Hoja and the Woodcutter (1950s)

[Music] I tell my stories here let the Coffee House be full of friends listening to my story may they be free from sorrow as when the hoja told this story a great king called the just had finished a day of hunting and as the Royal servants were preparing the meat they found they had forgotten the salt so they sent a boy to get some salt from the nearest Village just then hammed interrupted them listen I have just heard it said and all the friends said sh sh yourselves I oh I just heard it said that there is to be a meeting in the marketplace tomorrow at 4 an interruption is rude permit me to repair it and we shall consider your petition my son God grant you patience may your Shadow be always a part on us a friend said continue hoger they sent a boy to the village for salt but the king commanded that the salt must be paid for lest The Village be ruined ruin by taking a pinch of salt How could a handful of salt taken by the king destroy a village as the great persan poet says if the king takes a single Apple from the orchard of one of his subjects his army will pull up the whole tree by its roots thus Justice is defeated for each should receive the fruits of his labor ah these are oldfashioned ideas what do you mean hammed apples salt nonsense the Communists say everything must be shared from each according to his abilities to each according to his needs this is the Modern Way I have never heard anything so foolish what a man earns belongs to him each must receive the value of his labor no more no less let me tell you a a true story to prove my point when I was a judge in a small village there came to me one Mahmud with a petition your honor I charge that this wood cutter has cheated me out of my right f for wage oh me for know your honor that this man cut 30 loads of wood for S Aon affendi who is as your honor knows very rich and pays very well as he was cutting the wood I passed by and I stopped to offer him some advice my dear fellow you obviously know nothing about what you're doing in the first first place your axe is not the right kind for felling a tree in the second place you're standing too close and in the third place you'd get twice the work done if you had more enthusiasm don't stand there the tree will fall on you do you think I'm so stupid I don't know which way a tree will fall now I cannot improve your AXS and I cannot correct your habits but for a reasonable fee I can add to your enthusiasm encourage you and give strength to your arm for I will cheer you on oh I'm exhausted look [Music] out so you see Sword of Justice you know that I gave this wood cutter very material help he has just been paid for his work but refuses to give me my share for helping him and you believe that you have earned something and that you should be paid oh Seat of Wisdom I have heard you say many times that everyone should be paid according to what he produces therefore I must receive from you my just reward your honor I am the accused may I not speak in my own fense I do not think that will be necessary after hearing the facts and I trust you have told us the facts upon my life that will be sufficient of course you are right the idea of his receiving everything for merely cutting the wood while you stood by and took so much trouble every time he drove in the X it is not to be thought of there shall be Justice and you shall receive your share but your honor it was I who cut the wood what possible claim can he have because he stood there looking on hush my man you don't understand you have with you the money you receive for cutting the wood yes your honor please give it to me Justice must Prevail even as the just King has said and a man must be paid in proportion to what he has produced no more no less in all Justice as you Mahmud have produced only the sound of work so shall you receive only the sound of payment and you wood cutter shall receive your rightful reward for your honest [Music] work thus Through the Ages each gets as much as he deserves and he deserves as much as he gives [Music] [Applause] [Music] [Music] [Music]