{"id":34734,"date":"2026-10-01T19:03:13","date_gmt":"2026-10-01T19:03:13","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/harissa.com\/news-wp\/?p=34734"},"modified":"2026-10-01T19:03:13","modified_gmt":"2026-10-01T19:03:13","slug":"the-father-of-twelve-children-by-emile-tubiana","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/harissa.com\/news-wp\/the-father-of-twelve-children-by-emile-tubiana\/","title":{"rendered":"The father of twelve children, by Emile Tubiana"},"content":{"rendered":"

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Excerpt From the future book The King and the Widow<\/p>\n

There was a man, father of twelve children, who couldn’t pay his rent anymore and owed two years rent to the landlord.\u00a0 One day the landlord went with his tenant to the Caliph to complain.\u00a0 On their way they encountered a stubborn donkey which didn’t want to move from its place.\u00a0 The donkey was carrying a precious load.\u00a0 The owner of the donkey begged the passers-by for help.\u00a0 The tenant responded immediately to the request and tried to pull the donkey by its tail.\u00a0 He pulled so strongly that the tail of the donkey came apart.\u00a0 The owner of the donkey was in distress and wanted to hit the poor tenant, when the landlord stopped him and said to him:<\/p>\n

– \u00ab\u00a0Don’t beat him, I am bringing him to the Caliph, come with me, he will have two cases instead of one.\u00a0\u00bb\u00a0 The owner of the donkey agreed and went with them holding the donkey by the rope in one hand and the tail in the other hand. The poor tenant was troubled to find himself with two cases on his head.\u00a0 He walked without looking in front of him and as he walked in despair, he stepped on a baby whom his parents had laid down on the grass to enjoy the sunshine. The baby died instantly.\u00a0 The parents were furious and they wanted to kill the poor tenant.\u00a0 The landlord intervened again and told the young couple:<\/p>\n

– \u00ab\u00a0Do not commit a crime, we are going to the Caliph to judge him, join us, he will have to answer for three cases instead of one, he is already a dead man. The couple joined the landlord and the owner of the donkey.\u00a0 The poor tenant was going listlessly and he was stumbling on every stone.\u00a0 After a while he tripped over a big stone and tumbled down from a high rock.\u00a0 Deep under him was an old man surrounded by his five sons, sleeping in the shade of this high rock.\u00a0 The poor tenant fell on the old man’s head and killed him instantly. The five sons were furious and wanted to kill him.\u00a0 Again the landlord intervened and told the five sons the same story.\u00a0 The poor tenant didn’t have the chance to come out of this mess.\u00a0
– \u00ab\u00a0His death is certain,\u00a0\u00bb said the landlord to the other plaintiffs.\u00a0 When they entered the palace court the Caliph saw the tenant and recognized him. The tenant was an old friend of his and he was the\u00a0 man who had given his son two hundred camels at the time when Bousid needed them.\u00a0 At that time the tenant, who used to be a rich man, had said to Mokhtar, Bousid’s son:<\/p>\n

