Notes

"THE POOR MAN'S DREAM"
(A story from the Arabian Nights)
Many years ago, there lived a poor man named Hasib, with his wife and three children in the old city of Baghdad. The family lived in a hovel among the ruins which was once a part of a tall building. No matter what Hasib did, he could not find better work.
There was an old well with clear water near their ho- vel. Travelers in their caravans usually stopped to fill their leathern jugs with water for a long journey ahead. Hasib always sat by the old well and when a caravan stopped. he would fill their leathern jugs with water from the well and pack them neatly on the camel's back.
Hasib gave his wife all the money he earned everyday. But his wife was never satisfied. She kept on nagging him and telling him that she could not buy a nice dress with the few coins he had earned.
This was the kind of life Hasib lived everyday. Some- times he brought home no money but only a piece of meat, and his wife would nag him bitterly all the more.
Hasib did not lose hope in spite of all their poverty. He believed that he was still young and fortune would smile at him someday although his wife believed otherwise.
One night, Hasib had a wild dream in which he found himself walking on a wide high plain. He was all alone and there were neither house nor trees nor animals around. A strong hand forced him to walk straight to Cairo. Furthermore, a voice told him that his fortune lies in Cairo.
The next night, he had the same dream. He woke up panting but he did not tell his wife about his dreams. He knew she would only laugh at him.
The next day, he went to the old well with his children. A caravan came along. Hasib approached the headman and offered to fill up his leathern jugs with water. When he was offered money for his work, he rejected it. Instead. he asked the headman to take him along to Cairo. The head- man agreed on the condition that he would be on his own upon reaching Cairo.
Hasib asked his children to go home. Then he rode with the caravan. He slept soundly all the way to Cairo without dreaming his Baghdad dreams.
When the caravan reached Cairo, Hasib took care of himself. When night came, he lost his way. He was so tired and hungry, he fell asleep on a doorstep. The owner of the house saw him and sent him away. He was picked up by a policeman and he was brought before a judge.
The High Judge accused him of beggary but Hasib explained that he was in Cairo to follow a dream. Upon the command of the Judge, Hasib told him about his dream.
The judge offered him few coins and told him to get back to Baghdad. "If you don't, someday you will find your- self in our jail and be forgotten. Don't ever believe in dreams. I, too, dreamt that my fortune lies in Baghdad but still here I am for I don't believe in it.
"My dream told me to go to Baghdad and to dig near an old well where caravans usually stop for fresh water There is a bag full of treasures near the well. I told you l never believed in dreams so I did not go to Baghdad," the judge finished laughing..
"You are right, Judge," Hasib agreed and he wanted to fly back to Baghdad.
When he arrived in Baghdad, he was tired and hungry but he went straight to his old well. He dug around the well until his hands struck something. It was a trunk. When he pulled it out, he saw diamonds, rubies, pearls, and gold coins. Hasib was full of joy. He thanked and prayed to whoever made his dream possible.
When he reached home, he found his wife and children asleep. The next morning his wife began to nag him again, but when Hasib showed her the trunk of treasures she hugged her husband. After all, Hasib was not a fool to believe in dreams. From then on, Hasib's family lived comfortably and peacefully.