THE THREE APPLES
by Anonymous · from The Arabian Nights Entertainments - Volume 01
Adapted Version
One night, the Caliph wanted to see his city. He called his helper, Giafar. "Let us go for a walk," he said. They put on simple clothes. Mesrour went with them too. They walked and walked. The city was quiet at night.
They walked by the river. They saw an old fisherman. He looked very sad. His basket was empty. "I have no fish," he said.
The Caliph felt sorry for him. "Try one more time," he said. "I will give you money." The fisherman threw his net. He pulled it back. It was very heavy. He pulled and pulled.
He found a big trunk in his net. The Caliph paid the fisherman. Mesrour carried the heavy trunk. They all hurried back to the palace. They walked very fast.
They opened the trunk. Inside was a basket. They opened the basket. They found something very sad inside. It was a lady who was hurt. They all felt very sad.
The Caliph was very angry. "This is bad!" he said to Giafar. "Find the bad person," he said. "If you do not, you will be in big trouble."
Giafar looked and looked. He asked many people. He could not find the bad person. He felt very sad and worried. He looked for three days.
On the third day, they took Giafar to a place. Many people were there. They were all sad. Giafar and his friends might be punished. Everyone was quiet.
Then a young man came forward. "Stop!" he said. "I did the bad thing. Let me take Giafar's place."
An old man came forward too. "No!" he said. "I did it. The young man is innocent."
Giafar was confused. He took both men to the Caliph. "They both say they did it," said Giafar.
The Caliph was confused too. "Who is telling the truth?" he asked.
The young man spoke. "I swear I did it," he said. The Caliph believed him.
"Why did you do this bad thing?" the Caliph asked. "Tell me your story."
The young man nodded. "I will tell you my story," he said. And so, the Caliph learned to wait and find the truth before getting upset.
Original Story
THE THREE APPLES.
Sir, said she, I have already had the honour to entertain your majesty with a ramble which the Caliph Haroun Alraschid made one night from his palace; I will give you an account of one more. This prince one day commanded the grand vizier Giafar to come to his palace the night following. Vizier, says he, I will take a walk round the town, to inform myself what people say, and particularly how they are pleased with my officers of justice. If there be any against whom they have reason of just complaint, we will turn them out, and put others in their stead, who may officiate better: If, on the contrary, there be any that have gained their applause, we will have that esteem for them which they deserve. The grand vizier being come to the palace at the hour appointed, the caliph, he, and Mesrour the chief of the eunuchs, disguised themselves so as they could not be known, and went out ail together. They passed through several places, and by several markets; and as they entered a small street, they perceived, by the light of the moon, a tall man, with a white beard, who carried nets on his head; he had a folding basket of palm leaves on his arm, and a club in his hand. This old man, says the caliph, does not seem to be rich; let us go to him, and inquire into his circumstances. Honest man, said the vizier, who art thou? The old man replied, Sir, I am a fisher, but one of the poorest and most miserable of the trade; I went from my house about noon to go a-fishing, and from that time to this I have not been able to catch one fish; at the same time I have a wife and small children, and nothing to maintain them. The caliph, moved with compassion, says to the fisherman, Hast thou the courage to go back and cast thy nets once more? We will give thee a hundred sequins for what thou shall bring up. At this proposal, the fisherman, forgetting all his day's toil, took the caliph at his word, and with him, Giafar, and Mesrour, returned to the Tigris; he saying to himself, These gentlemen seem to be too honest and reasonable not to reward my pains; and if they give me the hundredth part of what they promise me, it will be a great deal. They came to the bank of the river; and the fisherman throwing in his net, when he drew it again, brought up a trunk close shut, and very heavy. The caliph made the grand vizier pay him a hundred sequins immediately, and sent him away. Mesrour, by his master's order, carried the trunk on his shoulder; and the caliph was so very eager to know what was in it, that he returned to the palace with all speed. When the trunk was opened, they found in it a large basket made of palm leaves, shut up, and the covering of it sewed with red thread. To satisfy the caliph's impatience, they would not take time to unrip it, but cut the thread with a knife, and they took out of the basket a bundle wrapt up in a sorry piece of hanging, and bound round with a rope, which being untied, and the bundle opened, they found, to their great amazement, the corpse of a young lady, whiter than snow, all cut in pieces.
