West Visayas State University
Extension Campus at Himamaylan City
Himamaylan City, Negros Occidental
Course Syllabus
I.
II.
III.
Course Number:
Course Title:
Course Description:
Lit 209
Afro-Asian Literature
Literature of the various Afro-Asian countries from ancient to the present is taken up in this course. This course seeks to provide insights into the
thoughts, feelings, values and attitudes of other Asians as embodied in their culture and to maintain mutual respect and understanding among Filipinos and their
fellow Asians.
IV.
V.
VI.
Time Frame: 54 hours
Course Credit: 3 Units
University’s
a. Vision:
The West Visayas State University as one of the top university in Southeast Asia by 2015.
b. Mission:
To produce globally competitive life-long learners
c. Core Values:
Service Harmony Excellence
Himamaylan Campus
VII.
a. Vision:
b. Mission:
c. Goals:
Objectives of the course
At the end of the course, the student should be able to:
1. Draw logical conclusions about life from the literary pieces they have read;
2. Analyze literary pieces and be able to reflect in the significant ideas and values expressed in them;
3. Demonstrate deeper appreciation of Afro-Asian literature by the literary devices used;
4. Appreciate the relevance of ideas gained to current issues and problems;
5. React intelligently with the ideas expressed in different Afro-Asian literary pieces;
6. Explain different customs and traditions of Afro-Asian countries depicted in the literature.
7. Write unified and coherent paragraph/essays using different rhetorical devices and write journals/blog and the like relative to literary articles read.
LITERARY PIECES OF THE AFRO-ASIAN NATIONS
Value Focus: Appreciation & Value Orientation on African-Asian Literature
Content
Objectives
NCBTS
1. Indian Literature
1.1 Parable of Returning Love
for Hatred (pp. 8-9,
Phoenix English)
1.2 The Pachatantra (p. 112 –
The Lit of Asia & Africa)
The Lionmakers (pp. 44-45,
GEMS), The Duel Between
the Elephant and the
Sparrow (pp25-27, GEMS)
1.3 The Mahabharata (pp. 109110 The Literature of Asia &
Africa) Savitri’s Love (pp.
146-151, GEMS)
1.4 Ramayana (p. 110 The Lit of
Asia & Africa) (pp. 48-50,
English Communication
Arts and Skills Through
Afro-Asian Lit)
1.5 Gitanjali (pp. 131-135, The
Lit of Asia & Africa)
2. Hebrew Literature
2.1 The Story of Joseph (pp.
169-168, The Lit of Asia and
1. Identify and explain the
atmosphere, mood, imagery
and symbolism in short
stories, poetries and other
literary pieces discussed;
2. Explain the theme, message,
universal truths in the
selected literary pieces;
3. State the customs and
traditions as related to the
literature of each country
being discussed;
4. Show understanding of the
sequence of events through
filling in of charts and the
like;
5. Make their own examples of
how maxims, universal
truths, and philosophies can
be used in real life
situations.
6. Write a journal/blog relative
to the literary articles read.






Provides gender
fair opportunities
for learning
Communicates
higher learning
expectations to
each learner
Establishes and
maintains
consistent
standards of
learners’ behavior
Familiar with
learners’
background
knowledge and
experiences
Demonstrate
concern for
holistic
development
Demonstrate
mastery of the
subject
Method

Lecture/Disc
ussion

Group Work

Reporting

Buzz Session

Brain
Storming

Stage
Playing
Tableau

Character
Interviews
Human Slide
Shows
Story
Dramatization—
■

Hand-outs

Pictures
Time
Frame
12hrs
Evaluation
Measure
 Quizzes

Group
activities
which
involve
filling of
charts – to
be
evaluated
using
scoring
rubric.

Interview

Cloze Test

Midterm
Exam/Final
Exam



Materials
CD’s of
Movies
“Arabian
Nights”, “The
Prince of
Persia”, The
Mahabharata”
“Alibaba and
the 40 Thieves”
“Arabian
Nights”

6hrs
LCD
projector
6hrs

Laptop
Africa)
2.2 The Story of Ruth (pp. 186187, The Lit of Asia and
Africa)
2.3 The Parable of Talents (pp.
191-192, The Lit of Asia &
Africa)
3. Persian Literature
3.1 Hell and Heaven (Sadi) (p.
215, The Lit of Asia &
Africa)
3.2 The Captive Gets a Wife
(Jami) (pp. 210-215, The Lit
of Asia & Africa)
3.3 The Rubaiyat of Omar
Khayyam (pp. 203-209, The
Lit of Asia & Africa)
3.4 The Shah Namah (Sohrab
and Rustom) (pp 84 GEMS).
3.5 The Beautiful Queen of
Persia (pp 202-207, Phoenix
English)
3.6 The Prince of Persia
(Movie)
4. Arabian Literature
4.1 Arabian Knights (The Lady
and Her Five Suitors) (pp.
42-48, The Lit of Asia &
Africa)
(Ali Baba and the Forty
Thieves) Movie
4.2 The Food of Paradise (pp.
224-228, GEMS)
5. Lebanese Literature






