There lived a young man named Omer in Sarajevo. He was the most famous slacker in the whole city. During the day he sat in taverns, and at night he wandered from house to house and played on the vestibule under the girls' windows. And I must admit, he played and sang brilliantly, and he looked stately and handsome.
A father often advised his unlucky son:
- Stop hanging around the pubs, son! Stop hanging around girls! It's time for you to come to your senses. We are already old and cannot feed ourselves.
However, Omer did not listen to his father. He stole everything he could get his hands on from the house and sold it, continuing to lead his wild life. His parents could not bear such shame and disgrace and went to an early grave.
Omer was left alone in an empty house, naked as a falcon, and for the first time in his life he seriously thought about his life:
Who will now spin and weave, clean the house, cook dinner? Apparently, it's time for me to come to my senses. I have no choice but to get married.
Omer took the vestibule, hid it under his vest and went to the house where the beautiful Meira lived. It was already late evening. Long ago, the muezzin chanted his last prayer. A candle was burning in Meira’s room, and muffled voices could be heard from there. Omer knocked on the window - the conversation died down; He struck the strings, sang, and the candle went out. This means that the beauty doesn’t want to hear about Omer!
For three nights in a row he walked and played under her window, and then returned home with his head down: Meira never responded to his song. On the fourth night, the young rake again went to sing under her window.
“I’ll sing for the last time, but if she doesn’t respond now, then I won’t be there again!” – he decided.
Omer played on the vestibule and sang in a sad voice:
My sorceress, play quietly!
Slide along the strings, merry bow.
More than once, exhausted from thirst and hunger,
You fed me and gave me water
And the song of your slender girls
You called to me.
My sorceress, play quietly!
Slide along the strings, merry bow.
Here under Meira's window in vain
Day and night I sigh with sadness,
Beautiful eyes don't look at me...
The candle in the room went out again, but suddenly the window opened. Omer felt dizzy with joy.
“Finally, I touched her heart,” thought the unfortunate singer.
- Are you crazy or going crazy, Omer? – Meira asked sternly. - Why do you hang out under my window all night and disgrace me? Get it in your head: nothing will come of what you've started?
All of Omer's hopes instantly vanished.
The girl saw how the poor fellow wilted, softened and added:
- Oh, you foolish one! Are you thinking about marrying me?
- Yes! – Omer whispered barely audibly.
“Get this nonsense out of your head,” the girl told him. “There isn’t even a crust of bread in your house, and you want to get married.” I know you will say that we are from the same field! That's right, I'm poor too. But you know that in all of Sarajevo there is no girl more beautiful than me - everyone talks about it. So Allah - glory to him eternal! - prepared for me a different, better fate. Some rich man will marry me. Just know, Omer, that what is dear is not gold and silver, but what is dear to the heart. I wouldn’t exchange you for the most enviable city groom, but I cannot violate the sacred will of my parents: I must marry someone who will not only feed me, but also provide a peaceful old age for my parents, because all their hope is in me. These words made the guy’s soul feel better.
“Well, if that’s what it’s all about,” he said, “tell me, what kind of ransom does your father want?”
- Not very big! Become a merchant, open a shop so that you can feed and clothe us all.
- OK then! Tomorrow I will come to you and tell you what I did. Goodbye Meira, good night! - Omer said goodbye.
In the morning, Omer went to the moneylender Iskar, a friend of his late father. He told him about his misfortune and asked to borrow thirty wallets of money.
“I will be very glad if the beautiful Meira becomes your wife,” said Iskar. - Just when do you think about returning my money?
“In seven years,” Omer answered without hesitation.
- So! What will happen if after seven years you don’t repay me? Friendship is friendship, but money is separate!
“If I deceive you, you will cut off one dram from my tongue!” – Omer got excited.
- So be it! – Iskar agreed. - Let's go to the judge and conclude our agreement: if in seven years you do not return me sixty wallets of money - that’s my percentage - I will cut off one dram of your tongue.
They went to the judge and concluded an agreement honorably. The moneylender counted out thirty wallets of money to Omer and wished him a happy life.
The guy began to prepare for the wedding: he bought expensive things, fluffy carpets, silverware, and furnished his house with unprecedented luxury.
A month later they got married. Omer invited musicians and dancers, the tables were laden with all kinds of dishes. The wedding feast continued for a whole week. Everyone marveled at the beautiful decoration of the rooms and the rich food.
Omer began to live with his young wife as if he were bey, and he completely stopped thinking about how he would repay such a large debt. Having spent half the money, he finally started trading, as he promised Meira. However, it is not in vain that old people say: Don’t pick up the tug unless it’s strong. Omer had no heart for trading.
Six years flew by quickly. Omer saw that his money was running out and became depressed. He doesn’t sleep at night – he turns around and sighs. Because of gloomy thoughts, Omer lost weight and doubled over.
Meira asks him what’s wrong with him, but he only repeats one thing:
– Leave me alone! My little head is gone. . .
And Meira knew about the agreement from the first day, but remained silent - she kept hoping that her husband would somehow cope.
When there was one week left before the appointed date, Meira decided to go to the judge.
“Apparently, my husband won’t come up with anything. I'll go to the judge and try to appease him. What do I need a husband without a tongue!”
She came to the judge, gave him three deep bows, left an expensive gift and left without saying a word. She did the same thing the next day.
“It’s not for nothing that this woman is courting me like that,” the judge thought. “Apparently he wants to ask for something, but he doesn’t dare, poor thing.”
On the third day, Meira again came to the judge, bowed at his feet, left the gift and went back. And the judge ordered the servant to return it.
