The Merchant Meets His Match
Once upon a time there lived in a little hamlet a mother and her son, Mustafa. By and by the woman became old and weak and could no longer work as before. "My son," she said one day, "I've lost my strength and cannot labor anymore. You've grown into a smart young lad. Go out into the world and try to earn your daily bread." So, the next day, Mustafa set out for the neighboring town. He looked for work everywhere and knocked on many doors. But alas, nowhere could he find a job until, finally, he met a very rich merchant who agreed to hire him. Days passed, but the merchant did not assign any work to Mustafa. However, he fed him well and paid him regularly. This seemed rather strange to the boy. "Master," he asked one day, "don't you have any work for me?" "Yes, I do have something important for you. It is very important. You'll accompany me when I go out on business tomorrow," replied the merchant.
The following morning, the merchant ordered Mustafa to get ready with two camels. One of them was to carry six large empty sacks and the hide of a buffalo slaughtered just a few hours ago. The master mounted the other camel and they set out on their journey, Mustafa walking behind the camels. They crossed the vast windy desert and stopped at the foot of a very high mountain. So tall was it and so rough its rocks that it looked impossible to ascend it. Now the merchant asked his servant to unroll the hide and spread it inside out and lie on it. "But why should I do this, Master?" Mustafa asked. "Obey me, or else I'll chop off your head," threatened the merchant, fiddling with the hilt of his sword. So, poor Mustafa did as he was told and lay on the buffalo skin. His master at once rolled the hide into a bundle with the young lad inside it, tied it tightly, and waited there, hiding behind a bush. The buffalo skin was raw and its smell was still very fresh and strong.
This attracted a host of birds of prey. They swooped down on it at lightning speed and carried off the bundle to their nest on the top of the hill. It was soon ripped open but when Mustafa, who till then did not know what was happening, stood up and gave a loud cry, the birds got frightened and flew away. He looked down and saw his master and the two camels. They seemed very tiny indeed. The merchant, sighting him from below, shouted very loudly, "Now just pick up the stones lying there in front of you and throw them down to me." Mustafa found precious stones of many hues strewn all over the place. There were chunks of diamonds, rubies, sapphires, and emeralds sparkling in the sunlight. So, he gathered them and dropped them to his master who began to fill his empty bags. Suddenly, a doubt flashed in his mind. His face turned white with nervousness. "Master, how am I to come down?" he asked in a trembling voice. "First let these sacks be full! Then I'll tell you how to descend," replied the merchant with a sly look. The poor boy, without the least suspicion, continued his work. When the bags were full, the merchant filled his large pockets, too. Then hoisting the sacks onto one of the camels he mounted the other. "Goodbye, boy. Thank you for your service. Now I leave you to your destiny, as I've done to all my previous employees," he said with a laugh as he rode away. Mustafa now realized what a wicked trick the merchant had played on him.
Alas, it was too late now to regret on that account. He saw strewn around him some bones and shreds of clothes amongst the shining precious stones. They must have belonged to those who were employed by the merchant before him. Should he also perish like them? It dawned on him, too, how the merchant had been growing richer year after year sacrificing innocent lives one after another. It was also clear to him that no one knew about this mountain with precious stones except the merchant. Those who came to know never descended from the top of the hill. But how the merchant had the knowledge of it seemed to be a mystery. Ther precipice was too steep with razor-like edges on all sides. It looked impossible to climb down. Mustafa felt thirsty and hungry. But the flat surface before him was arid, not even a green blade of grass was visible anywhere. The blazing sun beat down on him and he felt faint. Suddenly he remembered what his mother used to tell him when he was a little boy: "Dear son, whenever you are in difficulty, quieten yourself and pray ardently." So Mustafa came down on his knees, looked up, and began to pray and he prayed very ardently indeed. Specks of black circled in the blue sky. They were the large feathered creatures who had their nests on top of the hill. All of a sudden, one of them swooped downwards almost brushing past Mustafa's head. Spontaneously, he gripped tightly the bird's extended legs. The great hawk rose once again with tremendous speed and with it rose Mustafa, too. As the bird was flying nearer to a tree, Mustafa loosened his grip and managed to cling to its branches.
Relieved of its burden, the hawk rose lightly and disappeared in the sky. It was a tall tree of dates. Hungry and exhausted, Mustafa consumed the sweet delicious fruit. Now feeling better and energetic, he slid down its round trunk and walked homewards, saved from a terrible death. He recounted to his old mother all his adventures. She heard him with tears in her eyes and then knelt down and prayed in gratitude. A few years passed. One day, Mustafa met the merchant in the market square. An idea struck him and going up to his former master he asked, "Sir, do you need someone to help you in your work?" The merchant did not recognize him. For, how could anyone left on the mountain top return alive? And Mustafa, too, had changed in his appearance in course of time. So he was hired once again. Soon, they made their way to the foot of the same hill, with the camels, the buffalo hide, and the empty sacks. Mustafa was asked as before to stretch himself on the skin. He pretended to be a fool and said, "Master, I do not understand one thing! How is it to be done? Could you please show it to me?"
"You seem to be good for nothing fellow! Look here, this is how it is done," said the merchant and laid on the hide and wrapped it around himself. Mustafa did not lose a moment and tightly strapped and tied the merchant in the buffalo skin. Before his master could react, the large eagles flew down and one of them seized the bundle with its sharp claws and flew up to its nest on top of the mountain. It tore open the hide but finding a human being alive and breathing, left him alone. The merchant stood up stunned and looked down. "Come on, Master! Now throw down the precious stones and I'll fill up the empty bags. I had done this for you not very long ago. Have you forgotten?" said Mustafa with a grin. The merchant now recognized his old employee. He began trembling with rage. "How did.. di..d you descend the mountain?" he asked nervously. "Yes, yes I'll tell you. But not before you gather the precious stones and pass them over to me. Let me fill these large bags!" said Mustafa in a jovial strain. The master, for a change, had no other go, but to obey. The sacks were soon full. The young man hoisted them onto the camel's back. He then mounted the other and said, "Merchant, what do you think happened to all your workers whom you sent to the top of this steep precipice? Did they know how to come down?" asked Mustafa and, bidding goodbye, rode away.
Moral Of the Story: If you do harm to others the same returns to you.
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