The Tale of Abu-Kir and Abu-Sir

In a certain city, there lived two craftsmen side by side: a dyer named Abu-Kir and a barber named Abu-Sir. Both of them were mired in poverty. The dyer was lazy and a rogue; he often deceived and robbed his customers. If someone brought him fabric to his shop, they would never see it again. Abu-Kir would sell the material, spend the money on food, and then lie to the customer, spinning all sorts of tall tales: sometimes he claimed that thieves had stolen the fabric, other times he insisted it had been ruined during the dyeing process. In short, he never ran out of excuses. As for the barber, Abu-Sir, he was diligent and skilled at his craft, but what good did it do him? He was poor and couldn’t offer his customers the refreshing baths that other barbers and hairdressers provided.

And no one visited the dyer Abu-Kir’s shop anymore either; the whole city knew about his tricks.

In the evenings, they would sit in front of their shops and complain to each other about their cruel fate.

“You know what,” the dyer said to the barber one day, “let’s go to foreign lands, or else we’ll starve to death here.” When Abu-Sir agreed to leave, Abu-Kir added, “Neighbor, let’s put all our earnings into one purse and divide everything equally, like true friends.”

The kind-hearted barber agreed to this as well. The next day at dawn, they boarded a ship that was just setting sail for distant lands.

There was no barber on the ship, so Abu-Sir immediately found work. He shaved merchants and sailors, and they gave him flatbreads, cheese, figs, dates, and money. Abu-Kir, meanwhile, lazed around all day and ate all the food that Abu-Sir earned through his work. But Abu-Sir didn’t scold the dyer and was happy that his friend was fed; the barber dreamed of how well they would live in foreign lands once they both started earning.

After three weeks, the voyage ended, and the ship anchored in the harbor of a large city. The dyer Abu-Kir didn’t want to part with his carefree life on the ship. Finally, Abu-Sir persuaded his lazy friend, and they set off through the streets of the unfamiliar city. They walked all day, exhausted, until they finally rented a poor little room.

The dyer Abu-Kir immediately collapsed onto the bed and fell asleep. The next day, he slept until noon, while Abu-Sir was already running around the market and the docks looking for work. He didn’t waste any time and worked tirelessly. In the evening, Abu-Sir returned home with bread and fruit. There was enough food for two, but Abu-Kir ate it all by himself. He didn’t even get up from the bed. And so it went day after day: Abu-Sir would leave in the morning to work and return in the evening with food; sometimes he brought a little money. Meanwhile, Abu-Kir lazed around on the bed all day and even scolded his friend for not bringing enough food.

Forty days passed since they had settled in the foreign city. On the forty-first day, the barber fell seriously ill. He couldn’t get out of bed and thought that Abu-Kir would now take care of food and drink. But Abu-Kir had no intention of getting up. He begged his sick friend for money and sent a boy who lived in the same house to fetch food.

On the fourth day, the barber grew worse and lost consciousness. Abu-Kir decided he had died. Only then did the lazy dyer finally get up and, without saying a word to anyone, leave the house. At the market, Abu-Kir bought himself fine clothes with his friend’s money and began strolling through the city in his new attire.

He approached the shop of a dyer and was very surprised to see that all the fabrics were dyed only in blue. He entered the shop, took a handkerchief from his pocket, and handed it to the dyer.

“Hey, master, take this handkerchief and dye it green,” said Abu-Kir.

“I can’t do that,” the dyer shook his head.

“Well, then dye it red,” Abu-Kir requested.

“I can’t manage that either,” the dyer sighed. “Here, we only know how to dye in blue.”

That was exactly what Abu-Kir wanted to hear. He left the shop and went straight to the sultan’s palace. The dyer ordered the servants to announce him as a marvelous craftsman from a distant overseas land. He asked the sultan for permission to stay in the city and open a dyeing workshop. Abu-Kir told the sultan about the wonderful purple dye he could make from seashells and snails, describing the beauty of saffron, crimson, and other marvelous shades.

The sultan showered Abu-Kir with money, gifted him a beautiful house full of servants, and ordered craftsmen to immediately begin building a large dyeing workshop.

