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The Tartars, with all imaginable speed, went their way, and having found the Cogia, communicated to him the commands of the Sultan.
This he had done to try to excuse himself in his own eyes for taking the gold. However he hid his confusion as best he could, and made the returned traveller welcome, and asked him how he had fared in his journeyings. Ali Cogia answered his inquiries politely, but he was uneasy and restless, and as soon as he could make the opportunity he inquired about the olive jar he had left in the warehouse.
The Cogia came hither in our company. 'He did not come, said the wife. 'But he did, said the students, and made a great outcry. The Cogia hearing a noise from above, thrust his head out of the window, exclaiming, 'Holloa, my men: what is all this dispute for? You must know that this house has two doors. No sooner did I come in by one than I left the house by the other.
One day Cogia Nasr Eddin Efendi said, 'O Mussulmen, give thanks to God Most High that He did not give the camel wings; for, had He given them, they would have perched upon your houses and chimneys, and have caused them to tumble upon your heads.
Giafar lifted him from his ass, quite dead. 'Now, says he, 'go thou back, Cogia. I will stay here. For so the Old Man plainly desired. 'I think with you, said Cogia. 'Give me the token. So they cut off the Marquess's right hand, and Cogia, after shaking it, put it in his vest.
'If you doubt my words, said the Cogia, 'take a measure and see whether it comes to more or less. Another of the priests coming forward said, 'How many stars are there in the face of the heaven above us? Said the Cogia, 'As many hairs as there are upon my ass so many stars are there in the heaven. 'How do you know? said the priest.
'Pray enter, said he, and brought them into the house; then going up to where his wife was, 'O wife, said he, 'I have brought some travellers that we may give them a cup of broth. 'O master, said his wife, 'is there oil in the house or rice, or have you brought any that you wish to have broth? 'Bless me, said the Cogia, 'give me the broth pan, and snatching it up, he forthwith ran to where the students were, and exclaimed, 'Pray, pardon me, gentlemen, but had there been oil or rice in our house, this is the pan in which I would have served the broth up to you.
Thereupon the Cogia getting up, put his hatchet in the trunk and locked it up. Says his wife to the Cogia, 'For fear of whom do you lock up the hatchet? 'For fear of the cat, replied the Cogia. 'What should the cat do with the hatchet? said the wife.
These words made no more impression on the merchant than the others had done; and he spent the whole night in wondering how he could manage to keep the gold if Ali Cogia should come back and claim his vase. Very early next morning he went out and bought fresh new olives; he then threw away the old ones, took out the gold and hid it, and filled up the vase with the olives he had bought.
"It is here," said the boys who were taking the parts of officers of the court. The feigned Cadi ordered them to place the jar before him, which they pretended to do. He then went through the motions of lifting the lid and examining the olives and even of tasting one. "These are very fine olives," said he. "Ali Cogia, when did you say you placed this jar in the warehouse?"
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