- Woman! For the third day now you have been coming to me, but you still cannot make up your mind to say your request. Tell me what do you need from me? Speak! - the judge told her.
And Meira was just waiting for this. She bowed low, kissed the hem of the judge’s robe and said:
- Oh, dear judge! Your kindness has loosened my tongue. I really have a request for you: let me sit in your place in court for just an hour next Friday.
- Oh, woman! I swear by Allah that I will fulfill your request. If you want, you can stay in my place all day!
Meira kissed the judge's shoe, thanked him and left satisfied.
The appointed day has arrived. Before dawn Iskar sent his man to Omer for money. Where did Omer get the money? He showed the tip of his tongue to the servant and said:
- This is how I will settle accounts with your master! – and immediately began to cry.
The servant returned and conveyed Omer's answer to the moneylender.
- Oh, yes! – Iskar cried. - Let's go to the judge quickly!
At this time, Meira came to court. The judge gave her his robe, put a white judicial turban on her head, and he hid in the next room and began to look through the keyhole to see what would happen next.
And then the moneylender comes, dragging the tear-stained Omer by the collar. Both of them bowed to the beardless judge, and he was silent for a while, sucking on his hookah, and then asked:
- Honorable merchants, what brought you to me?
“Judge us, fair judge,” answered the moneylender and began to talk about the loan and the agreement.
The imaginary judge Iskar listened and turned to Omer.
– Is this so, Omer, as the venerable Iskar says?
Omer cried even harder and confirmed that the moneylender had told the real truth. Then the young judge opened the book of laws, leafed through it, stopped on some page and moved his lips, pretending to read. Finally he closed the book and turned to Iskar:
- Yes, yes, you have every right! This is what is written in this holy book. Did you bring a razor?
- But of course! - exclaimed the moneylender. He pulled out a sharp razor and began waving it under the nose of the unfortunate Omer.
- Hey, venerable one! – the judge shouted at him. - Make sure you don't make a mistake! You must cut exactly one dram from your debtor's tongue. Otherwise things will go wrong for you!
The moneylender was scared.
- Righteous judge! - he said. - Why do you say that? If I accidentally cut a little more, I'll pay Omer extra for the loss. And if I cut less, we’ll consider that I gave him a gift.
- Shut up, fool! – the judge shouted loudly. – How dare you invent your own laws! Decide immediately! And remember, if you cut off a little more or a little less than one dram, I will order the executioner to cut off your head. This is what is written in the holy book.
Iskar was seriously frightened and began to beg:
- Forgive me, righteous judge! It never occurred to me to interfere in your judicial affairs. I don't need the language of my debtor. I also give him thirty wallets of money, because we were with his father - and Allah will send him. . to heaven! - best friends.
Hearing these words, the judge became even more angry and shouted:
- Call the executioner immediately! I will teach this moneylender how to respect an agreement sealed by a judge!
The executioner came running and began waving a scimitar. Iskar fell to his knees, kissed the hem of the judge’s robe, and began to beg for mercy on him, but the judge does not agree and, you know, repeats his opinion:
– Either cut off exactly one dram, or say goodbye to your head!
The moneylender realized that he couldn’t get out without bribery and said:
- Righteous judge! For your justice, take thirty wallets of money from me. And I forgive my debtor both the debt and the interest. I don't want to hurt him. Help me clear up the mess I made myself. The devil misled me, so I signed such an agreement.
- Cut off this dog's head! – the judge shouted loudly.
The executioner dragged Iskar, who was shaking with fear, and he tightly grabbed the judge’s robe and screamed:
- Have mercy, sir! After all, you are as true a believer as I am...
Then Omer fell at the judge’s feet, kissed his shoe and asked to have mercy on the moneylender.
- Okay, let it be your way! – the beardless judge said importantly. “I forgive you, Iskar, because your debtor asks me to do so.” But remember well that Muslim law is harder than stone!
The moneylender gave the judge thirty wallets full of money, and the judge forced him to kiss Omer.
“Now I will write in the court book that the case is settled by mutual agreement and no one owes anyone anything,” said the judge.
Omer and the moneylender were delighted, thanked the young judge for his generosity and justice and hurried to leave. No sooner had the door closed behind them than another opened and a real judge entered the room. Having laughed a lot, he said to Meira:
- Woman! Your head is wiser than the Koran, may Allah forgive me! If you were a man, then a better judge could not be found in all the land of the padishah!
Meira thanked the judge for the great service rendered to her and offered him fifteen wallets with money that she had received from the moneylender. But the judge not only did not take them, but gave her another one as a reward for her intelligence and resourcefulness. Meira, as befits, kissed the hem of the judge's robe, covered her face with a white burqa and returned home before her husband, who went with Iskar to a coffee shop to treat himself to a happy deliverance.
A joyful Omer returned to dinner. He opened the gate, and his wife saw him through the window and began to tease him:
- Here comes Omer with his tongue cut out!
- I didn’t guess! - her husband answered. Meira pretended to be surprised - just think, her husband was talking to her as if nothing had happened! And Omer began to tell her:
- Allah - may his name live in milestones! - and a smart judge - may he be alive and well! – saved me from trouble. The greedy Iskar is punished in full, and how handsome the young judge is, rosy as an apple. . .
- Is he really more beautiful than me? – asked the cunning Meira and showed the money that she brought home.
Omer cried with joy, knelt down in front of his sensible wife and kissed her forehead three times. And when Meira told him everything as it happened, she became even dearer to him.
Since then, Omer has always listened to his wife's wise advice. He began to work diligently and after a few years they became so rich that they were able to more than repay their debt.
Translated from Russian · original on wisdomlib.ru