Communicates
clear learning
goals for the
lessons that are
appropriate for
learners
Make good use of
allotted
instructional time
Selects teaching
methods, learning
activities and
instructional
materials of
resources
appropriate to
learners and
aligned to the
objectives of the
lesson
Recognize general
learning process
as well as unique
processes of
individual learner
Demonstrates
skills in the use of
Information and
Communication
Technology in
teaching and
learning
Communicates
promptly and
Student actors
enact scenes or a
single scene from
a story
using their own
words.
4hrs
Character
Interviews—Role
dramas in which
student actors
portray
characters
from a book and
answer a series
of interview
questions.
4hrs
Tableau—A
silent frozen
picture made by
student actors
striking poses to
represent
a significant
moment in a
story.
6hrs
■
■
Human Slide
Show—A
sequence of
tableaux
presented in
chronological
order.
6hrs
4hrs
■
1.5hrs
5.1 The Sayings of the Brook
(website)
5.2 Simon Who Was Called
Peter (pp 109-112, GEMS)
6. Chinese Literature
6.1 The Analects of Confucius
(pp. 81-87, The Lit. of Asia
& Africa)
6.2 Works of Chinese Poets (Li
Po, Lao Tzu, Po Chu I, Wang
Wei) (pp. 89-95, The Lit of
Asia & Africa)
6.3 The Conceited Coachman
(pp. 40-41, GEMS)
6.4 A Little Incident (pp. 152155, GEMS)
7. Japanese Literature
7.1 Tale of Genji (pp. 226-227,
The Lit of Asia & Africa)
7.2 The Thief Who Became a
Disciple (pp. 38-39, GEMS)
7.3 Madman on the Roof (pp.
131-138, GEMS)
7.4 My Native Village (pp. 104108, GEMS)
7.5 Subway (pp. 233-236,
GEMS)
7.6 The Picture Wife (pp. 4649, GEMS)
7.7 The Spider’s Thread (pp. 57, GEMS)
7.8 Haiku (pp. 227-228, The Lit
of Asia & Africa)
8. Korean Literature


clearly to learners,
parents, and
superiors about
the progress of
learners
Develops and uses
a variety of
appropriate
assessment
strategies to
monitor and
evaluate learning
Monitors and
provides feedback
on learners’
understanding of
content.

One page
plus, one
more
character
1.5hrs
6hrs

Collage
Making

Blogging

Comics
making based
on story read

Sketching

Listening to
music while
reading
(Suggestopedi
a )- Making
Songs out of
the
poem/story
read

TPR(Total
Physical
Response)