Your majesty may imagine, a great deal better than I am able to express the astonishment of the caliph at this dreadful spectacle. His surprise was instantly changed into passion, and darting an angry look at the vizier, Ah! thou wretch, said he, is this your inspection into the actions of my people? Do they commit such impious murders under thy ministry in my capital city, and throw my subjects into the Tigris, that they may cry for vengeance against me at the day of judgment? If thou dost not speedily revenge the murder of this woman, by the death of her murderer, I swear by Heaven, that I will cause thee to be hanged, and forty more of thy kindred. Commander of the faithful, replied the grand vizier, I beg your majesty to grant me time to make inquiry. I will allow thee no more, said the caliph, than three days; therefore thou must look to it. The vizier Giafar went home in great confusion of mind. Alas, said he, how is it possible that, in such a vast and populous city as Bagdad, I should be able to detect a murderer, who undoubtedly committed the crime without witness, and perhaps may be already gone from hence? Any other person but me would take some wretched person out of prison, and cause him to die, to satisfy the caliph; but I will not burden my conscience with such a barbarous action; I will rather die than save my life at this rate. He ordered the officers of police and justice to make strict search for the criminal: they sent their servants about, and they themselves were not idle, for they were no less concerned in this matter than the vizier. But all their endeavours turned to nothing; what pains soever they took, they could not find out the murderer; so that the vizier concluded his life to be gone, unless some remarkable providence hindered it. The third day being come, an officer came to this unfortunate minister with a summons to follow him, which the vizier obeyed. The caliph asked him for the murderer. He answered, with tears in his eyes, Commander of the faithful, I have not found any person that could give me the least account of him. The caliph, full of fury and rage, gave him many reproachful words, and ordered that he and forty Bermecides[Footnote: The Bermecides were a family come out of Persia, and of them the grand Vizier was descended.] more should be hanged up at the gate of the palace.
In the mean while the gibbets were preparing, and orders were sent to seize forty Bermecides more in their houses; a public crier was sent about the city to cry thus, by the caliph's order, Those who have a desire to see the grand vizier Giafar hanged, and forty more Bermecides of his kindred, let them come to the square before the palace. When all things were ready, the judge criminal, and a great many officers belonging to the palace, brought out the grand vizier with forty Bermecides, and set each of them at the foot of the gibbet designed for them, and a rope was put about each of their necks. The multitude of people that filled the square could not, without grief and tears, behold this tragical sight; for the grand vizier and the Bermecides were loved and honoured on account of their probity, bounty, and impartiality, not only in Bagdad, but through all the dominions of the caliph.
Nothing could prevent the execution of this prince's too severe and irrevocable sentence; and the lives of the most honest people in the city were just going to be taken away, when a young man, of handsome mien and good apparel, pressed through the crowd till he came to the place where the grand vizier was; and after he had kissed his hand, said, Most excellent vizier, chief of the emirs of this court, and comforter of the poor, you are not guilty of the crime for which you stand here. Withdraw, and let me expiate the death of the lady who was thrown into the Tigris. It was I who murdered her, and deserve to be punished for it. Though these words occasioned great joy to the vizier, yet he could not but pity the young man, in whose look he saw something that, instead of being ominous, was engaging; but as he was about to answer him, a tall man, pretty well in years, who had likewise forced his way through the crowd, came up to him, saying, Sir, do not believe what this young man tells you; I killed that lady who was found in the trunk; and this punishment ought only to fall upon me. I conjure you, in the name of God, not to punish the innocent for the guilty. Sir, says the young man to the vizier, I do protest that I am he who committed this vile act, and nobody else had any hand it. My son, said the old man, it is despair that brought you hither, and you would anticipate your destiny. I have lived a long time in the world, and it is time for me to be gone; let me therefore sacrifice my life for yours. Sir, said he again to the vizier, I tell you once more I am the murderer; let me die without any more ado. The controversy between the old man and the young one obliged the grand vizier Giafar to carry them both before the caliph, to which the criminal judge consented, being very glad to serve the vizier. When he came before the prince, he kissed the ground seven times, and spoke after this manner: Commander of the faithful, I have brought here before your majesty this old man, and this young one, who both confess themselves to be the sole murderers of the lady. Then the caliph asked the criminals which of them it was that so cruelly murdered the lady, and threw her into the Tigris? The young man assured him it was he, but the old man maintained the contrary. Go, says the caliph to the grand vizier, and cause them both to be hanged. But, sir, says the vizier, if only one of them be guilty, it would be unjust to take the lives of both. At these words the young man spoke again: I swear by the great God, who has raised the heavens so high as they are, that I am the man who killed the lady, cut her in quarters, and threw her into the Tigris about four days ago. I renounce my part of happiness among the just at the day of judgment, if what I say be not truth; therefore I am he that ought to suffer. The caliph, being surprised at this oath, believed him, especially as the old man made no answer to this. Whereupon, turning to the young man, Thou wretch, said he, what was it that made thee to commit that detestable crime, and what is it that moves thee to offer thyself voluntarily to die? Commander of the faithful, said he, if all that has passed between that lady and me were set down in writing, it would be a history that would be very useful to other men. I command you then to relate it, said the caliph. The young man obeyed, and began.