– \u00ab\u00a0Tell your father: \u2018God is generous!’\u00a0 One day Bousid should return me a favor if I need it.\u00a0\u00bb\u00a0 Bousid did not want to judge him immediately and waited until everyone was out of the court.\u00a0 It was almost night when the Caliph called them to approach the bench.\u00a0 The landlord took the lead and told the judge:
– \u00ab\u00a0Your Majesty, this man was a landlord himself, many years ago, and he should know what it means if a tenant does not pay his rent.\u00a0\u00bb\u00a0
– \u00ab\u00a0To the point,\u00a0\u00bb interrupted the Caliph. Then the landlord continued:
– \u00ab\u00a0Two years ago he has stopped paying me rent for no reason whatsoever.\u00a0\u00bb The Caliph said:
– \u00ab\u00a0Ok, the next.\u00a0\u00bb
The owner of the donkey approached the bench, he said while crying :
-\u00ab\u00a0I have only this one donkey to work with and this stupid man, instead of helping me, pulled the tail from my donkey.\u00a0 I asked him to push the donkey and not to pull.\u00a0\u00bb
– \u00ab\u00a0Next\u00a0\u00bb said the Caliph.\u00a0\u00bb
The couple approached the bench and the husband said:
– \u00ab\u00a0My King, for many years my wife didn’t have any children and this year God blessed us with a boy.\u00a0 We were very happy, then this crazy man stepped on the baby and killed him.\u00a0\u00bb\u00a0 The Caliph looked at the tenant with a faint smile and said:
– \u00ab\u00a0Next! Now what are you five guys doing here?\u00a0\u00bb\u00a0 The oldest son approached the bench and his four brothers stood behind him.\u00a0 He said:
– \u00ab\u00a0My King, you know how precious our parents are, we were sitting around our old father who was sleeping, and comes this heavy man from nowhere and falls on our father’s head.\u00a0 Our poor and dear father died instantly.\u00a0\u00bb\u00a0 The Caliph asked them:
– \u00ab\u00a0How old was your father?\u00a0\u00bb\u00a0 The five men answered together:
– \u00ab\u00a0Only one hundred years, Your Majesty!\u00a0\u00bb\u00a0 The Caliph looked at everyone and said:
– \u00ab\u00a0I will return in an hour, let me think about all your small cases.\u00a0\u00bb
Everyone waited patiently and everyone hoped that the Caliph would hang the tenant.\u00a0 Suddenly the door opened wide and the Caliph entered again with a severe expression on his face.\u00a0 The tenant’s stomach turned around and he felt that his death was near.\u00a0 Then the Caliph ordered the guard to bring them before him, case by case.\u00a0 And now for the sentences:<\/p>\n

SENTENCE NR 1 Case number one: the judge said to\u00a0 the landlord: <\/p>\n

– \u00ab\u00a0Give him another five years to pay his rent and if he does not pay you, bring him back to me!\u00a0\u00bb\u00a0 When he heard the sentence, the landlord said:
– \u00ab\u00a0Your Majesty, I pardon him, we will settle this case together. He is a good person after all.\u00a0\u00bb<\/p>\n

SENTENCE NR 2\u00a0 the donkey owner:
– \u00ab\u00a0Your case is a very simple one, give your donkey to the tenant and he shall bring it back to you when the tail grows back.\u00a0 When the donkey owner heard the sentence he said:
– \u00ab\u00a0Your Majesty, I pardon him too, as the landlord said, he is a good man after all.\u00a0\u00bb<\/p>\n

SENTENCE NR 3 The third case: the couple and the baby:
– \u00ab\u00a0Your case is more than simple.\u00a0 Give him your wife and he shall return her to you only if she will be pregnant and will give birth to a baby boy.\u00a0\u00bb\u00a0 The couple responded together:
– \u00ab\u00a0Your Majesty we too pardon him, as everyone testified that he is a good man.<\/p>\n