Making
diagrams/Sto
ry grammar
8.1 The Zen Monks and
The Governor (WEB)
8.2 The Vanity of the Rat (pp.
13-16, GEMS)
9. Thai Literature
9.1 The Thai Cat (pp. 140-145,
GEMS)
10. Vietnamese Literature
10.1 The Bete and the Areca (pp.
156-160 GEMS)
11. Singaporean Literature
11.1 To Grandma (pp. 97-98,
GEMS)
11.2 Run (99-105, Gems)
11.3 The Old Man, His Son, and
Their Bike (pp. 53-57, GEMS)
12. African Literature
(Crisscrossing Through AfroAsian Literature)
12.1 Africa (p. 231)
12.2 Piano and Drums (p. 225)
12.3 I Give Thanks My God (p.
219)
12.4 My Country, Ethiopia (p.
214)
References:
Salazar, S. S., et. al. (1990). Phoenix English for Secondary Schools. Quezon City: Phoenix Publishing Hous. Inc.
Calixihan, J. C., et. al.(2006). Gems in Afro-Asian Literature. Quezon City: National Book Store.
Carpio, C. R. (2006). Crisscrossing Through Afro-Asian literature. Pasig City: Anvil Publishing, Inc.
Duka, D. R. (2005). The Literature of Asia & Africa. Manila: Rex Book Store, Inc.
English Communication Arts and Skills Through Afro-Asian Literature
Classroom Policies
1. Attendance is checked regularly. Late comers will not be admitted after 15 minutes.
2. Students wearing incomplete/improper school uniform will not be admitted. Likewise, proper dress code should be observed during
school activities.
3. Electronic devices (cell phones, iPods, etc.) need to be turned off or muted during class.
4. Requirements for the subject should be submitted on time. Late submission of projects is not acceptable.
5. Students who are cheating or plagiarizing materials in the course will not receive credit for the assignments, projects or tests which
will likely to lead failure in the course.
6. Food and beverages are not permitted in the class.
7. A student who exhibits dishonest, disruptive or disrespectful behavior risk suspension or expulsion from the institution.
Major Examination
There are three (3) written and/or oral major examinations for the course. Customarily, the exam will be closed notes. If you are going to
miss a major exam, it is your responsibility to alert your instructor prior to exam schedule. Failure to do so will result in an exam grade of zero.
Quizzes
Approximately, three to five quizzes (be it announced or unannounced) will be given for each term. A make-up quiz is allowed if and
only if one could secure an excuse letter duly signed by the guidance counselor, parents or physician. Make -up quizzes shall be
done not later than two days after you return from class.
Recitation/Classroom Participation
Every class discussion requires students’ participation so as activities. It will be based on class/group collaboration and on the announced
means of evaluation. The rate will come from individual, group and instructor’s assessment.
Projects (Afro-Asian Literature Portfolio, Paragraph and Essay Writing Portfolio and Journal/blog)
All projects that are to be submitted are due on the date scheduled by the instructor. No late works will be accepted unless given instructor’s
prerogative. Journal entries shall be posted on the blog site provided by the instructor before the end of the week. Further instructions will be provided by the instructor
regarding the journal entries.
Attendance
In accordance with the policies of the West Visayas State University, as stated in the Students Manual, the students are required
and are expected to attend all classes in proper uniform. If the student is absent or late from his/her class, the student is hereby advised to get an
admission slip from the assigned Guidance Counselor before he/she will be admitted again. In case of absence, he/she will receive a grade of zero in
the recitation or class work assigned for that particular day. Three (3) consecutive absences without notifying the instructor would mean a failing term
grade or will automatically be dropped from the course
Grading System
Student must at least obtain 70% passing score or better in order to pass the
course. Course work is weighted as follows:
Major Examinations
40%
Quizzes
30%
Recitation/Classroom Participation
15%
Project/ Journal Entry/ Blog
10%
Attendance
5%
TOTAL
100%
Prepared by:
RUEL T. BONGANCISO, M.Ed. Eng.
Instructor I/Ph.D. Candidate
Approved:
JOSEFINA T. SINAON, M.A.Ed.
Dean of Instruction
EVYELYN D. TOMAMBO, Ph.D.
Campus Administrator
Ali Baba and the Forty Thieves
from the
1001 Nights
retold by Andrew Lang
and edited by
D. L. Ashliman
In a town in Persia there dwelt two brothers, one named Cassim, the other Ali Baba. Cassim was married to a rich wife and lived in plenty, while Ali Baba had to
maintain his wife and children by cutting wood in a neighboring forest and selling it in the town.
One day, when Ali Baba was in the forest, he saw a troop of men on horseback, coming toward him in a cloud of dust. He was afraid they were robbers, and
climbed into a tree for safety. When they came up to him and dismounted, he counted forty of them. They unbridled their horses and tied them to trees.
The finest man among them, whom Ali Baba took to be their captain, went a little way among some bushes, and said, "Open, Sesame!" so plainly that Ali Baba
heard him.
A door opened in the rocks, and having made the troop go in, he followed them, and the door shut again of itself. They stayed some time inside, and Ali Baba,
fearing they might come out and catch him, was forced to sit patiently in the tree. At last the door opened again, and the Forty Thieves came out. As the Captain
went in last he came out first, and made them all pass by him; he then closed the door, saying, "Shut, Sesame!"