Story DNA
Moral
True justice requires careful investigation and a willingness to question assumptions, rather than hasty judgment.
Plot Summary
Caliph Haroun Alraschid, disguised, discovers a dismembered woman's body in a trunk pulled from the Tigris by a fisherman. Enraged, he gives his Grand Vizier Giafar three days to find the murderer, threatening to execute him and forty of his kin if he fails. When Giafar's search yields nothing, he and the Bermecides are led to the gallows. At the last moment, a young man confesses to the murder, only to be immediately contradicted by an old man who also claims responsibility. The Caliph, bewildered, demands the true story from the young man, who promises a useful tale.
Themes
Emotional Arc
despair to hope
Writing Style
Narrative Elements
Cultural Context
Haroun Alraschid was a real Abbasid Caliph (786-809 AD) known for his patronage of arts and sciences, and is a central figure in many One Thousand and One Nights tales. The Bermecides were a powerful Persian family who served as viziers to the Abbasid Caliphs but were eventually purged by Haroun Alraschid.
Plot Beats (14)
- Caliph Haroun Alraschid decides to go on a disguised night walk with his Grand Vizier Giafar and chief eunuch Mesrour to observe his subjects and the state of justice.
- They encounter a poor fisherman who has caught nothing all day; the Caliph offers him 100 sequins to cast his net one more time.
- The fisherman casts his net and pulls out a heavy, locked trunk.
- The Caliph pays the fisherman, and Mesrour carries the trunk back to the palace.
- Upon opening the trunk, they discover a dismembered young woman's body inside a basket.
- The Caliph is enraged and gives Giafar three days to find the murderer, threatening to execute him and forty Bermecides if he fails.
- Giafar and his officers search extensively but find no clues or suspects.
- On the third day, Giafar and forty Bermecides are brought to the gallows, ropes around their necks, before a sorrowful crowd.
- A handsome young man pushes through the crowd and confesses to the murder, asking to die in Giafar's place.
- Immediately, an old man also steps forward, claiming he is the true murderer and that the young man is innocent.
- Giafar brings both men before the Caliph, who is confused by the conflicting confessions.
- The young man swears a solemn oath that he is the murderer, convincing the Caliph.
- The Caliph, surprised by the young man's willingness to die, asks him to explain his motive and the full story.
- The young man agrees to tell his story, promising it will be useful.
Characters
Caliph Haroun Alraschid ★ protagonist
A man of regal bearing, likely of average height and a sturdy build, accustomed to authority. His features would be sharp and commanding, reflecting his quick temper and decisive nature.
Attire: When disguised, he wears simple, unassuming garments that allow him to blend in with common citizens, likely a plain, dark thobe and a simple head covering. In the palace, he would wear rich, flowing silk robes, possibly embroidered with gold thread, and a jeweled turban, though these are not explicitly described in this excerpt.
Wants: To ensure justice and good governance in his city, to understand the plight of his subjects, and to maintain order.
Flaw: His quick temper and impatience, which can lead to rash judgments and severe threats.
In this excerpt, he moves from compassionate curiosity to furious indignation, then to a state of surprise and belief as the truth begins to unfold. He learns the complexity of justice.
Impatient, just, compassionate (initially), quick-tempered, decisive, curious.
Image Prompt & Upload
An adult Arabian man standing upright, facing forward, full body visible from head to toe. He has an olive skin tone, a sharp, commanding face with dark, piercing eyes, and a well-groomed dark beard and mustache. He wears a simple, dark brown thobe made of coarse linen, a plain dark head covering wrapped around his head, and sturdy leather sandals. His posture is erect and authoritative, with a curious yet stern expression. Plain white background, full body visible head to toe, single figure, no watermark, no text, no signature.
Grand Vizier Giafar ◆ supporting
A man of dignified appearance, likely of average height and a moderate build, reflecting his high office. His features would be thoughtful and often troubled.
Attire: When disguised, he wears simple, unassuming garments similar to the Caliph, likely a plain, dark thobe and a simple head covering. In the palace, he would wear fine silk robes, perhaps in deep blues or greens, with a more elaborate turban, though these are not explicitly described in this excerpt.
Wants: To serve the Caliph faithfully, to uphold justice, and to protect the innocent.
