The Lost Treasure (1950s)

[Music] An enjoyable hour in any day may be passed at our local coffee house. Here, friends can relax and forget their troubles or argue about the news of the world. That elderly gentleman is a wise shake who remembers the popular tales of Nasaredin Hocha. And just coming in the door is Bor Han, an earnest young man who lives nearby. I want it. Oh, but think of the money you could get for it. But I work so hard for this. Yes. Well, I just need you to work hard. Why not? How long do you work every day? Could I trouble you for some coffee? Good afternoon, Habibid. I don't see anything good about it. Thank you very much. I'm sorry to have disturbed you. 15, 20 hours a day. And for what? Well, I own part of it. Our waiter seems troubled. Defending by a certain young radical, I'm afraid. Hamid. Ah, yes. Hammeed has been trying to persuade our good waiter to sell his partnership in this little coffee house and work for a new cause, for a new kind of society in which the government would own everything and guarantee good times and equal working hours. But the waiter has worked years for what he has. Surely he would not give up all that for a lot of fancy radical promises. It is a human failing, Burhan, that people, especially young people, I'm afraid, forget to look for happiness in their own backyard. I wish our friend the waiter remembered how Nasered Hocha once helped two young farmers with a very similar problem. Which story is that, Ephendi? Let me tell it to you, Burhan, and see if the lesson does not apply to Hamid and the waiter. The story is called the lost treasure. In the years long ago when the hoocher was judge in his village, he was often called upon to act as advisor in matters of birth and marriage and business and death. [Music] [Music] Hallelujah. [Music] Once an old farmer who lay waiting for death to take him, begged the hocher to help him write a last will and testament. [Music] The dying man was afraid that his two sons would be tempted to sell the farm and give up all that a lifetime of hard labor had gained from the earth. The Hocher thought deeply about the wisest way to meet this problem, and then, taking up his pen, began to write a last will for the old man to approve before he shut his eyes forever. [Music] On the 40th day after their father's death, when the sons were visiting his grave, a certain land merchant was waiting for them. He tempted the sons with talk of an easier life in distant places and offered them ready cash if they would sell him the [Music] farm. As was the custom in those days, an official seal was necessary on all documents. So the two sons went before the Hocha with their bill of sale for the [Music] farm. Naserine Hocha was saddened by the readiness of the young men to sell their heritage, the farm for which their father had worked so hard. Before he approved the sale, he asked them to listen to their father's last message to them. My two good sons, in my last words, I must tell you that there is a great treasure buried on the lands of our farm. Do not let anyone steal that treasure from you." And upon hearing this, the sons had only one desire. to rush back to their farm and start working the land as hard as they could to find the hidden [Music] treasure and work on the farm. They did, digging every inch, turning the soil, plowing, cultivating, planting, harvesting, and plowing again as the seasons sped quickly [Music] by. But after two hard years, the sons felt tired and disappointed because they had found no buried treasure on their farm. In an angry temper, they returned to Naseredine Hocha. There is no treasure buried on our fields. Hocha, we have looked everywhere. The truth is that in his old age, our father foolishly believed in something that did not exist. Nazeradin Hocha listened patiently for a while and then asked the sons to come with him for one more visit to the farm. [Music] The farm was now a picture of prosperity. In their years of hard labor, the sons had taken bountiful crops from the land, improved the buildings, and started [Music] families. Nasered's words now rang with dry humor. Did the sons actually believe that their dying father had lied? What was all this wealth and health and happiness that they had gained from the farm if not a treasure? The hocher needed to say no more. His lesson was clear and the son said no more about selling their heritage. Luckily for them, they had found their treasure before they had lost it for good. And this was the wisdom of the hocha. Our friend, the waiter, was listening to your story, Aphendi. He seems to have no more use for Hamid's radical ideas. It is a simple lesson Bhan to cherish what we have and search for happiness in the ways of our fathers. But unfortunately too many people today do not recall the wise teachings of Naseradin Hocha. [Music]