Every man bridled his horse and mounted, the Captain put himself at their head, and they returned as they came.
Then Ali Baba climbed down and went to the door concealed among the bushes, and said, "Open, Sesame!" and it flew open.
Ali Baba, who expected a dull, dismal place, was greatly surprised to find it large and well lighted, hollowed by the hand of man in the form of a vault, which
received the light from an opening in the ceiling. He saw rich bales of merchandise -- silk, stuff-brocades, all piled together, and gold and silver in heaps, and money
in leather purses. He went in and the door shut behind him. He did not look at the silver, but brought out as many bags of gold as he thought his asses, which were
browsing outside, could carry, loaded them with the bags, and hid it all with fagots.
Using the words, "Shut, Sesame!" he closed the door and went home.
Then he drove his asses into the yard, shut the gates, carried the money-bags to his wife, and emptied them out before her. He bade her keep the secret, and he
would go and bury the gold.
"Let me first measure it," said his wife. "I will go borrow a measure of someone, while you dig the hole."
So she ran to the wife of Cassim and borrowed a measure. Knowing Ali Baba's poverty, the sister was curious to find out what sort of grain his wife wished to
measure, and artfully put some suet at the bottom of the measure. Ali Baba's wife went home and set the measure on the heap of gold, and filled it and emptied it
often, to her great content. She then carried it back to her sister, without noticing that a piece of gold was sticking to it, which Cassim's wife perceived directly her
back was turned.
She grew very curious, and said to Cassim when he came home, "Cassim, your brother is richer than you. He does not count his money, he measures it."
He begged her to explain this riddle, which she did by showing him the piece of money and telling him where she found it. Then Cassim grew so envious that he
could not sleep, and went to his brother in the morning before sunrise. "Ali Baba," he said, showing him the gold piece, "you pretend to be poor and yet you
measure gold."
By this Ali Baba perceived that through his wife's folly Cassim and his wife knew their secret, so he confessed all and offered Cassim a share.
"That I expect," said Cassim; "but I must know where to find the treasure, otherwise I will discover all, and you will lose all."
Ali Baba, more out of kindness than fear, told him of the cave, and the very words to use. Cassim left Ali Baba, meaning to be beforehand with him and get the
treasure for himself. He rose early next morning, and set out with ten mules loaded with great chests. He soon found the place, and the door in the rock.
He said, "Open, Sesame!" and the door opened and shut behind him. He could have feasted his eyes all day on the treasures, but he now hastened to gather together
as much of it as possible; but when he was ready to go he could not remember what to say for thinking of his great riches. Instead of "Sesame," he said, "Open,
Barley!" and the door remained fast. He named several different sorts of grain, all but the right one, and the door still stuck fast. He was so frightened at the danger
he was in that he had as much forgotten the word as if he had never heard it.
About noon the robbers returned to their cave, and saw Cassim's mules roving about with great chests on their backs. This gave them the alarm; they drew their
sabers, and went to the door, which opened on their Captain's saying, "Open, Sesame!"
Cassim, who had heard the trampling of their horses' feet, resolved to sell his life dearly, so when the door opened he leaped out and threw the Captain down. In
vain, however, for the robbers with their sabers soon killed him. On entering the cave they saw all the bags laid ready, and could not imagine how anyone had got in
without knowing their secret. They cut Cassim's body into four quarters, and nailed them up inside the cave, in order to frighten anyone who should venture in, and
went away in search of more treasure.
As night drew on Cassim's wife grew very uneasy, and ran to her brother-in-law, and told him where her husband had gone. Ali Baba did his best to comfort her,
and set out to the forest in search of Cassim. The first thing he saw on entering the cave was his dead brother. Full of horror, he put the body on one of his asses, and
bags of gold on the other two, and, covering all with some fagots, returned home. He drove the two asses laden with gold into his own yard, and led the other to
Cassim's house.
The door was opened by the slave Morgiana, whom he knew to be both brave and cunning. Unloading the ass, he said to her, "This is the body of your master, who
has been murdered, but whom we must bury as though he had died in his bed. I will speak with you again, but now tell your mistress I am come."
The wife of Cassim, on learning the fate of her husband, broke out into cries and tears, but Ali Baba offered to take her to live with him and his wife if she would
promise to keep his counsel and leave everything to Morgiana; whereupon she agreed, and dried her eyes.
Morgiana, meanwhile, sought an apothecary and asked him for some lozenges. "My poor master," she said, "can neither eat nor speak, and no one knows what his
distemper is." She carried home the lozenges and returned next day weeping, and asked for an essence only given to those just about to die.
Thus, in the evening, no one was surprised to hear the wretched shrieks and cries of Cassim's wife and Morgiana, telling everyone that Cassim was dead.
