Hoja's Pupils

[Music] [Music] Have you ever thought of opening a coffee house where neighbors and visitors to your town could gather to pass an hour or so chatting about the affairs of the day. It's a lot of work to run a coffee house. The hours are long, but then you meet some very interesting people like that shake who remembers all the old stories of Nasaredin Hocha. And then again, you meet some people like this fellow Hamid who can be a downright nuisance at times. [Music] [Applause] [Music] These newspapers are as dishonest as our chief of police. There's not one word of the scandal. Not even on the back pages. Not a word. What is this about the police? You don't know that our chief of police has been selling protection to criminals? That is a serious charge, Harid. The man's reputation would be ruined if that was true. It's true. Everybody knows it. I knew the chief when he was in our local police. He was as honest a man as I have ever met. And you haven't met enough people. You haven't met all those who know he's a crook. What is the proof of this terrible accusation? What better proof is there that everyone knowing the man is not to be trusted? The members of my party are helping to spread the word. Good evening, Aphendi Hamid. Good evening, Bourhan. All day, I've been hearing the most distressing news about our chief of police. You believe that, too? I don't know what to believe, offend, but where there is so much smoke, there must be fire, or else there is somebody around behaving like the Hocha's pupils. Are you referring to me? I was thinking about you, Hamid, and about one of the old Naseredin Hocha stories. A favorite one of mine that makes a point very appropriate to this moment. The story is called the Hocha's pupils. In the language of the land where Nasered lived, the word Hocha meant teacher and he has been remembered over the centuries as Naseredin Hocha because of the many years he taught the school in his village. Some of the years he had fine pupils growing wiser like grain slowly ripening in the fields. Other seasons the crop in the schoolroom wasn't so good. [Music] [Music] Huh? [Music] [Applause] [Music] The Hoocha told his pupils that if they would only behave themselves, he would invite them to dinner some night. And the boys, taking this as an invitation, immediately followed him home. [Music] Exhausted after a hard day at school, Nasaredine told his wife that she must get rid of the boys. His wife asked the boys what they wanted and told them that her husband was out. But the students weren't to be put off so easily. Dear lady, we just followed the Hocher here. He he insisted on our coming. The Hocher's wife repeated that he was not at home. And the students cried out that he was. The dispute became louder and louder until Nasered had had enough. "Gentlemen, what are you quarreling about? Perhaps there are two doors. He may have gone in by one and come out by the other." Then the window slammed. The door slammed and nothing the students could do got any further response from inside. Then the boys put their heads together. The same heads that seemed almost empty of brains every day in school, now filled with all sorts of plots against their teacher. The next morning they were ready to make the hocher sorry. The oldest boy made the others swear an oath of secrecy. Then he greeted Nasaredine. Salam, Hocha. I hope you're well. You look terribly pale. The Hocha snorted. I never felt better in my life. Sit down and don't talk nonsense. But the seed of doubt was planted in the Hocha's fertile mind. Had he slept well the night before? Had his stomach rumbled louder than usual over breakfast? Why should he look pale? Then another student brought alarming news. Have you heard? There are two cases of the plague in the city where you visited last week. The plague? The seed of doubt began to take root in the hocher's mind. What were the first symptoms of plague? Paleness, then a high fever, then headaches and blurred vision. One of the students suddenly stood up. Hocha, may I open the window for you? You look as if you were burning with fever. The Hocher's worries sprouted like a weed. Peness, fever. Could they all see it? Did they all know? He called for the lessons to begin. Then when the Hocha ordered one of the students to stand still, the boy replied, "I am standing still, Hocha. Is it possible that your vision is going bad? That did it. The Hoch's doubt about his state of health blossomed into brilliant splotches of fear. You're so terribly pale. Are you burning with fever? Let us say prayers for [Music] you. Heat. Heat. [Music] [Music] And that's what happened. While the boys were celebrating the success of their conspiracy with the day off from school, the Hocha lay shivering under his blankets, wondering if he would die of the plague. So it is an old trick to keep repeating a lie until some people come to believe it just because they have heard it so many times. It is a trick that may fool us unless we are sure to ask when we hear an accusation being repeated without proof. Unless we ask why is the rumor being spread? Are the lies being told by people like the Hocha's pupils who are trying to harm someone for their own secret gain? The Hocher learned this lesson the hard way. I hope we can benefit from his sad experience. [Music]