A Turkish Judge
A Folktale from Turkey
Making Connections
Quick answers
1. Choose the correct answer.
a. The Caliph travelled in disguise because
i) he did not like being the Caliph [ ]
ii) he wanted to know first-hand about the welfare of his people. [✓]
iii) he wanted to fool his courtiers. [ ]
b. The Caliph went to the Cadi because
i) he was afraid that he would lose his horse. [ ]
ii) he wanted justice and he would get to know whether the Cadi was good at his work. [✓]
iii) he did not have enough money to the old man. [ ]
c. The Cadi concluded that the gold coin belonged to the merchant as
i) the porter was too poor to own a gold coin. [ ]
ii) the porter accepted that he had stolen it. [ ]
iii) the coin had oil on it. [✓]
Reference to context
2. "The Caliph was puzzled and he wondered how the Cadi would pronounce a just decision."
a. Where was the Caliph?
= The Caliph was at the place where the Cadi was holding his court.
b. Why was the Caliph puzzled?
= The Cadi was holding trial to settle the dispute between the oil merchant and a porter. The oil merchant accused the porter of stealing his many years old gold coin. There were no witness. Then the Cadi asked the man to leave the coin with him and to return to the court the following day. This made the Caliph puzzled.
c. What does the word 'pronounce' mean in this context?
= i) punish [ ]; ii) force [ ]; iii) deliver [✓];
3. "I have cared for him since he was a colt. If that horse is taken from me, how will I live?"
a. Who said this and to whom?
= The old man said this to the Cadi.
b. Was the speaker telling the truth?
= The speaker was not telling the truth. He was only wailing and forced false tears to gain the sympathy of the Cadi.
c. How did the Cadi decide if the speaker was telling the truth?
= The Cadi had put the horse in his stable. Both the Caliph and the old man would have to pass the stable on their way to court. That morning, he opened the stable door and stood behind a bale of hay.
When the old man passed, the horse never look up. But when the Caliph passed the open door, the horse stretched out its head and neighed as horses do only when a loved master approaches. this made the Cadi decide that the Caliph was the real owner of the horse.
Read, reflect and write
4. Do you think the Caliph did the right thing by taking the old man to the Cadi?
What would you have done if had you been in the Caliph's place?
= The Caliph undoubtedly did the right thing by taking the old man to the cadi. if he had forced the man off the horse, the old man would cry out, a mob would gather and turn against him.
On the other hand, if he had given him ten gold coins, the old man would let him ride away but then he would be encouraged to cheat other people on the same way. Finally there was a chance of losing his horse in doing so, but at least the Caliph would get to know how wisely the Cadi of Basra delivered justice for all.
If I had been in the Caliph's place, I perhaps would have not hold as much patience like the Caliph. I would have lost my patience and got out of my disguise and punished the old man for his treachery to the king in his own kingdom.
5. How did the Cadi solve the case of the writer and the tailor?
= The Cadi had looked closely at the book, he had found that the pages most used were those on which the duties of writers and scholars were written. That could only be done by the writer. the Cadi understood that the Book of Learning belonged to the writer.
6. In your opinion, what what are the qualities that a judge should have? Did the Cadi possess these qualities?
= A judge must be a patient person. He should have calmness and compassion in him. Unless he can not understand the actual dispute. he must be a good listener to listen to the accusation and the accused. He should have intelligence and presence of mind. He should be impartial to all.
Here in the story, the Cadi possesses all these qualities. He listened to all the disputes and took time to come to a decision. He was very intelligent. He pronounced a just decision in each case though he had no witness.
7. What, according to you, is a theme that this story reflects or a lesson that it teaches? Explain your answer with reference to the story.
= According to me, impartiality and justice are the themes that this story reflects in it. There is also a reference of gratefulness to people who does good to us.
At the very beginning of the story, we see that the Turkish Caliph, Haroun al-Rashid was already a successful ruler of Baghdad. Yet he sets out in disguise of a common stranger to his own land to see for himself how his people fared. he is very caring about his subjects.
Then the old man showed the theme of treachery to the Caliph. The Caliph went to the Cadi for justice. the Cadi was really as impartial judge and did proper justice to each of the three disputes.
The Caliph became impressed by the Cadi and he was grateful to the Cadi for delivering such authentic service to this people. The Caliph made the Cadi the Grand Cadi of all Baghdad as the prize of his honesty.