SENTENCE NR 4 The fourth case: the five men and the father:
– \u00ab\u00a0Your case is an easy one.\u00a0\u00bb
The five men approached the bench, the judge ordered:
– \u00ab\u00a0Your father was not so young and his moment arrived while you were all surrounding him.\u00a0 That is a beautiful death.\u00a0 Now if you want to punish this man then you should all jump on him from the top of the same rock until he is punished\u00a0\u00bb\u00a0 The five men were scared as the top of the rock was high enough and they did not want to risk their lives, so together they responded:
– \u00ab\u00a0Your Majesty, we pardon him too, as we heard from all the plaintiffs before us that this man is a good man, therefore he should not die so young.\u00a0\u00bb\u00a0 The plaintiffs\u00a0 left the palace court one by one, smiling as if they had just won the case.\u00a0 The brothers who for the first time saw the king, were very happy with this encounter and left the court smiling and praising the king’s wisdom.
The court which just a few minutes ago was full of people, was empty now, except for the tenant who was retained by the guard upon the Caliph’s instructions.\u00a0 The guard took him to the palace’s bath\u00a0 and gave him fresh and rich looking clothes.\u00a0 After a while, the tenant with his new clothes on, appeared like a prince and couldn’t believe the lucky day he had.\u00a0 He was full of joy and gratitude towards God.\u00a0 As he was about to leave the palace, the guard stopped him and told him that the Caliph wanted to see him.\u00a0 The poor tenant was scared again that the Caliph may have changed his mind.\u00a0 He followed the guard with a heavy heart.\u00a0 When he reached the Caliph’s room he looked like a king himself.\u00a0 In fact the clothes were regal.\u00a0 At the end of the majestic room, the Caliph was waiting for him with many dignitaries.\u00a0 The king gave a great reception.\u00a0 The poor tenant was completely overwhelmed and could not realize what was going on.\u00a0 Then he addressed the king and said:
– \u00ab\u00a0Your Majesty, there must be an innocent error, I am a poor man and do not belong to this beautiful place.\u00a0\u00bb\u00a0 Then the king smiled and asked the poor tenant:
– \u00ab\u00a0Do you recognize me ?\u00a0\u00bb\u00a0 The poor man, intimidated and with a scared voice responded:
– \u00ab\u00a0No, Your Majesty!\u00a0\u00bb\u00a0 The Caliph approached him closer and said:
– \u00ab\u00a0Take a good look at me and tell me if you recognize me?\u00a0\u00bb The poor tenant looked at the Caliph again and again, then he responded:
– \u00ab\u00a0Your Majesty, I wish I knew you.\u00a0\u00bb\u00a0 The Caliph responded swiftly:
– \u00ab\u00a0Of course you know me, my friend Jamil, the generous one, and the noble one.\u00a0\u00bb\u00a0 Jamil, the tenant, responded with a laugh and continued:
– \u00ab\u00a0The miserable one, and the naked one.\u00a0\u00bb Then the Caliph said to him:
– \u00ab\u00a0You remember my son Mokhtar, to whom you gave two hundred camels?\u00a0\u00bb When the Caliph mentioned Mokhtar and the camels the poor Jamil responded:
– \u00ab\u00a0Your Majesty, you mean my friend Bousid’s son?\u00a0 Do you know him?\u00a0\u00bb\u00a0 Jamil was a little confused as he could not put together the camels, Bousid who lived in another place and now the Caliph.\u00a0 It was too much for one single day and especially after a tiring trip! The Caliph answered:
– \u00ab\u00a0Yes Jamil, your friend Bousid.\u00a0\u00bb\u00a0 The tenant answered:
– \u00ab\u00a0I wish I could find my friend Bousid, he is the only man I can trust.\u00a0\u00bb The Caliph smiled and said:
– \u00ab\u00a0My friend Jamil!\u00a0 I am Bousid and my son Mokhtar whom you know will arrive soon\u00a0\u00bb\u00a0 The tenant completely seized with emotion, burst into tears.\u00a0 The Caliph kissed him and hugged him and said :
– \u00ab\u00a0Do you remember, Jamil, the message you sent me through my son?\u00a0\u00bb\u00a0 Jamil remembered and said :
– \u00ab\u00a0Tell your father: \u2018God is generous and you shall return me a favor if I need it!'\u00a0\u00bb\u00a0 Then the Caliph said to him:
– \u00ab\u00a0You recognized yourself, that God is generous and I should return you a favor if you needed it\u00a0\u00bb.\u00a0 Then he stopped for a moment and continued: \u00ab\u00a0Could you choose a better day for a favor?\u00a0\u00bb Jamil answered:
– \u00ab\u00a0No!\u00a0 This was the most important day in my life. I thank Our Lord for his generosity and justice.\u00a0 If I had been judged by another king, my head would not be on my shoulders by now!\u00a0\u00bb\u00a0 After the short reception the Caliph took Jamil by his hand and entered another room where dinner was to be served. This time, in front of Queen Soraya who was present, the Caliph told him:
– \u00ab\u00a0My friend Jamil, herewith I proclaim you the mayor of the city of Moraz.\u00a0\u00bb Then he turned to his wife Soraya and said:
– \u00ab\u00a0My dear Soraya do you agree with my decision?\u00a0\u00bb Soraya who had listened to the entire story and was herself indirectly involved in it, said:
– \u00ab\u00a0Of course, my King, let him bring his wife and his children here.\u00a0\u00bb The Caliph, with a smile:
– \u00ab\u00a0You heard what the Queen just said, go and bring your wife and your children here!\u00a0 <\/b><\/p>\n

Emile Tubiana<\/b><\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n\n

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<\/h6>\n<\/blockquote>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

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