THE SEVENTH OFFICER'S STORY
by Unknown · from Tales from the Arabic — Volume 02
Adapted Version
Once, a clever old lady lived. She loved to play tricks.
One day, she went to a shop. She had a pretty box. She told the Shopkeeper, "Give me cloth. I will pay later. You can keep my box." He looked inside. It had shiny things inside. He gave her the cloth. The Old Lady took the cloth and left.
Many days passed. The Old Lady did not come back. The Shopkeeper looked at the box again. He showed it to a friend. His friend said, "They are fake!" The Shopkeeper was sad.
He went to the Wise Judge. He told the judge, "She tricked me!" The judge had a plan. He said, "Pretend your shop was robbed. Cry very loud. Say your special box is gone."
The next day, the Shopkeeper did this. He broke his shop lock. He shouted, "Oh no! My casket is stolen!" Many people came to look. Everyone heard the news.
After some days, the Old Lady came back. She had money. She said, "Give me my box!" The Shopkeeper caught her arm. He took her to the Wise Judge.
The judge asked, "Why did you trick him?" The Old Lady smiled. She said, "I can show you where my friends are. We meet every month."
"Show us now," said the judge. The Old Lady said, "Send guards with me. Tell them to wait by a door. They must catch anyone who comes out. I will come out last."
The judge sent guards. They waited by the door. They waited and waited. No one came out.
One guard went inside. He found a secret way. It went to another street! The Old Lady had tricked them. She ran away.
The guards told the King. The King laughed. He said, "That Old Lady is very clever!"
Being tricky can be fun, but it might get you caught. And even clever people can be outsmarted.
Original Story
THE SEVENTH OFFICER'S STORY.
There came one day an old woman [to the stuff-market], with a casket of precious workmanship, containing trinkets, and she was accompanied by a damsel great with child. The old woman sat down at the shop of a draper and giving him to know that the damsel was with child by the prefect of police of the city, took of him, on credit, stuffs to the value of a thousand dinars and deposited with him the casket as security. [She opened the casket and] showed him that which was therein; and he found it full of trinkets [apparently] of price; [so he trusted her with the goods] and she took leave of him and carrying the stuffs to the damsel, who was with her, [went her way]. Then the old woman was absent from him a great while, and when her absence was prolonged, the draper despaired of her; so he went up to the prefect's house and enquired of the woman of his household, [who had taken his stuffs on credit;] but could get no tidings of her nor lit on aught of her trace.
Then he brought out the casket of jewellery [and showed it to an expert,] who told him that the trinkets were gilt and that their worth was but an hundred dirhems. When he heard this, he was sore concerned thereat and presenting himself before the Sultan's deputy, made his complaint to him; whereupon the latter knew that a trick had been put off upon him and that the folk had cozened him and gotten the better of him and taken his stuffs. Now the magistrate in question was a man of good counsel and judgment, well versed in affairs; so he said to the draper, "Remove somewhat from thy shop, [and amongst the rest the casket,] and on the morrow break the lock and cry out and come to me and complain that they have plundered all thy shop. Moreover, do thou call [upon God for succour] and cry aloud and acquaint the folk, so that all the people may resort to thee and see the breach of the lock and that which is missing from thy shop; and do thou show it to every one who presenteth himself, so the news may be noised abroad, and tell them that thy chief concern is for a casket of great value, deposited with thee by a great man of the town and that thou standest in fear of him. But be thou not afraid and still say in thy converse, 'My casket belonged to such an one, and I fear him and dare not bespeak him; but you, O company and all ye who are present, I call you to witness of this for me.' And if there be with thee more than this talk, [say it;] and the old woman will come to thee."
The draper answered with "Hearkening and obedience" and going forth from the deputy's presence, betook himself to his shop and brought out thence [the casket and] somewhat considerable, which he removed to his house. At break of day he arose and going to his shop, broke the lock and cried out and shrieked and called [on God for help,] till the folk assembled about him and all who were in the city were present, whereupon he cried out to them, saying even as the prefect had bidden him; and this was bruited abroad. Then he made for the prefecture and presenting himself before the chief of the police, cried out and complained and made a show of distraction.