Meanwhile, Abu-Kir ordered everything he needed for his craft from distant lands. When the workshop was ready, he got to work. Abu-Kir hired assistants and taught them his trade. Soon, he stopped working altogether, spending his days lounging on a high seat and giving orders while slaves brought him various delicacies and fine drinks. Orders poured in from all sides: first from the sultan and his court, then from the noble people of the land. Everyone admired Abu-Kir’s skill and praised him. The other dyers in the city soon lost their jobs and had no choice but to take on the dirtiest work in Abu-Kir’s workshop.

And what was the barber Abu-Sir doing all this time? When the poor man regained consciousness, he was very surprised to find the room empty. Abu-Sir couldn’t move. He groaned and called for help until the doorman of the house heard him. The doorman entered the room, and Abu-Sir asked him to bring some food and, most importantly, something to drink, as the poor barber was dying of thirst.

He told the doorman that he would pay him back as soon as his friend returned. The doorman cared for Abu-Sir for a week, then another, but Abu-Kir didn’t return. By now, Abu-Sir was certain that his friend had robbed him and abandoned him in his time of need. But the doorman comforted him as best he could, saying that he shouldn’t despair.

“I’ll take care of you until you recover,” he told the barber.

Abu-Sir thanked the doorman and promised to repay him. But it took a full two months before he recovered. As soon as Abu-Sir felt strong enough to stand, he went into the city to look for work. The barber came to the market and saw a grand house there. Next to it was a large shop. Abu-Sir remembered that these buildings hadn’t been there before. In front of the shop, there was a commotion like a beehive; people were chattering, pushing each other, and exclamations of admiration could be heard from all sides.

The barber asked a man what this house was. The man replied that a certain Abu-Kir, a friend of the sultan and a remarkable craftsman who could dye fabrics in unseen colors, had opened a dyeing workshop here.

Abu-Sir was delighted to hear this; he sincerely wished his friend success and prosperity. In his kindness, he forgave Abu-Kir for stealing his money and abandoning him in his illness and need.
The barber entered the shop and saw Abu-Kir dressed in luxurious attire. The dyer was sitting on expensive cushions, surrounded by slaves. He was enjoying sweets laid out on precious dishes, barking orders at his workers and giving commands: "Do this, do that!"

But Abu-Sir had no idea what awaited him. As soon as Abu-Kir noticed the barber, he shouted:

— Catch the thief!

And pointed his finger at Abu-Sir.

The poor barber was immediately attacked by Abu-Kir's servants, beaten, and thrown out into the street.

The unfortunate Abu-Sir couldn't understand why his friend had treated him so cruelly. He rubbed his bruises, his temples throbbing. Dazed, Abu-Sir wandered through the market.

Then he thought it would be good to wash in a bathhouse, where he could clean his wounds and soothe his bruises. The barber asked one of the townspeople how to get to the bathhouse. But the man didn't answer Abu-Sir, just stared at him wide-eyed and went on his way.

Abu-Sir stopped a second passerby and repeated his question.

— What bathhouse? — the passerby was surprised. — What is that?

— It's the best thing in the world, — replied Abu-Sir and began to describe what bathhouses were like.

— We have nothing like that here, — the passerby told him. — But I'll give you good advice. Go to the Sultan and tell him everything I just heard from you. Perhaps fortune will smile upon you.

Abu-Sir listened to the townsman, went to the Sultan's palace, and asked to be announced. When the Sultan received him, the barber said:

— O great Sultan, I have learned that there is no bathhouse in your city! How can such a beautiful city do without a bathhouse?

And Abu-Sir described to the Sultan all the pleasures of bathing. He told him that a person who has been to a bathhouse becomes younger in soul and body, that bathing heals the sick, gladdens the heart, and enlivens the mind.

The Sultan welcomed all innovations. He immediately ordered Abu-Sir to be dressed in luxurious garments, showered him with money, and allowed the barber to build bathhouses anywhere in the city.

Abu-Sir chose a suitable location and ordered the construction of bathhouses the likes of which the world had never seen. Around the building, slaves planted cypresses and roses. Among them were hidden fountains with fragrant water and pavilions where lute players were concealed. And when the building was ready and everything around was bustling and fragrant, Abu-Sir invited the Sultan to the bathhouse.