The day after Morgiana went to an old cobbler near the gates of the town who opened his stall early, put a piece of gold in his hand, and bade him follow her with
his needle and thread. Having bound his eyes with a handkerchief, she took him to the room where the body lay, pulled off the bandage, and bade him sew the
quarters together, after which she covered his eyes again and led him home. Then they buried Cassim, and Morgiana his slave followed him to the grave, weeping
and tearing her hair, while Cassim's wife stayed at home uttering lamentable cries. Next day she went to live with Ali Baba, who gave Cassim's shop to his eldest
son.
The Forty Thieves, on their return to the cave, were much astonished to find Cassim's body gone and some of their money-bags.
"We are certainly discovered," said the Captain, "and shall be undone if we cannot find out who it is that knows our secret. Two men must have known it; we have
killed one, we must now find the other. To this end one of you who is bold and artful must go into the city dressed as a traveler, and discover whom we have killed,
and whether men talk of the strange manner of his death. If the messenger fails he must lose his life, lest we be betrayed."
One of the thieves started up and offered to do this, and after the rest had highly commended him for his bravery he disguised himself, and happened to enter the
town at daybreak, just by Baba Mustapha's stall. The thief bade him good-day, saying, "Honest man, how can you possibly see to stitch at your age?"
"Old as I am," replied the cobbler, "I have very good eyes, and will you believe me when I tell you that I sewed a dead body together in a place where I had less
light than I have now."
The robber was overjoyed at his good fortune, and, giving him a piece of gold, desired to be shown the house where he stitched up the dead body. At first Mustapha
refused, saying that he had been blindfolded; but when the robber gave him another piece of gold he began to think he might remember the turnings if blindfolded as
before. This means succeeded; the robber partly led him, and was partly guided by him, right in front of Cassim's house, the door of which the robber marked with a
piece of chalk. Then, well pleased, he bade farewell to Baba Mustapha and returned to the forest. By and by Morgiana, going out, saw the mark the robber had
made, quickly guessed that some mischief was brewing, and fetching a piece of chalk marked two or three doors on each side, without saying anything to her master
or mistress.
The thief, meantime, told his comrades of his discovery. The Captain thanked him, and bade him show him the house he had marked. But when they came to it they
saw that five or six of the houses were chalked in the same manner. The guide was so confounded that he knew not what answer to make, and when they returned he
was at once beheaded for having failed.
Another robber was dispatched, and, having won over Baba Mustapha, marked the house in red chalk; but Morgiana being again too clever for them, the second
messenger was put to death also.
The Captain now resolved to go himself, but, wiser than the others, he did not mark the house, but looked at it so closely that he could not fail to remember it. He
returned, and ordered his men to go into the neighboring villages and buy nineteen mules, and thirty-eight leather jars, all empty except one, which was full of oil.
The Captain put one of his men, fully armed, into each, rubbing the outside of the jars with oil from the full vessel. Then the nineteen mules were loaded with thirtyseven robbers in jars, and the jar of oil, and reached the town by dusk.
The Captain stopped his mules in front of Ali Baba's house, and said to Ali Baba, who was sitting outside for coolness, "I have brought some oil from a distance to
sell at tomorrow's market, but it is now so late that I know not where to pass the night, unless you will do me the favor to take me in."
Though Ali Baba had seen the Captain of the robbers in the forest, he did not recognize him in the disguise of an oil merchant. He bade him welcome, opened his
gates for the mules to enter, and went to Morgiana to bid her prepare a bed and supper for his guest. He brought the stranger into his hall, and after they had supped
went again to speak to Morgiana in the kitchen, while the Captain went into the yard under pretense of seeing after his mules, but really to tell his men what to do.
Beginning at the first jar and ending at the last, he said to each man, "As soon as I throw some stones from the window of the chamber where I lie, cut the jars open
with your knives and come out, and I will be with you in a trice."
He returned to the house, and Morgiana led him to his chamber. She then told Abdallah, her fellow slave, to set on the pot to make some broth for her master, who
had gone to bed. Meanwhile her lamp went out, and she had no more oil in the house.
"Do not be uneasy," said Abdallah; "go into the yard and take some out of one of those jars."
Morgiana thanked him for his advice, took the oil pot, and went into the yard. When she came to the first jar the robber inside said softly, "Is it time?"
Any other slave but Morgiana, on finding a man in the jar instead of the oil she wanted, would have screamed and made a noise; but she, knowing the danger her
master was in, bethought herself of a plan, and answered quietly, "Not yet, but presently."
She went to all the jars, giving the same answer, till she came to the jar of oil. She now saw that her master, thinking to entertain an oil merchant, had let thirty-eight
