The story’s events take place in a market of one of the cities in ancient times. A spice merchant in the market accused his neighbor, the oil merchant, of stealing his money. The case was brought to the judge for a ruling. The judge was confused between them, and the case was postponed. By chance, while wandering in the city, the judge found a group of children playing and acting out the case, with a small boy playing the role of the judge. He solved the case that had greatly confused the city’s judge.
Beginning of the Story:
It is told that in ancient times, there was a spice merchant who sold spices in the market. He owned a small shop located beside an oil merchant’s shop, who also sold all types of oils in the market. Only a wooden barrier separated the two shops.
Snooping:
One day, the spice merchant looked through a hole in the wooden barrier at the oil merchant’s shop. Through this hole, he saw the oil merchant counting gold money he owned. The spice merchant watched his neighbor, the oil merchant, and counted the gold dinars with him. They reached one hundred and twenty gold dinars. The oil merchant placed the gold dinars in a red handkerchief and began preparing to return to his home.
Theft Accusation:
The spice merchant came out of his shop and began screaming, throwing himself on the ground, crying in a very loud voice: “O people, my money has been stolen!” He repeated this many times: “My money has been stolen!” All the people gathered around him and tried to calm him down until the policeman came and asked the spice merchant: “Do you accuse someone specifically of stealing your money?” He answered yes and accused his neighbor, the oil merchant, of stealing the money.
The policeman said: “How did he steal your money?” The spice merchant replied that he had left his small shop and gone out for two minutes. When he returned to his shop, he searched for the dinars but didn’t find them. His neighbor, the oil merchant, was the closest person to his shop. The policeman asked him about the number of dinars stolen from him. He said they were one hundred and twenty, placed in a red handkerchief. The policeman entered the oil merchant’s shop and found the red handkerchief with the one hundred and twenty dinars.
Escalating the Case:
The case reached the judge. The judge heard the testimony of both parties but couldn’t issue a ruling, so he postponed the case. The case spread throughout the city, and people began talking about it. The old and young talked about it.
The Little Judge:
One day, the judge went out to wander in the city. He saw a boy playing with his friends, telling them: “I am the judge. I will issue a ruling in the case of the spice merchant and his neighbor, the oil merchant.” One of the boys sat on a stone and acted out the role of the spice merchant. Another boy sat on a different stone and acted out the role of his neighbor, the oil merchant. The judge heard the words of both.
He asked their third friend to go and bring a vessel with hot water. All the boys were amazed at their friend’s request and asked him: “Why do you need a vessel of water?” He said to them: “Because I want to put the gold dinars in the hot water.” Their amazement increased, so he decided to complete his speech and said: “When I put the dinars inside the hot vessel, if oil spots appear on the water, then the dinars belong to the oil merchant. But if no oil spots appear, then the dinars belong to the spice merchant.” The judge heard the boy’s words, went to him quickly, kissed him, and said: “You are a very smart boy. I have learned from you, and tomorrow I will issue a ruling in the case that confused me greatly without result.”