The Sultan was delighted with this innovation and almost moved his entire court to the bathhouses. The whole city came to see them, and anyone who had bathed there once returned again and again. Thus, Abu-Sir grew rich, expanded the bathhouses to accommodate all the city's residents, decorated and completed the building, and the Sultan visited him every day.

When Abu-Kir learned of this marvel, he thought it wouldn't be a bad idea to experience all the benefits that bathhouses offer to the soul and body. The dyer headed to the barber's house. But he stopped as if struck by lightning when he saw his friend Abu-Sir on the doorstep, dressed in a marvelous outfit, surrounded by nobles vying for his favor. Abu-Kir immediately came to his senses and exclaimed:

— And you still haven't remembered your good old friend, Abu-Sir? Why didn't you call me to you? I missed you so much that I couldn't bear it and came uninvited.

— But you ordered me to be beaten and thrown out the door just when I was in dire need, — said the astonished Abu-Sir.

And then Abu-Kir began to swear that he had never in his life even thought of offending his friend. True, he once ordered a thief to be thrown out the door.

— But now I see, — exclaimed Abu-Kir, — that it was a terrible mistake. That thief looked exactly like you, Abu-Sir. But how could I have thought it was you? I thought you were dead!

He gave false oaths again, telling how he had missed his friend, how he had mourned him. The kind-hearted Abu-Sir believed every word of the dyer. The barber invited his friend in, gave him preference over the most important nobles, treated Abu-Kir, and rejoiced that both of them had been so fortunate: he and his friend had become friends and advisors to the Sultan. But the treacherous Abu-Kir only half-listened to the radiant Abu-Sir. He was already thinking of how to deprive his friend of the Sultan's favor and get rid of him forever.

— You have everything you need here, — he told his friend as they parted. — But there's still one thing missing in your bathhouses.

— What is it? — asked Abu-Sir.
— I do not see a bathing room with foaming water in your place, — replied Abu-Kir.

— You are right, — agreed Abu-Sir. — I will order it to be made immediately. The friends bid farewell to each other and swore eternal friendship. But the dyer Abu-Kir did not go home; instead, he went straight to the Sultan and said to him:

— It is your good fortune, O great Sultan, that I visited the bathhouse today. The man who built the bathhouse claims to be your friend, but know that he intends to destroy you.

The wicked and envious dyer slandered Abu-Sir to the Sultan as much as he could. He told him that he had met Abu-Sir on a ship and that Abu-Sir had entrusted him with his secret.

— He told me, — lied Abu-Kir, — that he was sent by foreign princes, and they ordered him to kill you to seize your kingdom. O great Sultan, believe me when I say that I wanted to hand him over to the guards as soon as we disembarked, but the cunning barber immediately disappeared into the crowd. And since then, I have not known a moment of peace, fearing for your life. Only now has the weight lifted from my heart, for I have finally found the treacherous Abu-Sir.

At first, the Sultan did not want to believe Abu-Kir. But Abu-Kir said:

— O Sultan, go to the bathhouse tomorrow. You will see that Abu-Sir will invite you to a bathing room with foaming water. But do not fall for his trick. The water in that room is poisonous. If you were to enter it, not even your bones would remain.

The next day, the Sultan went to the bathhouse. Abu-Sir greeted him with all due honors. The Sultan wanted, as usual, to bathe in rose water. But Abu-Sir smiled and said:

— O Sultan, today I want to surprise you. I have prepared for you a bathing room with foaming water that smells of jasmine. Only it is worthy of you. After bathing in this water, you will feel twenty years younger.

As soon as the Sultan heard the barber’s words, his eyes flashed with anger. He immediately ordered his guards to bind Abu-Sir and take him to prison. Then the Sultan called the captain, the chief of the guards, and said to him:

— At dawn tomorrow, sew this villain into a sack, place him in a boat, and set sail. When you see me in the palace window and hear me shout, "Drown him!" throw the sack into the water.

