ALI COGIA. 427

THE HISTORY OF ALI COGIA, A MERCHANT OF
BAGDAD.

N the reign of the Caliph Haroun Alraschid, there lived
at Bagdad a merchant named Ali Cogia, who was
neither of the richest nor yet of the lowest order, and
who dwelt in his paternal house without either wife

or children. He lived contented with what his business pro-

duced, and was as free in his actions asin his will During this
period, he had for three successive nights a dream, in which an
old man appeared to him with a venerable aspect, who repri-
manded him for not having yet performed a pilgrimage ta

Mecca.

This dream very much troubled Ali Cogia, and occasioned him
great embarrassment. As a good Mussulman, he was aware of
the necessity of performing this pilgrimage, but as he was
encumbered with a house and furniture, and a shop, he had
always considered these as excuses sufficiently weighty to dis-
pense with the obligation. But since he had these dreams, his
conscience so much disturbed him, that he resolved no longer
to defer this act of duty.

To enable himself to perform this in the following year, Ali
Cogia sold his furniture and disposed of his shop, together with
the greatest part of the merchandise with which it was stocked,
reserving only such as might be saleable at Mecca: and he
found a tenant for his house, to whom he let it on lease.

Having thus arranged everything, he was ready to set out at
the time that the caravan for Mecca was to take its departure.
The only thing which remained to be done, was to find some
secure place in which he could leave the sum of a thousand
pieces of gold, which remained of the money he had set apart
for his pilgrimage, and which would have encumbered him
during the journey.

Ali Cogia made choice of a jar of a proper size, and put the
thousand pieces of gold into it, and then filled it up with olives.
After having closed the jar tightly, he took it to a merchant,
who was his friend. “Brother,” said he to him, “I am going
on a pilgrimage to Mecca in a few days; I beg the favour of
you to take charge of this iar of olives till my return.” The