Ahmed and the Magic Ring
Ahmed’s Struggles
Once upon a time, in the city of Cairo, Egypt, there lived a young cobbler named Ahmed. Although he was a good and honest workman, he did not earn much money because there were too many cobblers and not enough shoes to be repaired.
One day, Ahmed’s friends hurried to his shop and warned him that soldiers were on their way to arrest him. An enemy had falsely accused him of stealing. Terrified, Ahmed immediately closed his shop and fled.
A New Beginning
He travelled for many miles, pausing only to sleep until he reached a great city surrounded by high walls. Exhausted, Ahmed sank on the steps of a large house to rest. Soon, the merchant who owned the house returned and asked, “Tell me, my friend, where do you come from? By your clothes, you seem to be Egyptian.”
Ahmed explained that he was from Cairo, and the merchant inquired if he knew Ahmed, the perfume seller. “Ahmed was my next-door neighbour,” replied Ahmed. “His three sons were my playmates, but his son Ali, who was my best friend, ran away from home and has never been heard of since.”
A Reunion
The merchant then revealed that he was Ali, Ahmed’s old playmate. “After leaving Cairo,” he said, “I wandered from place to place until I reached here. I found the people kind and generous, and I claimed to be a rich merchant with a caravan of camels bringing goods to the city. The merchants lent me money while waiting for my caravan, which allowed me to earn a fortune.”
Ali advised Ahmed to follow his example. The next morning, dressed in fine clothes and riding one of Ali’s mules, Ahmed went to the marketplace where Ali sat with other merchants. Ali joyfully recognized him and pretended that Ahmed was a wealthy merchant from Egypt.
The Downfall
Ahmed told the other merchants about his camel caravan laden with rich goods on its way to the city. Impressed by his attire, the merchants lent him large sums of money, all of which he gave to the beggars and the poor around him.
Ali was horrified and urged Ahmed to use the borrowed money for goods rather than squandering it. However, Ahmed refused to listen, insisting that he would pay everything back once his caravan arrived. Frustrated, Ali eventually left Ahmed and went home in disgust.
Ticking Clock
As days passed without sign of the caravan, the merchants grew worried about the money they had lent Ahmed and informed the king. The greedy king thought, “If this Ahmed were poor, he wouldn’t dare to borrow money and squander it like this. He must be rich!”
Immediately, the king sent his Vizier, the Chief Minister, to offer Ahmed the hand of the princess in marriage. Ahmed was delighted but explained that he must wait for his caravan to arrive so he could distribute gold among the poor on his wedding day. The king offered him gold from the royal treasury, and the marriage was celebrated promptly.
The Princess’s Warning
Initially, Ahmed was generous, draining the royal treasury while waiting for his caravan. One night, the princess overheard the Vizier and the king discussing Ahmed’s financial situation. She quickly rushed to Ahmed and asked him if he truly had a caravan. When he admitted that he was just a poor cobbler, she burst into laughter and urged him to flee for his life.
Taking her advice, Ahmed rode away from the city. When questioned by the king about his whereabouts, the princess told him that Ahmed had gone to search for his long-lost caravan.
A Fortuitous Discovery
Ahmed continued riding until he reached a large field where a peasant was ploughing with his two oxen. It was a hot day, and feeling tired and thirsty, he stopped to rest. The peasant kindly offered him a meal and ran to the village to fetch food.
Realizing he was holding the old man back from working, Ahmed decided to help out by guiding the plough. Soon, he struck a heavy stone that he managed to lift, uncovering a gold casket underneath it. Inside was a gold signet ring marked with strange signs. As he rubbed the dirt off the ring, a mighty genie appeared before him, saying, “I am the slave of the ring. What are your commands, O master?”
Wealth and Generosity
Overjoyed, Ahmed commanded, “I want a great train of camels, each one loaded with gold, gems, precious silks, and velvets.” At that moment, the peasant returned and was astonished to see the vast caravan of camels in his field, along with a luxurious silk pavilion.
Believing Ahmed to be a great lord, the peasants showed him great respect. Ahmed shared the humble meal with the peasant but treated him to a lavish feast in return for his kindness. Then, Ahmed set off for the king’s palace.
A Grand Return
The king was amazed when he received news of Ahmed’s never-ending caravan of camels laden with precious merchandise winding through the city. The princess wondered if it was yet another of Ahmed’s tricks or a test of her love.
When Ahmed arrived at the palace, he ordered the royal treasury to be filled. Once that was done, he had the dungeons filled to the brim with gold and precious jewels. Then he sent a magnificent gown and exquisite jewellery to his wife, the princess, who was overjoyed with his return.
The greedy king lavished attention on his wealthy son-in-law. Ahmed was declared the heir to the throne, ruling jointly with the king and living happily in the palace with his beautiful wife, the princess.