But the captain was a kind man, and Abu-Sir had always washed him for free in the finest bathhouses, so they had become friends. Thus, he decided to repay Abu-Sir for everything. When night fell, the captain took Abu-Sir out of prison, placed him in a boat, and took him to an island in the sea opposite the Sultan’s palace. There, Abu-Sir was to wait for a week until a ship arrived. The captain intended to put Abu-Sir on that ship and send him to a distant land where the Sultan’s vengeance could not reach him.

Abu-Sir did not know how to thank the captain. The barber sat in an empty hut on the shore and began to think about what he had done to anger the Sultan so much that he had nearly taken his life.

At dawn, the captain sewed a large stone into a sack, loaded it into the boat, and sailed toward the palace. After some time, he saw the Sultan look out of the window, raise his hand, and shout:

— Drown him!

The captain threw the heavy sack into the water, and the Sultan began to rub his hands with joy. He thought he had rid himself forever of the criminal who had sought to take his life.

Then the captain noticed something glinting and falling into the water. Had he known what it was, he would have acted very differently. He would not have gone to the palace with his head bowed, would not have waited trembling for the Sultan’s new orders, and would not have feared that the Sultan would uncover his trick and find Abu-Sir alive and well.

But the Sultan felt uneasy. Just at the moment when he was rubbing his hands with satisfaction, something terrible happened. He stepped away from the window and trembled all over. He had dropped his golden ring into the sea. That ring was no ordinary ring; it was enchanted, and its power was so great that without it, the Sultan could no longer be a fearsome ruler. When he pointed at someone with the finger wearing the ring, the unfortunate person’s head would immediately fall from their shoulders. The armies, the guards, and all the people in the kingdom obeyed the Sultan only because of this ring. Everyone feared him and submitted to him without question.

The Sultan did not say a word to anyone and trembled with fear. He was afraid that someone might guess he no longer had the ring, for he knew that his subjects would surely kill him and choose a new ruler.

Meanwhile, Abu-Sir sat on the shore. He cast a net into the sea, which the captain had left for him, and began to fish. On his first try, he was lucky: he pulled out a full net. Abu-Sir selected the largest fish and began to clean it. Suddenly, his knife struck something hard in the fish’s gills. The barber saw that it was a golden ring. Astonished, Abu-Sir examined the ring closely, then put it on his little finger and returned to cleaning the fish. But he kept thinking about how the ring had ended up in the fish’s gills. "Perhaps it would be better to throw it away so it doesn’t bring me more trouble," Abu-Sir pondered.

Just then, two old women passed by. Seeing the pile of beautiful fish, they were very surprised. Abu-Sir waved to them and wanted to say they could take the fish if they liked it. But the words caught in his throat: the old women’s heads suddenly fell from their shoulders. There was no one around; only an invisible sword could have done this. Abu-Sir was so terrified that his teeth chattered, and he no longer wanted the fried fish. He hid in his hut and was even afraid to stick his head out: what if the invisible sword punished him too?

The barber sat in his hut for a long time, huddled in a corner, when suddenly he heard someone calling him. Abu-Sir recognized the captain’s voice. He had come to tell his friend that a ship would soon pass by and take Abu-Sir away. The barber overcame his fear and emerged from the hut. There he saw the captain standing over the decapitated bodies of the women, looking at them in astonishment. Abu-Sir was already extending his hands to greet the captain. He was glad that he would finally leave this cursed place. But then the captain noticed the ring on his finger and shouted:

— O my brother! Don’t move, lower your hands, or you will kill me! Then he asked the astonished Abu-Sir where he had gotten the ring. The captain immediately recognized it as the Sultan’s ring.

— I found it in the fish’s gills, — said Abu-Sir.

— I saw it fall into the sea, — recalled the kind captain, — just as the Sultan leaned out of the window.

The captain told Abu-Sir about the ring’s magical properties and explained that he had, without intending to, decapitated the two women.

— What do you plan to do, Abu-Sir? — asked the captain. — For now, you are the most powerful man in the entire country.

— Take me to the Sultan, — said Abu-Sir. The captain replied:
— Very well, let it be your way. I will take you to the Sultan, even though he will know that I did not carry out his order.