Flaw: His deep sense of responsibility and compassion can make him vulnerable to the Caliph's harsh judgments and the weight of impossible tasks.
He faces an impossible task, experiences profound despair, and is ultimately saved by an unexpected turn of events, reinforcing his commitment to justice.
Loyal, conscientious, compassionate, intelligent, just, anxious.
Image Prompt & Upload
An adult Arabian man standing upright, facing forward, full body visible from head to toe. He has an olive skin tone, a thoughtful face with dark, intelligent eyes, and a neatly trimmed dark beard and mustache. He wears a simple, dark grey thobe made of coarse wool, a plain dark head covering, and sturdy leather sandals. His posture is dignified but slightly hunched with worry, and he has a concerned expression. Plain white background, full body visible head to toe, single figure, no watermark, no text, no signature.
Mesrour ○ minor
A strong and capable man, likely tall and well-built, as he is able to carry a heavy trunk on his shoulder. His features would be stoic and obedient.
Attire: When disguised, he wears simple, dark garments. In his official capacity, he would wear the distinctive attire of a chief eunuch, possibly a tunic and trousers with a sash, though not explicitly detailed here.
Wants: To serve the Caliph and execute his commands without question.
Flaw: His role requires absolute obedience, limiting his personal agency.
Remains a constant, obedient figure throughout the excerpt.
Obedient, loyal, strong, stoic.
Image Prompt & Upload
An adult Arabian man standing upright, facing forward, full body visible from head to toe. He has an olive skin tone, a stoic face with dark, watchful eyes, and is clean-shaven. He wears a simple, dark grey linen tunic, loose dark trousers, and sturdy leather boots. His posture is rigid and disciplined, with a neutral expression. Plain white background, full body visible head to toe, single figure, no watermark, no text, no signature.
The Fisherman ○ minor
A tall, thin man, showing the wear and tear of a hard life. His body would be wiry from years of physical labor.
Attire: Simple, worn garments typical of a poor fisherman, likely a patched tunic and trousers made of coarse, undyed fabric, possibly a simple head covering. His clothes would be damp and smell of the river.
Wants: To provide for his wife and small children, to escape poverty.
Flaw: His extreme poverty and desperation make him vulnerable.
Briefly uplifted by the Caliph's generosity, then disappears from the narrative.
Poor, miserable, hopeful, hardworking, grateful.
Image Prompt & Upload
An elderly Arabian man standing upright, facing forward, full body visible from head to toe. He is tall and thin, with a tanned, weathered face, tired eyes, and a long, flowing white beard. He wears a patched, coarse grey linen tunic, loose dark trousers, and simple leather sandals. He carries fishing nets draped over his head and shoulders, a folding basket of palm leaves on his arm, and a sturdy wooden club in his right hand. His posture is slightly hunched, with a weary but hopeful expression. Plain white background, full body visible head to toe, single figure, no watermark, no text, no signature.
The Young Man ◆ supporting
A man of handsome mien, likely of average height and a lean, youthful build. His features would be striking and earnest.
Attire: Good apparel, suggesting fine, well-maintained clothing, possibly a tunic and trousers of good quality fabric, perhaps with some subtle embroidery, and a fine head covering. This indicates he is not of the lowest class.
Wants: To confess his crime and prevent the innocent (Giafar and the Bermecides) from being punished, driven by a sense of justice or guilt.
Flaw: His desperation and guilt lead him to willingly face death.
Appears suddenly to confess his crime, saving Giafar, and is about to reveal his full story.
Honorable, desperate, self-sacrificing, earnest, courageous.
Image Prompt & Upload
A young adult Arabian man standing upright, facing forward, full body visible from head to toe. He has an olive skin tone, a handsome face with dark, earnest eyes, and a neatly trimmed dark beard and mustache. He wears a fine, deep blue silk tunic with subtle gold embroidery along the collar, loose cream-colored linen trousers, and soft leather slippers. He has a white linen head covering wrapped around his head. His posture is upright and determined, with a sincere and slightly desperate expression. Plain white background, full body visible head to toe, single figure, no watermark, no text, no signature.
The Old Man ◆ supporting
A tall man, pretty well in years, suggesting a dignified but aged appearance. His build would be sturdy, reflecting a life of experience.
Attire: Likely good, respectable clothing, indicating he is not impoverished, perhaps a well-maintained thobe of good quality fabric and a traditional head covering.
Wants: To save the young man from execution, believing it is his time to die and that he can take the young man's place.
Flaw: His willingness to falsely confess to a crime to protect another, potentially leading to his own unjust death.
