Mammon? Said Anne.
Yes. Said mammon. I am very glad to see you both safely arrivedBaghdad.
We are glad you are safe too. Said Anne. we were worried aboutyou.
I looked everywhere for you after the sand storm. said mammon.
Finally I gave up my searching and returned to Baghdad sadly, Ihave soon found your family,Are you sure? Said Anne. you found them?
And we found your book. Said jack. And we couldn’t find you andwe decided we should give the book to caliph.
Mammon smiled.
You still not understand,, do you? He said.
Understand what? Said Anne.
I am the caliph ali-abdula-mammon.
You’re the caliph? Said Anne. but..how..
What? Stemmed jack.
Formany years I have wanted the book of aristotle’s wisdom. Saidthe caliph. I heard the book found in the city of the Masks. And itmeant clear to my library. It was most important to arrive here safely.
I have long wish to travel again to desert with as Iwas a boy. So Idisguised myself, with a humble monk, as a humble merchant tomake the journey. My fellow travelers never knew my true identity.
Until they make the journey.
Wow! Whispered jack.
You have shown me that you have the great respect for booksandlearning. Said caliph al-mammon. And you have also proven youhave humble hearts. Before you joined your family, I want to showyou a very special place. I call it the house of wisdom.
The house of wisdom? Greed jack, that sounds great.
And it’s myhope that the house would indeed find the great. Saidthe caliph. Come.
He started to leave the room . jack and Anne roads rose from thefloor and ran after him. Carrying ancient book of Aristotle, the caliphand jack and Anne are out of the room of the old gum tree. It’s goldtree to build gold about him step down the corridor, every person hepassed crouched below to the floor.
An other mystery solved. And said to jack.
She called for Merlin’s last letter:
Great friend you wants know and new friends to beBoth friends are the same person. Said Anne.
Mammon from the desert, and caliph al-abdula-mammon.
Right. Said jack, smiling.
The caliph then jack and Anne were out of the front door of thepalace. In the call yard, stood two camels long paws andpeach totheir saddles . resting on top of the gloves, was a small carriage.
Decorated with gold pastles and ...
Servants helped jack and Anne and caliph al-abdulla-mammon intothe strange little carriage. Bells dingle and camels began to moveslowly throughthe call yard. The caliph opened the tiny shutters tolet in air and sunlight, jack looked out, everyone bare waswearing ...the boys playing ball, and the gardens waiting forflowers , the women carrying pots,Jack has lots of questions about how is thehow to spread wisdomsto the world. But now, he knew that his new friend mammon wasthe mighty caliph he felt shy. Even Anne seemed to be a lot a lostfor words . until they rode pad, day pumps, the palace gardens,We’re here. Said the caliph, with the camels stopping to a stop. Hehelped jack and Anne out of the carriage, then let them up the stepsof a large building.
Welcome to the house of wisdom. Said the caliph.
long the center of a world.
What happens here? Asked jack.
Come. I will show you. Thecaliph scrolled jack and Anne throughthe front door, down a wide hall way,We have laboratory, discovering new medicines, he said. and anyother for stars and planets. But this is my favorite room of all.
The caliph stopped before an arch door way. Heopened the doorand let jack and Anne into a huge silent room.
This is the library. He said in a hashed voice. Evne a be very quiethere.
Late afternoon light slatted down from the high open window.
Streaming over the book of colorful carpets. Man-read along table,when he looked read up a , he saw the caliph all started to readPlease continue with your road. Don’t mind us. The caliph saidsoftly.
The men sat down again. And returned to their reading and writing.
The caliph pointed to a beautiful mansitting by a window hunchingover a pile of papers. The man was writing seriously, that’s all corazme. Al-kaliz-eme Whispered the caliph.
And he is a truly great magician, yet perhaps Indian way to writingnumbers. The caliph pointed to the numbers on the book and onthe wall.
One, two, three, four, five, six, seven, eight ,nine and ten. We callthese Arabian numbers. He said.,Arabic numbers? Said jackYes. Said the caliph.
Jack whispered to Anne.
We used the Arabic numbers too. They must from their god.
The caliph pointed to another man sitting by the window. He isal-kindi. He is perhaps the most brilliant scientist in the world.
Whispered the caliph. But he is very humble. He believesknowledge can not belong to only one person or one country,hebelieves it belongs to all. The world grows wide only one wisdom toshare it. I agree. And I built this house.
I agree, too. Whispered AnneMe tool. Said jack.
Scientist,, scholars from many countries come here to read andstudy and share their knowledge. Whispered the caliph. We havethousands of books, they have all been copied by hand.
By hand.? Said Anne it’s a lovely that’s a lot of scripting.
What kind of books? Asked jack.
Books of history, medicine, mathematics, geography and medicine.
Said the caliph.
But we also had a very special book of fantasy and wonder.
The caliph took a large stake book down from the shelf. He rested iton the table. And into the pages of jack and Anne. the book wasfilled with fancy and beautiful streetions. There were pictures ofladen, and ali baba. Medicine and copies.
Oh1 tales from Arabian nights. Said Anne. we know these stories.
You do? Wonderful! The caliph said with a smile. It seems someoneelse has traveled to you and cheer the stories.
Perhaps someone will soon stories from you land back to us. That’sthe great power of book1 re?
Yes! Said Anne.
And I hope your landing here with the book too someday. Said thecaliph.
He held up the book of aristotle’s writings.
After I have read it, I have no copy so I can carry spread wisdomsto the world. Thank you for helping me.
Sure. Jack said modesly. It’s our mission.
I fear I must now return to my duties. Said the caliph. But pleasestay at the library. We want to you to bring we have not bring yourfamily and come back someday for visiting me.
We will try. Said jack.
Goodbye, Anne. goodbye, jack.
Bye, mammon. Anne said.
The mighty caliph gave them a warm smile and deep bawl. Then heleft jack and Anne, in his warn dress. Library. |