and olives. So I threw the bag down before the Kurd."

When the Caliph heard this tale, he laughed till he fell on his back and made him a handsome present.

End of Story No 52