Hakim, The Dreamer

Hakim, surnamed tlio Dreamer, was the only son of Hamet, one of tho principal tilomas of Constantinople, a privilegod class who hold their lands independently of the will of tlie Grand Signior, and can only be disposeessed according to law. Having a wealthy and indulgent father, he was free to iollow the bent of tbat inclination for indolent reposo whioh is one of the leading traits of tho followers of Mohammed, who, believing that Allah governs all things, tako little paius to obtaia the good graccs or avoid tho frowns of fortune. Among the race of indolent MupsuImans, Hakim was the most indolent. He was never knoi to go out of nis way to avoid a misfortune or attain a gratification ; and a great portion of hjs tim" was passed in indolent oontemplatiou. so profoixnd that, in time, he beoame knowa by no otbor name than thai of Hakim, the Dreamer. BU fayorite plao,e of resort was mi, an extensive cemetqry, charmingly sitnated ou a projeétmg point 'nearly oppoKito to tho Seven Towers of tbe Seragiio, and wliere, amid tho dead of past ages, he srnoked bis pipe, gazed aronnd nnconscious of the inspiration of the, magnificent scène spread out beforehim, and feil into a state of mind, betwist .sloeping and waking, iii whieh tkough the senses aro not actually oérm&nL, the imagination often usürps their empire and palms upon thein a thousand deoeptions. One calm gumtuer eyonin, when tho long, lingeriiig trrHiglif threw ita soft, haz,y vaü over the face of nature, and the Propontis lay spread ont beforo lum -without a ripple, Hakim was seated under the shade of an aged tree that threw its wide branches over the tonib of the. famona Derrina AI Hade.r, renowncd for bis sanctity among all orthodox Mnssulmans. The soene -was beautiful beyond d,eacriptiou. Oa ono hand lay stretohed out bofore him the vast capiial of the empire of the Crescent, which, though shorn of its bcamst still retains the vestiges of its fermer magniliccnije, rising frolft 'frhoSe bóisöni'tnigiit be peen the glittering1 domes 'and minarots cf ihe' splendid mosquea of K 5ophia, of the Sultan Valid", and of Solyman, the Magniflcent. On the other hand, the glassy mirror of the Propontis, glowing witb the purple rays of the setting eun, and thickly covered with vossels, whose white sails hung idly from tèe filaftt, spread far and Vvidö, bóünded, in the distenoe, by tbe smiling coast of the anoient Nioomedia. In another direction might be seen tbe opening of the far-famed Bosphorus, on whose shores the adventurous Argonauta landed in their search for the goíden fleeöe ; wliei'e Pollux sle-tt Ülö gldat Amycus, ; where pfood old Phinews was persécutëd by the Harpies, and whichis Mifn,n"i# iii tne eyes of all Uto íidvücates of f ree trade for tiieiiig the first place on record where a custom houso was established. But Hakim saw not khew etótie'a. He was unkoñshir'v.?, al cue present, and of t"3 pü'á'i; he was ignorante His eyes indeed roved from one object to anotlier, but without seeing anything, and his mind was equally excursive without dwellirg on any one object. But his imagination temaíneú wïcte áwáke, ekeitcij ftB it was bj' tlie f unies óf his pipe, re-e!ifoïcod by a pill of opium;i whi.oh Hakim, being an absoluto teetniaier, was aceustomed to sw.llo tO give additional ze.st to hlS reveries. At longth, by degrees, the entire scène around him faded away, or at least ho became for a time totaliy unconscious of its exisieitóe as well afl his own ond tiié ïoliowing pageftnt pftssiad Oí er his head : 1 1 scemed as if he were trausported, he knew uot how, to those tisies and regions in whicli mankind embódied their own passions, ïeblings. ánd. apper titos in the fprïji of go's ánfl ■fttiiíhipped monsteiis Oí t'heir own creution. It chanced that he arrivcd at t'.io momcut when Júpiter, becoming tired witli the never-ceasing complaints of the human raco eoneeïniiig thamwóual diaüibutiou ■ i'jniu-ti.i. mul üsí'ust' ■ ,m,i viii-xt? perpetual Glivy of íinch Otheï's fot, 'liad dotorminctl to puhish theaa ii S iái'óst exemplury ftirorterv by gítóitlüg their prav';r siM. 