34 lines
2.1 KiB
Plaintext
34 lines
2.1 KiB
Plaintext
ALI AND THE SULTAN'S SADDLE
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Once upon a time . . . there lived a very powerful Sultan whose kingdom
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stretched to the edges of the desert. One of his subjects was called Ali, a
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man who enjoyed making fun of his ruler. He invented all sorts of tales about
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the Sultan and his Court, and folk would roar with laughter at his jokes.
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Indeed, Ali became so well known, that people pointed him out in the street
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and chuckled.
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Ali's fun at the Sultan's expense reached the point where the Sultan
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himself heard about it. Angry and insulted, he ordered the guards to bring the
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joker before him.
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"I shall punish him for his cheek," said the Sultan eagerly, as he rubbed
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his hands, thinking of the good whipping he was about to administer.
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But when Ali was brought before him, he bowed so low that his forehead
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scraped the floor. Giving the Sultan no time to open his mouth, Ali said:
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"Sire! Please let me thank you for granting my dearest wish: to look upon
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you in person and tell you how greatly I admire your wisdom and handsome
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figure. I've written a poem about you. May I recite it to you?"
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Overwhelmed by this stream of words and delighted at Ali's unexpected
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praise, the Sultan told him to recite his poem. In actual fact, Ali hadn't
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written a single word, so he had to invent it as he went along, and this he
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did, loudly comparing the Sultan's splendour to that of the sun, his strength
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to that of the tempest and his voice to the sound of the wind. Everyone
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applauded and cheered. Now quite charmed, the Sultan forgot why he had called
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Ali before him, and clapped at the end of the poem in his honour.
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"Well done!" he cried. "You're a fine poet and deserve a reward. Choose one
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of these saddles as payment for your ability." Ali picked up a donkey's saddle
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and, thanking the Sultan, he hurried out of the palace with the saddle on his
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back. When people saw him rush along, they all asked him:
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"Ali, where are you going with that donkey's saddle on your back?"
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"I've just recited a poem in honour of the Sultan, and he's given me one of
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his own robes as a reward!"
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And winking Ali pointed to the saddle!
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