robbers into his house. She filled her oil pot, went back to the kitchen, and, having lit her lamp, went again to the oil jar and filled a large kettle full of oil. When it
boiled she went and poured enough oil into every jar to stifle and kill the robber inside. When this brave deed was done she went back to the kitchen, put out the fire
and the lamp, and waited to see what would happen.
In a quarter of an hour the Captain of the robbers awoke, got up, and opened the window. As all seemed quiet, he threw down some little pebbles which hit the jars.
He listened, and as none of his men seemed to stir he grew uneasy, and went down into the yard. On going to the first jar and saying, "Are you asleep?" he smelt the
hot boiled oil, and knew at once that his plot to murder Ali Baba and his household had been discovered. He found all the gang was dead, and, missing the oil out of
the last jar, became aware of the manner of their death. He then forced the lock of a door leading into a garden, and climbing over several walls made his escape.
Morgiana heard and saw all this, and, rejoicing at her success, went to bed and fell asleep.
At daybreak Ali Baba arose, and, seeing the oil jars still there, asked why the merchant had not gone with his mules. Morgiana bade him look in the first jar and see
if there was any oil. Seeing a man, he started back in terror. "Have no fear," said Morgiana; "the man cannot harm you; he is dead."
Ali Baba, when he had recovered somewhat from his astonishment, asked what had become of the merchant.
"Merchant!" said she, "he is no more a merchant than I am!" and she told him the whole story, assuring him that it was a plot of the robbers of the forest, of whom
only three were left, and that the white and red chalk marks had something to do with it. Ali Baba at once gave Morgiana her freedom, saying that he owed her his
life. They then buried the bodies in Ali Baba's garden, while the mules were sold in the market by his slaves.
The Captain returned to his lonely cave, which seemed frightful to him without his lost companions, and firmly resolved to avenge them by killing Ali Baba. He
dressed himself carefully, and went into the town, where he took lodgings in an inn. In the course of a great many journeys to the forest he carried away many rich
stuffs and much fine linen, and set up a shop opposite that of Ali Baba's son. He called himself Cogia Hassan, and as he was both civil and well dressed he soon
made friends with Ali Baba's son, and through him with Ali Baba, whom he was continually asking to sup with him.
Ali Baba, wishing to return his kindness, invited him into his house and received him smiling, thanking him for his kindness to his son.
When the merchant was about to take his leave Ali Baba stopped him, saying, "Where are you going, sir, in such haste? Will you not stay and sup with me?"
The merchant refused, saying that he had a reason; and, on Ali Baba's asking him what that was, he replied, "It is, sir, that I can eat no victuals that have any salt in
them."
"If that is all," said Ali Baba, "let me tell you that there shall be no salt in either the meat or the bread that we eat to-night."
He went to give this order to Morgiana, who was much surprised.
"Who is this man," she said, "who eats no salt with his meat?"
"He is an honest man, Morgiana," returned her master; "therefore do as I bid you."
But she could not withstand a desire to see this strange man, so she helped Abdallah to carry up the dishes, and saw in a moment that Cogia Hassan was the robber
Captain, and carried a dagger under his garment.
"I am not surprised," she said to herself, "that this wicked man, who intends to kill my master, will eat no salt with him; but I will hinder his plans."
She sent up the supper by Abdallah, while she made ready for one of the boldest acts that could be thought on. When the dessert had been served, Cogia Hassan was
left alone with Ali Baba and his son, whom he thought to make drunk and then to murder them. Morgiana, meanwhile, put on a headdress like a dancing-girl's, and
clasped a girdle round her waist, from which hung a dagger with a silver hilt, and said to Abdallah, "Take your tabor, and let us go and divert our master and his
guest."
Abdallah took his tabor and played before Morgiana until they came to the door, where Abdallah stopped playing and Morgiana made a low courtesy.
"Come in, Morgiana," said Ali Baba, "and let Cogia Hassan see what you can do"; and, turning to Cogia Hassan, he said, "She's my slave and my housekeeper."
Cogia Hassan was by no means pleased, for he feared that his chance of killing Ali Baba was gone for the present; but he pretended great eagerness to see
Morgiana, and Abdallah began to play and Morgiana to dance. After she had performed several dances she drew her dagger and made passes with it, sometimes
pointing it at her own breast, sometimes at her master's, as if it were part of the dance. Suddenly, out of breath, she snatched the tabor from Abdallah with her left
hand, and, holding the dagger in her right hand, held out the tabor to her master. Ali Baba and his son put a piece of gold into it, and Cogia Hassan, seeing that she
was coming to him, pulled out his purse to make her a present, but while he was putting his hand into it Morgiana plunged the dagger into his heart.
"Unhappy girl!" cried Ali Baba and his son, "what have you done to ruin us?"
"It was to preserve you, master, not to ruin you," answered Morgiana. "See here," opening the false merchant's garment and showing the dagger; "see what an
