Ahjkh

GOHA BUYS A DONKEY

1
The Greedy Doorkeeper

One day, Goha wanted to buy a donkey. But he had no money to buy it. So he decided to go and ask the Caliph to help him.
When he arrived at the palace, Goha went to see the Caliph. At the Caliph’s door stood the Doorkeeper.
Usally, the Doorkeeper let the members of the court enter without difficulty. But for along time, the Doorkeeper had beenjealous of Goha. He was jealous, because Goha had received so many favours from the Caliph. And each favor the Caliph gave to Goha, increased the jealousy of the doorkeeper.
So when Goha came to the Caliph’s door, the doorkeeper did not let him enter.
The doorkeeper did not know that Goha wanted donkey. But the doorkeeper knew that Goha had come to ask the Caliph for a favour.
‘You are theCaliph’s favourite’, said the doorkeeper, ‘and I am only his doorkeeper’.
‘You are not only his doorkeeper’, Goha told him, ‘you are his favourite doorkeeper.’
But the doorkeeper was not satisfied.
‘You have all his favours’, he said, ‘and I have none’.
‘Do not envy me’, said Goha. ‘Envy is bad for you. And envy will not make you favourite poet’.
‘I don’t want to be a poet’, said the doorkeeper.He was a tall man. He stood up up very straight and looked down at Goha.
‘I am happy and proud to be a doorkeeper’, he said. ‘But I want a share of your good fortune’.
‘A share of my good fortune? What do you mean?’ asked Goha.
‘Whatever favor you get from the Caliph’, the doorkeeper explained, ‘you will share with me. You must promise me half of what the Caliph gives you’.
‘Whatever I get…’repeated Goha thoughtfully,
‘And I want you to write down your promise’, said the doorkeeper.
‘Yes’, agreed Goha. He was smiling, with a secret smile. But the Doorkeeper did not notice. He was in a hurry.
Goha began to write down his promise. ‘Whatever I get from the Caliph I will share with you’, he wrote. Then he signed his name undreneath.
‘Is that what you want?’ asked Goha, showing hispromise to the doorkeeper.
‘Certainly’, said the doorkeeper, ‘that is just what I want’.
‘You are quite sure?’ asked Goha.
‘Quite sure’, said the Doorkeeper. And he signed the paper also.
Then Goha entered the Caliph’s rooms.
Usually, when Goha went entered, he bowed to the Caliph with respect. After all, the Caliph had great power.
But this time, when Goha went in, he did not bow to theCaliph, He showed no respect to his ruler. The Caliph was surprised and he spoke to Goha angrily.
‘What do you want?’ he asked, ‘I am busy. Why do you disturb me?’
Goha did not look at the Caliph. Instead, he stared at the wall.
‘What do you want?’ repeated the Caliph.
‘I want you to beat me with a stick’, Goha answered.
‘What?’ demanded the Caliph. He was so surprised that he could not believewhat he heard. ‘What did you say?’
‘I want you to beat me with a stick’, said Goha. ‘I want you to beat me one hundred times’.
The Caliph was very surprised. Although he was angry he still liked Goha and he did not want to beat him.
But since Goha insisted, the Caliph did beat him. But he beat him so gently that Goha could hardly feel any pain.
After Goha had been beaten fifty times, he askedthe Caliph to stop.
‘Excuse me, I need a rest’, Goha explained.
So the Caliph stopped beating Goha.
Then Goha showed the Caliph the promise that he had signed with the doorkeeper.
The Caliph read the promise. He looked at Goha.He read it again. Now the Caliph was really angry, but he was not angry with Goha. He was angry with the doorkeeper.
‘Guards’! called the Caliph loudly.
Theguards came running in.
‘Bring the doorkeeper here’, he ordered them in a terrible voice.
The guards brought the doorkeeper into the Caliph’s room.
‘Did you make a promise with Goha?’ asked the Caliph.
‘Yes’, replied the doorkeeper, smiling. ‘Goha promised to share with me everything that you gave him’.
‘Well’, said the Caliph, with a loud laugh. ‘I have just beaten Goha fifty time with this...