The Khoja never ran any unnecessary risk.  When he perceived that the dog was about to attack him, and that he would have the worst of it, he lowered his stick.

“Pray don’t disturb yourself,” said he; “I give in.”

Tale 37.—­The Khoja and the Mullas.

Once upon a time the Khoja, riding on his donkey, was proceeding to a certain place to give public instruction, when he was followed by several law-students, who walked behind him.

Perceiving this, the Khoja dismounted, and got up again with his face to the donkey’s tail.

“O Khoja!” cried the Mullas, “why do you ride backwards?”

“It is the only way in which we can show each other proper civility,” replied the Khoja; “for when I ride in the usual fashion, if you walk behind me I turn my back on you, and if you walk before me you turn your backs on me.”

Tale 38.—­The Students and the Khoja’s Wife.

Khoja Nasr-ed-Deen Effendi met a party of students who were walking together.

“Allow me to join you, worthy Effendis,” said he, “and if it is agreeable to you we will proceed to my house.”

“With the greatest possible pleasure,” replied all the students, and the Khoja, beguiling the way with smart sayings and agreeable compliments, led them to the door of his dwelling.

“Be good enough to wait an instant,” said the Khoja, and the students waited whilst the Khoja entered his house, where—­being in a mischievous mood—­he said to his wife, “O wife, go down and send those men away who are hanging about the door.  If they want me, say that I have not come home.”

So the woman went down and said, “The Khoja has not come home, gentlemen.”

“What are you talking about?” cried the students; “he came home with us.”

“He’s not at home, I tell you,” said the Khoja’s wife.

“We know that he is,” said the students.

“He’s not,” repeated the woman.

“He is,” reiterated the students.

[Illustration:  THE KHOJA IS NOT AT HOME.]

And so they contradicted each other and bandied words, till the Khoja, who was listening from above, put his head out of the window and cried, “Neither you nor my wife have any sense in your heads.  Don’t you see there are two doors to the place?  If he did come in by one he may have gone out again through the other.”

Tale 39.—­The Khoja and His Guest.

One day a man came to the Khoja and became his guest for the night.

When they had had supper they lay down to sleep.

After a while the light went out; but the Khoja was lazy, and pretended not to observe it, for he did not want to get up.

“Khoja!  Khoja!” cried the guest.

“What’s the matter?” said the Khoja.

“Don’t you see that the light’s gone out?” said the guest.

“I see nothing,” said the Khoja.

“It’s pitch dark,” complained the guest:  “do get up and see if you have a candle in the house.”