enemy you have entertained! Remember, he would eat no salt with you, and what more would you have? Look at him! he is both the false oil merchant and the
Captain of the Forty Thieves."
Ali Baba was so grateful to Morgiana for thus saving his life that he offered her to his son in marriage, who readily consented, and a few days after the wedding was
celebrated with greatest splendor.
At the end of a year Ali Baba, hearing nothing of the two remaining robbers, judged they were dead, and set out to the cave. The door opened on his saying, "Open
Sesame!" He went in, and saw that nobody had been there since the Captain left it. He brought away as much gold as he could carry, and returned to town. He told
his son the secret of the cave, which his son handed down in his turn, so the children and grandchildren of Ali Baba were rich to the end of their lives.
The Sayings of The Brook
Paradise is in the pure heart.
By
Kahlil Gibran
Hell is not in torture;
I walked in the valley as the rising dawn spoke the secret of eternity,
Hell is in an empty heart.
And there a brook, on its course, was singing, calling and saying:
Riches are not in money alone;
Life is not only a merriment;
How many wanderers were the riches of all men?
Life is desire and determination.
Not all the poor are scorned;
Wisdom is not in words;
The wealth of the world is in a loaf of bread and a cloak.
Wisdom is meaning within words.
Greatness is not in exalted position;
Beauty is not in the face;
Greatness is for he who refuses position.
Beauty is a light in the heart.
A man is not noble through ancestry;
Perfection is not for the pure of soul;
How many noblemen are descendants of murders?
There may be virtue in sin.
Not everyone in chains is subdued;
This is what the brook said to the tree upon its banks;
At times, a chain is greater than a necklace.
Perhaps what the brook sang was of some of the secrets of the sea.
Paradise is not in repentance;
The Zen Monks and
The Governor
In South Korea there is a famous mountain called Ji Ri Sahn Mountain, and on this mountain there is an ancient Zen temple, called
Chon Un Sah Temple. It has been there for many hundreds of years, and was built even before Zen was a great movement in
Korea. For centuries, the temple was supported by the devoted lay Buddhist people in the area, and also by the region's governor,
who was a devout Buddhist himself.
One year, a new governor was appointed to that region. He was a Confucian, so he didn't like Buddhism at all. Buddhism had been
a national religion in Korea for many centuries when Confucians took power during the Chosun Dynasty (1492-1910), and
Buddhism was often repressed by different kings and local officials. Buddhist monks in particular had a very difficult situation.
So in those times it was quite usual for the new governor to make trouble for the people who had anything to do with the temples
in his district. One day. he summoned the temple's abbot. When the monk arrived at the regional office, the governor didn't say a
word, and simply hit him on the top of his head very hard. "Why did you hit me?" the abbot asked.
"You're very bad," the governor replied. "Your students don't do any work. They only sit in that meditation room all day, doing nothing for hours on end. I see all
these hardworking people give them food, and the monks only eat, lie down, and sleep. I don't like that! They're all a bunch of rice thieves! Everyone in this world
has to work, but not these monks of yours. So now you must pay higher taxes to the government." Then he hit the abbot a few more times.
"OK, we will of course pay these new taxes," the abbot said, even though his temple was small and very poor, and had never had to pay taxes before. He left the
governor's office and went back to the temple. When he arrived, the kitchen master saw the abbot's face. He saw that he was very sad.
"What happened with the governor?" he asked, and the abbot told him everything that had befallen him at the governor's office. When the abbot had finished, the
monks fell into a long silence together.
After a few minutes, the kitchen master's face suddenly brightened up. "Waah, I have a good idea! We'll invite the governor over. Tell him how poor we are, and
that we have no money --- but tell him that we have all of these valuable antiques and ancient works of art. Tell him that if he likes any, he can take one." The
kitchen master knew that the governor was very, very corrupt, and that these things were better than money for him.
"That's a wonderful plan. But there is only one problem," the abbot said. "We don't have any
antiques. We don't have any priceless works of art. How are we supposed to give him such
things if we don't even have them ourselves? Are you crazy?" He looked very confused.
"Don't worry, don't worry," the kitchen master said. "You just get him to come over. I'll take
care of the rest."
"OK," the abbot said, squinting narrowly at his crafty kitchen master. He had known this young
monk since he had entered the temple. The kitchen master practiced meditation very hard, so
maybe he had some special plan . . .
The kitchen master prepared lots of good food and drink. He sent several monks to the garden
to collect the freshest vegetables. Special rice cakes were rolled out, sliced, and dusted with
pine-nut powder. They baked and fried the most delicious temple delicacies, things eaten only
on special days, like Buddha's Birthday. Everyone was very excited! They were also very
curious about the kitchen master's plan.
After a short while, the abbot returned, with the governor right behind him. The governor
