The Honest Opium-Eater

The Struggle with Addiction

Abu was a good man, but he had a serious addiction to opium. “My husband, all your honesty and virtues will prove meaningless unless you give up the habit of taking opium,” Abu’s wife repeatedly urged him. However, her pleas seemed to have no effect on Abu. “I’ll give up the habit soon,” he would smile and say, but he never acted on his promise.

One day, while on his way to the market to sell a cow, Abu stumbled upon a tavern selling opium. “I’ll make a good profit from the cow; there’s no reason I shouldn’t enjoy a little opium now,” he thought to himself as he sat down and indulged.

The Consequences of Indulgence

When he left the tavern, Abu found himself unable to walk steadily. He collapsed under a tree, thinking, “Surely, a customer will pass by and I can sell my cow to him.” Unfortunately, no one approached, and as the sun began to set, Abu’s mind wandered more. He heard a crow cawing and, in his dazed state, interpreted it as an inquiry about his cow.

“You take it and pay me the price at my home. I’m not in a position to count money right now,” he said with a wave of his hand. As he stumbled towards home, he was oblivious to the reality of his situation.

The Revelation of Honesty

By morning, Abu was sober, but no customer had come with money for the cow. His wife grew suspicious and asked, “I hope you know the gentleman who took the cow from you!” Urged by her concern, Abu insisted that he would locate the man, setting off again toward the tree where he had sold the cow.

On the way, he couldn’t resist the tavern’s allure and soon found himself indulging in opium once more. At the tree, the crow cawed again, leading him to a broken earthen jar nearby. Expecting to find money, Abu was thrilled to see silver coins within. He took the amount equivalent to the cow’s value and returned home.

The Twist of Fate

“Isn’t it surprising that a man you barely knew was honest enough to leave you the money?” his wife remarked. Abu retorted, “If he was honest, I wasn’t any different. I only took what was due for my cow.” His wife, curious about his story, soon ventured to the spot and collected all the money from the jar.

When Abu found out, he chastised his wife about possessing someone else’s money. “I’ll make good use of it,” she argued, wanting to help their neighbors as well. “You must return it! It is wrong to keep what isn’t ours!” he insisted. Frustrated by their disagreement, Abu threatened to report her to the police if she did not return the money.

That night, Abu was awakened by his wife’s excitement over a “shower of flowers” in the courtyard. He dismissed it, but the next morning, fearing for his wife’s well-being, he went to the police chief to explain her folly. Despite searching, they found no stolen money. The Kazi, amused by Abu’s claims, ordered him confined, prompting Abu to endure days without opium.

His wife eventually approached the Kazi, pleading for his release. When brought before the Kazi, Abu humorously claimed, “I’m afraid it never rained flowers.” The Kazi chuckled, recognizing the absurdity before him and allowing Abu to return home, advising him to live sensibly.

Realizing the depth of his situation and the consequences of his addiction, Abu finally gave up his opium habit for good.