Some of the stories told on these occasions are adaptations [Pg vi]of those already known in Arabic and Persian literature, but the Turkish mind gives them a new setting and a peculiar philosophy. They are characteristic of the habits, customs, and methods of thought of the people, and for this reason seem worthy of preservation.
CONTENTS HOW THE HODJA SAVED ALLAH BETTER IS THE FOLLY OF WOMAN THAN THE WISDOM OF MAN THE HANOUM AND THE UNJUST CADI WHAT HAPPENED TO HADJI, A MERCHANT OF THE BEZESTAN HOW THE JUNKMAN TRAVELLED TO FIND TREASURE IN HIS OWN YARD HOW CHAPKIN HALID BECAME CHIEF DETECTIVE HOW COBBLER AHMET BECAME THE CHIEF ASTROLOGER THE WISE SON OF ALI PASHA THE MERCIFUL KHAN KING KARA-KUSH OF BITHYNIA THE PRAYER RUG AND THE DISHONEST STEWARD THE GOOSE, THE EYE, THE DAUGHTER, AND THE ARM THE FORTY WISE MEN HOW THE PRIEST KNEW THAT IT WOULD SNOW WHO WAS THE THIRTEENTH SON? PARADISE SOLD BY THE YARD JEW TURNED TURK THE METAMORPHOSIS THE CALIF OMAR KALAIDJI AVRAM OF BALATA HOW MEHMET ALI PASHA OF EGYPT ADMINISTERED JUSTICE HOW THE FARMER LEARNED TO CURE HIS WIFE: A TURKISH ÆSOP THE LANGUAGE OF BIRDS THE SWALLOW'S ADVICE WE KNOW NOT WHAT THE DAWN MAY BRING FORTH OLD MEN MADE YOUNG THE BRIBE HOW THE DEVIL LOST HIS WAGER THE EFFECTS OF RAKI