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FOLK-LORE OF THE HOLY LAND

a share equal to his from the produce of our toil.” Thereupon he crept to his heap and transferred seven measures thence to his brother’s portion; then went back to sleep. In the morning each was amazed to find the heaps still equal; till Allah sent a prophet who informed them that their unselfish love was pleasing to the Almighty; and that threshing-floor^[1] was blessed for evermore.

The Kâdi “Abdallah el Mustakìm,” some of whose descendants are said to reside at Jaffa at the present day, lived at Baghdad, during the reign of El Mansûr, one of the Caliphs of the dynasty of “Abbâs”; and is alleged to have obtained his honourable surname, which means “the honest or upright One” from the strict impartiality with which he administered justice. The following story is told of him:—

As the upright Judge was leaving his house one morning he was met by a woman of the lower classes, who, accompanied by a boy, her son, was driving a donkey and weeping bitterly. On beholding her distress the Kâdi, who was as kind-hearted to the poor and afflicted as he was stern to wrongdoers, stopped her and asked the reason of her sorrow. “Alas! my lord,” said the woman,

↑ It was on the hill traditionally known in Zion—the rock-hewn base of a tower which once formed the south-west corner of the city wall. It is now part of the foundation of Bishop Gobal’s school. My authority for alleging it to be the scene of the above incident is the sheykh Mahmûd of Debi Daûd, who used to tell this story of the twins in connection with it.

[1] It was on the hill traditionally known in Zion—the rock-hewn base of a tower which once formed the south-west corner of the city wall. It is now part of the foundation of Bishop Gobal’s school. My authority for alleging it to be the scene of the above incident is the sheykh Mahmûd of Debi Daûd, who used to tell this story of the twins in connection with it.

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