Appears suddenly to falsely confess, attempting to save the young man, and then falls silent when the young man's oath is made.
Self-sacrificing, compassionate, resolute, wise, protective.
Image Prompt & Upload
An elderly Arabian man standing upright, facing forward, full body visible from head to toe. He is tall with an olive skin tone, a wise, aged face with kind, resolute eyes, and a full white beard and matching hair. He wears a clean, light brown linen thobe, a simple white head covering, and sturdy leather sandals. His posture is upright and determined, with a compassionate and resolute expression. Plain white background, full body visible head to toe, single figure, no watermark, no text, no signature.
The Murdered Lady ○ minor
A young lady, described as 'whiter than snow', indicating a fair complexion. Her body was found 'all cut in pieces', making a full description difficult, but implying a delicate build.
Attire: No clothing is mentioned as being found with her, implying she was either unclothed or her garments were removed/destroyed.
Wants: Unknown.
Flaw: Her vulnerability to violence.
Her death is the inciting incident of the story, driving the plot forward.
Unknown.
Image Prompt & Upload
A young adult Arabian woman, deceased, lying on her back, full body visible from head to toe. She has a very fair, almost pale, olive skin tone, with dark, closed eyes and long, dark wavy hair spread around her head. Her face is serene in death. She wears a simple, flowing white linen shift. Plain white background, full body visible head to toe, single figure, no watermark, no text, no signature.
Locations
Baghdad Street at Night
A small, dimly lit street in Baghdad, illuminated by the light of the moon. The air is cool and quiet, typical of a late-night stroll.
Mood: Mysterious, quiet, observant
Caliph Haroun Alraschid, disguised, encounters the poor fisherman and offers him a hundred sequins to cast his net one more time.
Image Prompt & Upload
A narrow, winding street in an Abbasid-era Baghdad, paved with uneven flagstones, bathed in cool, silvery moonlight. The mud-brick and plaster walls of the houses rise steeply, some with small, latticed windows. A single, gnarled date palm casts a long shadow across the path. The air is still and clear, with a faint haze near the ground. no border, no frame, no watermark, no text, no signature, edge-to-edge illustration.
Bank of the Tigris River
The muddy bank of the Tigris River in Baghdad, where the fisherman casts his nets. The river flows wide and dark under the night sky.
Mood: Anticipatory, fateful, somber
The fisherman, accompanied by the disguised Caliph and his retinue, casts his net and pulls out a heavy, locked trunk containing the dismembered body.
Image Prompt & Upload
The wide, dark expanse of the Tigris River at night, its surface reflecting the faint glow of the moon and distant city lights. The riverbank is composed of dark, wet earth and scattered reeds, with a few ancient, gnarled willow trees leaning over the water. A cool, damp breeze stirs the air. In the foreground, a heavy, waterlogged wooden trunk lies partially submerged at the edge of the bank. no border, no frame, no watermark, no text, no signature, edge-to-edge illustration.
Caliph's Palace Interior
The opulent interior of the Caliph's palace, likely a private chamber or audience hall, where the trunk is brought and opened. The space is grand but filled with a sudden, dreadful discovery.
Mood: Shocking, furious, urgent
The trunk is opened, revealing the gruesome discovery of a murdered young lady, shocking the Caliph and initiating the murder investigation.
Image Prompt & Upload
A richly appointed chamber within an Abbasid-era palace in Baghdad, featuring intricate geometric tile mosaics on the lower walls and muqarnas vaults overhead. Polished marble floors reflect the soft glow of oil lamps. Heavy, embroidered silk drapes hang from arched windows. In the center, a large, ornate wooden trunk lies open, revealing a palm-leaf basket and a bundle of cloth. no border, no frame, no watermark, no text, no signature, edge-to-edge illustration.
Palace Square (Public Execution Ground)
A vast public square in front of the Caliph's palace, bustling with a sorrowful multitude. Gibbets are erected, and the grand vizier and forty Bermecides await execution.
Mood: Tragic, tense, sorrowful, public spectacle
The public execution of Giafar and his kinsmen is about to commence when two men, an old man and a young man, separately confess to the murder.
Image Prompt & Upload
A sprawling public square in front of a magnificent Abbasid-era palace in Baghdad, its grand entrance flanked by towering, vermilion-lacquered columns and intricate stucco work. The square is paved with large, sun-baked flagstones and filled with a dense, somber crowd. Several tall, rough-hewn wooden gibbets stand starkly against the clear morning sky. The light is bright and unforgiving, casting sharp shadows. no border, no frame, no watermark, no text, no signature, edge-to-edge illustration.