rubbed his hands, and his eyes glanced nervously from side to side. The monks put all of the
delicious food out for him, and invited him to eat.
But the governor did not seem to be interested in food at all. He was only interested in seeing
where the beautiful antiques were, and what he could choose for himself. As the monks tried to
make him comfortable, he grew impatient. "Abbot, I want to see those antiques! Where are
they?"
The abbot called out, "Kitchen Master!"
"Yes, sir?"
"It's time to bring out the antiques!"
"Yes, sir! Coming right out!" the kitchen master yelled back, and went into the kitchen for a minute. All that was heard was the sound of various objects being
tossed hither and thither, an empty jar falling down, a glass bottle breaking. Everybody was very nervous!
When he finally came out, he was carrying only a broom!
Bowing deeply at the waist, with a grand gesture he offered it up to the governor.
The governor got very angry. "You stupid monk! Who do you think I am? That's just a broom! That can't be more than a month old!"
The kitchen master looked genuinely surprised. "But that's not true, Your Excellency! This is a very valuable and powerful treasure."
The governor exploded into rage. "Do you take me for a fool? I am governor of this whole area! Who do you think you're talking to?"
All the other monks trembled in fear, because this man was very, very powerful. But the kitchen master wasn't afraid at all. With his eyes closed and chin out
slightly, he had a broad, confident smile on his face. "This broom is very, very old. It was made many thousands of years ago. If you ride this broom even once, you
can fly through the sky!"
"Fly?" The governor looked at him. "Is that true?"
"Yes, Your Excellency. That's true."
"OK," the governor said. "Then you try it first."
"No problem, I'll go first. But you must not think anything about what you see. Don't think good and bad. Only keep a clear mind!"
"OK," the governor replied.
So the kitchen master put the broom between his legs and --- ppssheewww!! --- flew off into the sky! He circled the temple once and landed in front of the governor.
The governor couldn't believe his eyes --- the monk had really flown through the air! The governor rubbed his hands together and said, "Ahhhh. I must have this
broom!"
But the kitchen master only looked at him, "Your Excellency!"
"Yes?" he replied, very afraid now of this monk.
"It's your turn. Try it once."
"Is it possible?"
"If your mind is good, then riding this broom is possible. If your mind is bad, then it will be impossible to move even one inch."
"But my mind is not bad!" the governor said.
"We know that, we know that," the kitchen master said, smiling. "But this broom understands your mind. So try for yourself."
The governor put the broom between his legs, squeezed his eyes tight, and jumped. And jumped. And jumped. But he didn't go anywhere!
"You're no good, Your Excellency," the kitchen master said. "You're always doing many bad actions, so you cannot fly anywhere on the broom. Everybody else can
fly except for you. I am only the kitchen master at this temple, and even I can fly it. The abbot flies on it all the time." The governor was speechless, completely
stuck.
Then the kitchen master pointed in the direction of the main meditation hall. "There are many monks over there, and they have special energy. They can just point at
you, and --- boom! --- they can give you an electric shock! All they do all day is meditate. Anytime you do some bad action, no matter how small, they can perceive
it. Sometimes they wake up if they sense you doing something wrong, and they can send electricity over to shock you. So you must keep a clear mind. Do you want
to see inside the meditation hall?"
"Yes, sir. Yes, sir," the governor said.
"Then come on over. We can't open the door. But just wet your finger and push it through the rice-paper window, like this, and look inside." When
they peered into the room, they saw the monks sitting in many different positions. Some sat slumped forward, their chins resting against their
chests; some sat with their heads tilted way back and to the side; while another sat slumped over to the left. They sat all different kinds of ways. The governor asked,
"Those people sitting slumped forward --- what kind of meditation is this?"
"That's perceive-the-ground meditation," the kitchen master replied.
"And what kind of meditation is this, the ones with their heads falling backward with their mouths wide open?"
"That's perceive-the-ceiling meditation."
"And that guy slumped over to the left?"
"That's dancing meditation."
"Oh." the governor said, "How wonderful! There really are many kinds of meditation!"
"Of course!" the kitchen master replied. "These great monks use any kind of meditation only to help this world. When they finish one kind of meditation, they go on
to an-other kind. My style is only broom-riding meditation. I don't use anything to do this: the body disappears and becomes smoke, and can come and go anywhere
with no hindrance. When you return home, if you do some bad action, these meditation monks' bodies can also change, become smoke, and go into your room and
kill you."
"OK! OK!" the governor shouted. "No taxes for this temple! Before, I didn't understand these people, but now I'll only support you! I'll do anything I can; anything
at all." So the governor left and went back to his palace. He never bothered the meditating monks of Chon Un Sah Temple ever again.
--- From Wanting Enlightenment
Is a Big Mistake
Teachings of
Zen Master Seung Sahn
©2006 Shambhala Publications