THE THIRTEENTH OFFICER'S STORY
by Unknown · from Tales from the Arabic — Volume 02
Adapted Version
One night, I walked home from a friend's house. It was very dark outside. I walked on the road alone. The night was quiet. I heard my own footsteps. Then I saw some people. They were sneaky people. They saw me too. I felt worried. My heart beat fast. I had an idea. I acted silly. I walked wobbly. I shouted, "I am so tired!" I leaned on the walls. I did not look at them. They followed me. I walked faster. I got to my house. I knocked on the door. My friend opened it. I went inside. The sneaky people went away. I was safe.
Some days later, I stood at my door. The sun was bright. A young man came to me. He looked sad. He said, "Please help me." I said, "No." He looked at me. He said, "I know a secret." I said, "How?" He said, "One night, you walked home. It was very dark. Some sneaky people were there. I was with them. I told them, 'He is my friend.' So they left you alone." I heard this. I remembered that night. I said, "Wait." I went into my house. I got a gift for him. It was a nice gift. I gave it to him. I said, "Thank you." He took the gift. He smiled. He went away.
I thought about it. Being clever can keep you safe. And being kind is always good. I felt happy.
Original Story
THE THIRTEENTH OFFICER'S STORY.
I went out one night to the house of one of my friends and when it was the middle of the night, I sallied forth alone [to go home]. When I came into the road, I espied a sort of thieves and they saw me, whereupon my spittle dried up; but I feigned myself drunken and staggered from side to side, crying out and saying, "I am drunken." And I went up to the walls right and left and made as if I saw not the thieves, who followed me till I reached my house and knocked at the door, when they went away.
Some days after this, as I stood at the door of my house, there came up to me a young man, with a chain about his neck and with him a trooper, and he said to me, "O my lord, charity for the love of God!" Quoth I, "God open!"[FN#147] and he looked at me a long while and said, "That which thou shouldst give me would not come to the value of thy turban or thy waistcloth or what not else of thy raiment, to say nothing of the gold and the silver that was about thee." "How so?" asked I, and he said, "On such a night, when thou fellest into peril and the thieves would have stripped thee, I was with them and said to them, 'Yonder man is my lord and my master who reared me.' So was I the cause of thy deliverance and thus I saved thee from them." When I heard this, I said to him, "Stop;" and entering my house, brought him that which God the Most High made easy [to me].[FN#148] So he went his way. And this is my story.'
Then came forward the fourteenth officer and said, 'Know that the story I have to tell is pleasanter and more extraordinary than this; and it is as follows.
Story DNA
Moral
A clever act can save you from danger, and kindness, even from an unexpected source, should be recognized and rewarded.
Plot Summary
The Thirteenth Officer recounts how he cleverly escaped a band of thieves one night by feigning drunkenness. Days later, a young man approaches him for charity, revealing he was one of the thieves and had saved the officer by claiming him as his master. Recognizing the young man's past kindness, the officer rewards him generously.
Themes
Emotional Arc
fear to relief to gratitude
Writing Style
Narrative Elements
Cultural Context
This story is part of 'The Arabian Nights' (One Thousand and One Nights), a collection of Middle Eastern folk tales compiled during the Islamic Golden Age. The mention of officers suggests a structured society, and the interaction with a beggar highlights social strata.
Plot Beats (9)
- The Thirteenth Officer leaves a friend's house late at night to go home.
- He encounters a group of thieves in the road, causing him fear.
- He pretends to be drunk, staggering and shouting, to avoid being targeted.
- The thieves follow him to his house, but he manages to get inside safely.
- Some days later, a young man with a chain around his neck approaches the officer for charity.
- The officer initially dismisses him, but the young man implies he knows something about the officer's wealth.
- The young man reveals he was among the thieves that night and prevented them from robbing the officer by claiming the officer as his lord and master.
- The officer, upon hearing this, goes into his house and brings out a reward for the young man.
- The young man takes the reward and leaves.
Characters
The Thirteenth Officer
A man of average height and build, likely in his prime, with a composed demeanor that allows him to think quickly under pressure. His appearance would be consistent with a military officer of the Arabian Nights era, suggesting a well-maintained but not overly ostentatious physique.
Attire: Typical attire for an officer in the Arabian Nights setting: a flowing, long-sleeved tunic (qamis) made of fine linen or cotton, possibly in a muted color like cream or light blue. Over this, he would wear a more formal outer garment (jubbah or caftan) of wool or silk, perhaps in a darker color like deep blue or maroon. A wide sash (hizam) would be wrapped around his waist, and a turban (imamah) of fine cloth, possibly white or a patterned fabric, would be wrapped around his head, indicating his status. Leather sandals or soft boots.
Wants: To survive dangerous encounters and maintain his safety and possessions. Later, to reward those who have helped him.
Flaw: Vulnerability to street dangers when alone at night.
He learns the value of unexpected allies and the importance of generosity, transforming from a potential victim into a benefactor.
Resourceful, quick-witted, cautious, generous, observant.
The Young Man (Thief)
A young man, likely lean and agile from a life on the streets. His appearance suggests a hard life, but with an underlying sharpness. He is accompanied by a trooper, suggesting he might be under some form of custody or escort when he approaches the officer.
Attire: Simple, worn clothing, indicative of poverty but not necessarily rags. A plain, possibly patched tunic (qamis) of coarse cotton, perhaps in a faded brown or grey. A simple cloth wrapped around his head or a small, worn cap. He wears a chain about his neck, which could be a mark of his status as a thief or a prisoner, or simply a personal adornment. He would not have the fine garments of the officer.
Wants: To gain charity and improve his circumstances, leveraging his past good deed.
Flaw: His life of crime and poverty, which forces him into desperate measures.
He demonstrates a capacity for loyalty and a desire for a better life, moving from a potential threat to a recipient of charity.
Observant, cunning, opportunistic, grateful (for past kindness), bold (in approaching the officer).
The Trooper
A robust man, likely in uniform, accompanying the young man. His presence suggests authority and enforcement.
Attire: Standard uniform for a trooper in the Arabian Nights setting: a practical, sturdy tunic and trousers, possibly made of wool or thick cotton, in a dark color like olive green or dark blue. He would wear a leather belt with a scabbard for a weapon, and possibly a simple helmet or cap. Sturdy leather boots.
Wants: To perform his duty, escorting the young man.
Flaw: Not applicable; he is a background character.
No arc; he serves as a static background element.
Disciplined, observant, silent (in this story).
Locations
Friend's House
An unspecified house belonging to a friend, likely a private residence in an Arabian city, where the officer spent the evening.
Mood: Social, then transitioning to a sense of departure and the unknown
The officer departs from this house to go home, initiating the perilous journey.
City Road at Night
A public thoroughfare in an Arabian city, dark and potentially narrow, flanked by walls of buildings.
Mood: Eerie, tense, dangerous, with a feeling of being exposed and vulnerable.
The officer encounters thieves and feigns drunkenness to escape them.
Officer's House Doorstep
The entrance to the officer's private residence, a place of safety and later, a point of interaction with the young man.
Mood: Relief and safety (first instance), then curiosity and revelation (second instance).
The officer reaches safety here, and later, the young man reveals his role in saving the officer.