Now the captain was no longer afraid of the Sultan, for without the ring, he was no longer a threat to anyone.

The barber and the captain approached the palace, stepped out of the boat onto the shore, and went straight to the Sultan. The Sultan sat pale, surrounded by his advisors and guards, constantly hiding his hand so that no one would guess about the missing ring.

He waited in horror for what would happen when his entourage found out. When the Sultan saw the captain and Abu-Sir, he did not let on that his power had come to an end.

— How dare you? — he shouted menacingly at the captain. — Not only did you not drown this villain, but you also brought him to me! For this, both of you will pay dearly!

He was about to order the guards to seize the captain and the barber, but then Abu-Sir stepped forward and, carefully so that no one else would notice, showed the Sultan the ring on his finger. The Sultan nearly fainted and staggered. But the carpets and pile of cushions behind him held him up, and he did not fall. Recovering, he ordered the guards to leave. Then Abu-Sir handed him the ring and said:

— O Sultan, here is the most certain proof that I never wished you harm. Did anyone else have as many opportunities to become Sultan as I did? But know that I am your loyal friend, and that is why I return the ring to you.

The Sultan immediately put the ring on his finger, and it was as if a mountain had been lifted from his shoulders. He embraced Abu-Sir and exclaimed:

— O brother, I thank you from the bottom of my heart, you have saved my life. Abu-Sir asked the Sultan why he had been so angry with him. The happy Sultan then told him how the dyer had warned him about the bathhouse with foaming water, in which, according to Abu-Kir, the Sultan was sure to meet his death.

— Forgive me, O friend, for so easily believing this lie, — the Sultan pleaded with tears in his eyes.

Abu-Sir finally realized that his friend Abu-Kir was not only the laziest man alive, but also an evil and worthless person. In his heart, he reproached himself for not realizing this earlier: after all, laziness and baseness are sisters. Where one does dirty work, the other watches over her shoulder, and both betray each other.

Meanwhile, Abu-Kir sat in his luxurious house and gave orders. With one hand, he propped up his head, and with the other, he reached for a golden platter full of sweets, eating constantly. He did not even remember his unfortunate friend Abu-Sir, who had suffered a cruel fate because of him; now his envious soul was at peace.

Suddenly, noise came from the street, and armed warriors entered the shop, dragged Abu-Kir off his cushions, tied him up, sat him backward on a donkey, and, in full view of the townspeople, took him to the Sultan.

Abu-Kir's mind was in turmoil; he did not know why the Sultan had suddenly become angry with him. But when the dyer saw Abu-Sir alive beside the Sultan, he realized that his time was up.

In vain did the kind-hearted Abu-Sir plead for the dyer; the Sultan would not listen. And the punishment that had awaited Abu-Sir befell Abu-Kir. The Sultan ordered him to be thrown into the sea.

Then the Sultan said to the barber:

— O Abu-Sir, ask of me whatever you desire. I will fulfill any wish of yours.

— Your baths are so wonderful that I could not wish for anything better, — replied Abu-Sir.

— I have done all I could for you. Allow me to return home, to my native city. Since I have lost my only countryman, nothing here will bring me joy anymore.

The Sultan tried to persuade Abu-Sir to stay. He promised him mountains of gold, honors, and even offered him his daughter's hand in marriage, but Abu-Sir stood his ground and kept repeating that he wanted to return to his homeland. He did not say aloud what he thought: nothing good awaited him here anyway, since the Sultan so easily believed slander, and all his power was contained in a piece of shiny metal that even a crow could steal.

The Sultan ordered a ship to be prepared for Abu-Sir and gifted it to the barber, complete with everything on board: sailors, grain, expensive fabrics, and rare animals.

For forty days, Abu-Sir sailed the sea and finally reached his hometown.

There, he built enormous, luxurious bathhouses, married, and lived happily until the end of his days among blooming gardens where cypresses grew, roses and jasmine blossomed, and fountains sprayed fragrant water; there was everything a person could desire, and everything around was fragrant, bustling, and a delight to the eye.

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The Tale of Abu-Kir and Abu-Sir

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