“They will break it up and make stars of it,” said the Khoja.

Tale 24.—­The Short Piece of Muslin.

One day Nasr-ed-Deen Effendi was tying a new piece of muslin for his turban, when to his annoyance he discovered that it was too short.  He tried a second time, but still it was not long enough, and he spoiled his turban, and lost his temper.  Much vexed with the muslin, the Khoja took it to the bazaar, and gave it in to be sold by auction.

By and by the sale began, and after a time the muslin was put up, and a man came forward and began to bid.  Another man bid against him, and the first man continued to raise his price.

The Khoja was standing near, and at last he could bear it no longer.  “That rascal of a muslin has cheated me and put me to infinite inconvenience,” said he; “it played me false; and am I bound to conceal its deficiencies?”

Then he came softly up to the highest bidder, and whispered, “Take care what you are about, brother, in buying that muslin.  It’s a short length.”

Tale 25.—­The Khoja Peeps Into Futurity.

Having need of a stout piece of wood, the Khoja one day decided to cut off a certain branch from a tree that belonged to him, as he perceived that it would serve his purpose.

Taking, therefore, his axe in his hand, and tucking his skirts into his girdle, he climbed the tree, and the branch he desired being firm and convenient, he seated himself upon it, and then began to hack and hew.

As he sat and chopped a man passed by below him, who called out and said, “O stupid man!  What are you doing?  When the branch is cut through you will certainly fall to the ground.”

“Are the decrees of the future less veiled from this man than from me, who am a Khoja?” said Nasr-ed-Deen Effendi to himself, and he made the man no reply, but chopped on.

In a few moments the branch gave way, and the Khoja fell to the ground.

When he recovered himself he jumped up, and ran after the man who had warned him.

[Illustration:  THE KHOJA FALLS.]

“O you fellow!” cried he.  “It has happened to me even as you foretold.  At the moment when the branch was cut through I fell to the ground.  Now, therefore, since the future is open to thee, I beseech thee to tell me the day of my death.”

“This madness is greater than the other,” replied the man.  “The day of death is among the hidden counsels of the Most High.”

But the Khoja held him by the gown and continued to urge him, saying, “You told me when I should fall from the tree, and it came to pass to the moment.  Tell me now how long I have to live.”  And as he would not release him, but kept crying, “How much time have I left?” the man lost patience, and said, “O fool! there is no more time left to thee.  The days of the years of thy life are numbered.”

“Then I am dead, lo I am dead!” said the Khoja, and he lay down, and stiffened himself, and did not move.