'errnittijig them to cscliánge lots wiÜi tiloso whoso situation in life they considered most happy. Accordingly ho had commanded the goddess Faíne to procrálfti Míoímá of trumpel to , tlxí ittfeiñost ends of the eaíth, tiiát alí thoso who were discontented with their lot,.,or envied tkat of others, should come togcthcr at tlie foot of Olympus, bringing their oarea, anxieties, misfortmies and suiferiugs in a sack, for the purpose OÍ eichanging with those whom they most entded. Quick as thottgbt-, aiid ete ths-öölióes of the trumpet hftd ceased to reterberate among ,the recesíes of Olympus, it seemed to Hakim as if the entire human race was in mctiou. Myriads on myriads camo rushing upward, treading on each othor'K heels and etrivüig to.getfoi-emost, that they might have the . flrst choice among tho mbuntams of paeks that soon rose almost as high as the seat of Jove. Amid the dim obscurity of a visión it was impoasible for Hakim to remember the vast diversity of cases that presented themselves or what infinite modes and forras of ical or, imagiaaïy sufferings occasioned by an abuse of the blessings bestowed by Providenöe, were huddled together in the mighty mass. A few only were afterward distmotly rërnenibered by him, and when there seemed to be uo mora coming the goddess again soünded Jierirunipet, ïroclaiming that all those who at the expiration of .a year. became diss.atiflotl with their exchan'ge' of lots, niight return Lo that whicli they had discarcted. The flrst -deposited tíieir-paoks, aecording to-tüe reeolletíltoii of HaMm, were a niaster and his 8laVe,who, by the sovereign wiH of Jove, exchanged lots with each other, and both went their way rejoicing. Then carne a marriod man and a bachelor ; next o single and married woman ; after them a childless couple, ad one bearing a laige family ; next a king and a beggar, íollowed by a rich glutton and a poor laborer ; and then a philosopher and a fooi. All these, and millionsunore, esolianged lots, and tripped away deiighted with their, new burdens. fM& Last of all carne a venerable oíd man, with a long white beard flowing down upon bis breast, and a palé face searred with the doep lins oí thoiight,as wéll' as the still deeper f urröwö of age. Even Júpiter appeared stuek with his appearance, and questioned him. as to the purport of bis visit. "Oh I mighty Jove," exclaimed the oíd man. in flattering accouts, "I have passed tíiy wlldlë ufe ín sfucfy and travel. I know all the past. I have seen all bat of 4he future I am as ignorant as tho child untiorn. Make me, I beseech thie, fe wise as the dead - let meknow what is to come liereafter." , 7 y ' p ' " Oh ! foolisfi and frö8uinptuOTis mor tal, thou ait ignorant, "with .all thy win dom and oxperieiico, of whftt tkou _ask est. Knowest tbon íiot that nll thing are ordained by fate, and that th; knowledge will only mato thee mor ■wrctclied, by shówiiig thee a tbousun evils thou canst not avoid asd renderin thee incapable of eujoying the 'pren ent, in the itoad of the 'f ature V Bul take thy wish ; go, and liecomo as wif as the dead." At that moment the old man sliud dered, and ráü away as fast as liis feebl limbs would permit, lookiug behinc with glaring eyes, afl if chasetl by thowsand Éfenaa, When tho preecribed periud liad passed, whicb wwnód t Hakiin bnt a moment, the trumpet wae igain soiinded, and, to his astonishment, not only the crowd wan aH great as beforo, but constituted the vnry p;im' purHons. TUo goddcsH [;n:(itccL Üiwn v.'ith a, sifrniücaut smila, and, looking wistfully at Jove, who gave a graoiou nod, asktd, Olio by ono, what they desired, The firat tbfit oame wero "tbo m&ster Pfi ni sluvo, tlio forincr of whom aiisworod as follows : " To exelmngo lofs again. I ara tiied oí liaviuguo vtüj oí ïuy owu." ' 'Aud I, " said the other, ' ' Luwe learned that ifc is inuch mcrc iroublo to govem than.to be govorncd. Give me my pack again," ! ïïoxt caine tlie bachelor and tho inar.riëd man. The foymer, on befdg interrogated by the goddösri, replied : " Benefioent lady, I oome for my old pack. Be pleased to understand, however, that I admire suok beautifid goddesses as you are, aiid reverence the iiighly-respeotable institution of matrimony. Yfct inasnrach as the colt which is expected to be obedient under the saddlo must bo bridled betunes, so, raay it pienso y out divinity, should the bachelor bo broke in early, or he will, peradvout uve,, kick up incontinently. " With tiiis, ho eugerly seized his old pack, and Lied away, poyíiig a compliment to a bcatitifiii damsel as he passect. The lunrried intih Whb had eïchabged his pack -with the bachelor hereupon eagerly seized that he bad just discarded, and was niaking ofl" with it, wlien the goddess demanded what reason he had to be dissatisüed with the lot he had chos.n. "May it please yonr goddesship," replied he, ' tlio momeht I regaiipd say ftéedpm Í dja not köp trii.at Xo do with mysclf. Beirig resolved to make the most of my newly-acquired liberty, I pluüged into all the gayeties of life ; visited all places of public amusement; freqnented the society of ladies, where I made love to th",m, ánd WR3 latlghed at; and, in short, Jaborëd harder in the ptfrenit of pleasnre tbán I ever did to please my wife 'oï subpoti; my iamily. I fohñd layse'f in the situation of a top which cannot stand -without a good whipping, and so ï came back i'or ray