After three days, the old woman came to him and bringing him the [thousand dinars, the] price of the stuffs, demanded the casket.[FN#122] When he saw her, he laid hold of her and carried her to the prefect of the city; and when she came before the Cadi, he said to her, "O Sataness, did not thy first deed suffice thee, but thou must come a second time?" Quoth she, "I am of those who seek their salvation[FN#123] in the cities, and we foregather every month; and yesterday we foregathered." "Canst thou [bring me to] lay hold of them?" asked the prefect; and she answered, "Yes; but, if thou wait till to-morrow, they will have dispersed. So I will deliver them to thee to-night." Quoth he to her, "Go;" and she said, "Send with me one who shall go with me to them and obey me in that which I shall say to him, and all that I bid him he shall give ear unto and obey me therein." So he gave her a company of men and she took them and bringing them to a certain door, said to them, "Stand at this door, and whoso cometh out to you, lay hands on him; and I will come out to you last of all." "Hearkening and obedience," answered they and stood at the door, whilst the old woman went in. They waited a long while, even as the Sultan's deputy had bidden them, but none came out to them and their standing was prolonged. When they were weary of waiting, they went up to the door and smote upon it heavily and violently, so that they came nigh to break the lock. Then one of them entered and was absent a long while, but found nought; so he returned to his comrades and said to them,"This is the door of a passage, leading to such a street; and indeed she laughed at you and left you and went away."When they heard his words, they returned to the Amir and acquainted him with the case, whereby he knew that the old woman was a crafty trickstress and that she had laughed at them and cozened them and put a cheat on them, to save herself. Consider, then, the cunning of this woman and that which she contrived of wiles, for all her lack of foresight in presenting herself [a second time] to the draper and not apprehending that his conduct was but a trick; yet, when she found herself in danger, she straightway devised a shift for her deliverance.'
When the company heard the seventh officer's story, they were moved to exceeding mirth, and El Melik ez Zahir Bibers rejoiced in that which he heard and said, 'By Allah, there betide things in this world, from which kings are shut out, by reason of their exalted station!" Then came forward another man from amongst the company and said, 'There hath reached me from one of my friends another story bearing on the malice of women and their craft, and it is rarer and more extraordinary and more diverting than all that hath been told to you."
Quoth the company, 'Tell us thy story and expound it unto us, so we may see that which it hath of extraordinary.' And he said 'Know, then, that
Story DNA
Moral
Even the cleverest tricksters can be outsmarted, and those who seek to deceive may fall victim to their own greed.
Plot Summary
An old woman defrauds a draper by using a casket of worthless gilt trinkets as security for expensive goods. When the draper discovers the deception, he seeks help from the Sultan's deputy, who devises a plan for the draper to stage a fake robbery, specifically lamenting the loss of a valuable casket. The old woman, hearing the news, returns to retrieve her 'valuable' casket and is apprehended. However, she then tricks the authorities by promising to lead them to her accomplices, instead using a hidden passage to make a daring escape, leaving everyone amused by her cunning.
Themes
Emotional Arc
frustration to triumph to renewed frustration
Writing Style
Narrative Elements
Cultural Context
This story is part of 'The Book of the Thousand Nights and a Night' (Arabian Nights), a collection of Middle Eastern folk tales compiled during the Islamic Golden Age. The social structures and legal systems reflect that period.
Plot Beats (14)
- An old woman and a pregnant damsel defraud a draper, leaving a casket of seemingly valuable trinkets as security for expensive stuffs.
- The old woman disappears for a long time, and the draper discovers the trinkets are worthless.
- The draper complains to the Sultan's deputy, who devises a plan to lure the old woman back.
- The deputy instructs the draper to stage a fake robbery, specifically lamenting the loss of a valuable casket deposited by a 'great man'.
- The draper follows the instructions, breaking his shop's lock and loudly complaining about the 'robbery' and the lost casket, making the news widely known.
- Three days later, the old woman returns with the money for the stuffs, demanding her casket.
- The draper seizes the old woman and takes her to the prefect (Cadi).
- The old woman, questioned by the Cadi, claims she can lead them to her accomplices, who gather monthly.
- The old woman requests a company of men to accompany her and instructs them to wait at a specific door and apprehend anyone who comes out, promising to be the last.
- The men wait for a long time, but no one emerges.
- One man investigates and discovers the door leads to a passage to another street, realizing the old woman tricked them and escaped.
- The officers report back to the Amir, who acknowledges the old woman's extreme cunning.
- The company listening to the story finds it highly amusing, and the Sultan expresses his enjoyment.
- Another man steps forward to tell a new story about the 'malice of women and their craft'.
Characters
The Old Woman
A woman of advanced years, likely with the stooped posture often associated with age, but possessing a surprising agility and quickness of thought. Her movements are probably deliberate when she wants to appear harmless, but swift and decisive when making her escape.