packagaüi;" Kelt m order came the ehildless couplo and the couple having many children, who cxchange their lots once more, one declaring that children gave moro troublo than pleasure; the other that the cares ad ansietíeB oí Uie parent were 'doüláíy repaid by tliat pleasure of possessing these pledges of love. ."Of all the vexations of this worid," exclaimed the flrst, "cross, disobedient children are the worst;" "and of all the èhjoyments of this world," cried the second, " there is nothing equal to the smiles and eudearments of infaney." They weïo fol)o-ed !y the kin ü,nd the begfïai-; tiia ÍÚrmár of whom retaiced litfcle, and tho latter had acquired much oí tho air noblfc. "Well!" said the goddess, inquiringly- "Let me bo a kííig, otlüH .ttioro,51 eaid the( moiinrcbi! " kiouSb in áottie re8ie:ts taeffa ia no great ililterence bet ween us. Both are beggars, having nothing but what they derive from the labors of others. The king is, "however, a beggar in a greater sense, and that makes the sjjation more digniftcd," ;=■; - i-v íaytbe 0&ottmÍM that Ís Lei áay, bitten to death by fleas - if had uot rather eat crumbs out of my at, sleep under a sky blanket, and wear my birthday suit all the year, than take ie troublo of governing such a diíirderly, discontentett, diobedient, set of aseUy t?emocrala as now make the task : governing mankind, which was formerly as easy as kiss your hand, rather more' than driving a herd of swine. ome, my old fiiond," continucd he. ïoulderilig hio pack and lituping away let Viin i+iftjiirfy, of wlldm hh begged aarity ih the mest earnest imd affecting mannef. Tiie i-icli man Md tho poör laborer ame next, and yeemed to have eschangd person!) r.s wcll as lots, for the former ooked hard and scanty, while the latter ïad become bilious and bloated, and ïalted marvelously in his gait. They c-exchanged their lots with apparently (jukl satisfaction. " When I was rich," eaïd the flrst, " I icked appe-tite ; but then I had plenty f food, which, oü tho WliolO) is better ïan being lrungry and having nothiug ;o eat." "When I was poor," Raid tho other, "tobe sure I lacked leisure and i'ood, bilt when I became rich I was still worse, for I haa neithor appetite ïior rfist,. ft, coat, me moro labor to digest he dinner than to earn a dozen, and, nstead oí sleeping quietly, I was contantly ridden by the nightmare, whicli s ten times worse than walkiug on foot 11 éby. Besides, I had got a bad temer in exchange for a good one, and was ways frétting at something. Then this oníounded too of mine an,„ what a ifinge í". exclaimedho, making a marveljUs wry face, and snatching up the pack vliicii the otner had thrown away, walked }ff with a firm step to his daily labor. ■ After these had retired, the -wine man tnd the fooi approached. " I am sick of having nothing to think 3f," said the one. "lam tired of always thinking," oxjlaimed the othe.r. " Sinco I became wise, I iind myself only the moro con?cioii8 of my ignorance, and my sole imusement is in laughing at those fools wlio pass their whole lives in learning omch and knowing nothing. Give me my dap and be!ls. Good-by wisdom and wfclcome folly." So saying he departed, making enormons grimaces and cutting ;he most stupendous capers. Even the imtnortal Jove could not f oroear smiling at tbis exhibition, and waa indulging his merry humor, when there approached the aged man, with venera ble countenance and long white beart sweeping down over his breast, on whom Had been bestowod the knowledge o friinritv. "Thou mayest remember, Ohmighty Japiter," said he, "that exactly one yea ago, I, in tho presnmptnous ignorance of my soul, begged of tlieo the gift o knowledge of the future as well as of th past and presout. Thou didst graoiously gisuit my request, and, like yondor fooi I went my way rejoicing. 13ut eve sinéo that hour I havo enjoyed neithe peace nor rest. The recollections of th past, tho happiness of , the present, ar all swallowed np in the eontemplation o the future, and tho dread anticipation o a train of ccrtnin eviln and suftering that pass like grim specters before my aehing oyes, forctelling and foredoomicg umitterablo wocs to come. Take back thy gift, Oh ! mighty Jove ! and let '&o be blind as before !" sliook liïs ambrosial curls and gavo the nod of fate. The old man secmed relieved of a mighty burden, but, af ter standing a few monients, sighed and said, "Alas! what now rcmains for an old man like me !" "To bc content with tliy lot in this woiid, and deserve a botter if thou eaust, cried Júpiter, in a voice ki loud anl dread that it arousod Hakim froni Iijh revery, and, sooing that dürkiuws hiul gatheted. anmud, lio knoekoil thé iwhes out of hia pipo and rettirned to the (jjtjfi ponclering on bis dwam,