Attire: Simple, unassuming garments typical of an elderly woman in a medieval Middle Eastern city, likely a dark, modest abaya or a loose-fitting thobe, possibly with a head covering like a shayla or khimar to blend in and appear respectable. The fabric would be plain, such as cotton or coarse linen, to avoid drawing attention.
Wants: To acquire goods through trickery and maintain her freedom, likely for survival or profit.
Flaw: Overconfidence and underestimating the intelligence of others, leading her to return to the draper a second time.
She begins as a successful trickster, is briefly caught, but then uses her cunning to escape, demonstrating her unyielding nature and skill.
Cunning, deceptive, resourceful, bold, quick-witted.
The Damsel
A young woman, visibly pregnant, suggesting a rounded belly beneath her clothes. Her overall appearance would be designed to evoke sympathy and credibility for the old woman's story.
Attire: Modest, loose-fitting garments appropriate for a young woman in a medieval Middle Eastern city, likely a simple, light-colored thobe or dress made of cotton or linen, designed to accommodate her pregnancy. Her clothing would be clean but not luxurious, to support the story of her being 'with child by the prefect'.
Wants: To assist the Old Woman in her scheme, likely out of loyalty, coercion, or shared profit.
Flaw: Her vulnerability due to pregnancy is exploited as part of the deception.
Remains static, serving as a prop in the Old Woman's initial deception.
Passive, complicit, quiet.
The Draper
A man of average build, likely appearing somewhat prosperous due to his trade. His hands might show signs of handling fabrics.
Attire: Practical but respectable clothing for a merchant in a medieval Middle Eastern market, such as a simple, well-maintained tunic (qamis) over loose trousers (sirwal), possibly with a vest or a light outer robe (jubbah) made of cotton or linen. Colors would be muted but clean, perhaps earth tones or light blues.
Wants: To conduct his business honestly and recover his losses after being tricked.
Flaw: His initial gullibility and trust in appearances.
He transforms from a naive victim to a clever participant in a counter-scheme, learning to be more cautious and strategic.
Trusting (initially), distressed, obedient, resourceful (when guided).
The Sultan's Deputy / Magistrate
A man of authority, likely well-groomed and possessing a dignified bearing. His appearance would command respect.
Attire: Formal and dignified attire appropriate for a high-ranking official in a medieval Middle Eastern court. This would include a flowing, richly colored jubbah or caftan made of fine wool or silk, perhaps in deep blues or greens, possibly with subtle embroidery. He might wear a turban (imamah) as a symbol of his office.
Wants: To uphold justice and outwit criminals, demonstrating his skill and maintaining order.
Flaw: None apparent in the story; he is presented as highly competent.
Remains static, serving as the wise problem-solver.
Wise, judicious, insightful, strategic, calm.
El Melik ez Zahir Bibers
A king, likely presented with a regal and imposing presence, reflecting his power and status.
Attire: Royal attire befitting a Sultan of the Mamluk Sultanate (13th-16th century Egypt/Syria). This would include a luxurious caftan or jubbah made of rich silk or brocade, possibly in royal colors like crimson or gold, adorned with intricate embroidery and perhaps jewels. He would wear a jeweled turban or a crown.
Wants: To be entertained and to reflect on the nature of the world from his unique perspective.
Flaw: None shown in the story.
Remains static, serving as an audience for the story.
Amused, appreciative of cleverness, reflective.
Locations
The Stuff-Market
A bustling marketplace where various goods, particularly fabrics and textiles, are sold. It is a public, open-air area with many shops.
Mood: Busy, commercial, initially unsuspecting, later a place of public outcry
The old woman first defrauds the draper here, and later the draper stages a public outcry about his 'stolen' casket.
The Prefect's House
The residence of the city's prefect of police, likely a substantial dwelling befitting his status.
Mood: Official, private, initially a place of inquiry, later a place of complaint
The draper first goes here to inquire about the old woman, and later returns to make a formal complaint about his 'plundered' shop.
The Sultan's Deputy's Chambers
The office or audience chamber of the Sultan's deputy, a place of authority and judgment.
Mood: Formal, authoritative, strategic
The draper presents his complaint here, and the deputy devises the clever plan to catch the old woman.
The Cadi's Court / Prefecture
The official court or office where the Cadi (judge) or chief of police presides, a place of legal proceedings and interrogation.
Mood: Formal, judicial, tense
The old woman is brought before the Cadi/prefect for interrogation after being caught.
The Passage Door
A nondescript door leading into a hidden passage, likely in a less frequented part of the city or a residential area.
Mood: Mysterious, deceptive, ultimately abandoned
The old woman leads the company of men to this door, instructing them to wait, but it turns out to be a ruse for her escape.