Then one day, an old woman came to see me. She observed me for some time but couldn’t understand anything. Later, she insisted on sending everyone out of my room. Afterward, she asked me what was going on in my mind. She said that she had understood that I was not suffering from any physical illness. Perhaps, I had fallen in love with someone, and I couldn’t express my feelings. She urged me to share my feelings, assuring me that doing so would cure my ailment.

I was too embarrassed to speak, but the old woman’s persistence made me spill everything. I told her about the girl I had seen and how her image haunted my thoughts. Hearing my story, the old woman said that she understood whom I was talking about. There was no one like that girl in the whole of Baghdad, but her father was peculiar. He kept his daughters confined within the house and put a bandage on their eyes whenever they went out so that they couldn’t see any boy.

Listening to the old woman, I felt sad. She then said that perhaps my fate was favorable, and I should keep trying. Saying this, she left. A few days later, she returned and informed me that she had spoken to the girl, who was just like her father. As soon as I described you, she screamed at me and expelled me from there. Saying this, the old woman left. As the days passed, my health deteriorated. One day, the old woman returned, but this time, there were several people around me.
After looking at everyone, she whispered in my ear, “I have good news for you.” Hearing this, a new life surged within me. I asked everyone to leave the room for a while and spoke to the old woman. She then revealed that she had met the girl. I cried, saying that the boy is very ill, but you are so stern that he might die if you refuse to let them meet. She replied, saying that she didn’t know him and how could she meet him. She asked how she could go to him. I explained that he was standing near your house, and I saw you through the window. She agreed, saying, “Fine, I will meet him, but don’t expect anything more from me.” She has called you to meet her on Friday. I was overjoyed to hear this. I thanked the old woman and gave her some coins as a token of appreciation. Then I bathed and got ready, visiting my close ones before heading to meet the girl.

Before going to the girl’s house, I called the barber to get my hair styled at home. He told me that today was a good day for a haircut, but your planets indicate that you will receive very bad news today. However, if you keep me with you, everything will be fine. He started talking about numerous irrelevant things. Annoyed, I told him to be silent and focus on his work. After that, he said that he has six brothers, one chatters a lot, the second babbles, the third mumbles, the fourth is a blabber, the fifth is a mummer, and I am the youngest, who speaks the least.

Hearing his words, I became distressed and asked him to take the money and leave. Hearing this, he got angry and revealed that my father was so pleased with his work that he had given him so much money that it fulfilled all his needs throughout his life. They understood his capability, but I don’t. He continued to talk endlessly. Disturbed by this, I sat quietly. Seeing me silent, he started cutting my hair. After cutting a portion of my hair, he asked me where I wanted to go. I thought that if I didn’t answer, he wouldn’t cut my hair. So, I just said that I wanted to go to a friend’s house.

Hearing my response, he said that he would also accompany me. I refused, and then he brought up my father, saying that my father used to invite him to so many feasts, and here I am, unwilling to take him to just one feast. At this point, I called the people working in my kitchen and told them to deliver food to his house today, as he was inviting his friends. After hearing this, the barber said that he needed food for at least 80 people because my friends were also coming. I assured him that everything would be arranged. Upon hearing this, he quickly finished cutting my hair and beard.
Then I gave him some money and asked him to leave. He thanked me and left. I also washed my face and went out to meet the girl. As soon as I reached near her house, I saw that the barber was following me. Just then, the old woman came in front of me and led me to the girl’s house. I talked to the girl for a long time. After a while, we heard the voices of two men. When we looked through the window, we saw that the girl’s father was coming. The girl got scared and quickly hid me in a chest.

At that moment, her father entered the house, and the barber, who was witnessing everything, was standing outside. Just as the old woman came out, she took me to the girl’s house. I talked to the girl for quite some time. After a while, we heard the voices of two men. When we looked through the window, we saw that the girl’s father was coming. The girl got scared and quickly hid me in a chest.

At that moment, her father entered the house, and the barber, who was witnessing everything, was standing outside. Just as the old woman came out, she took me to the girl’s house. I talked to the girl for quite some time. After a while, we heard the voices of two men. When we looked through the window, we saw that the girl’s father was coming. The girl got scared and quickly hid me in a chest.

At that moment, her father entered the house, and the barber, who was witnessing everything, was standing outside. Just as the old woman came out, she took me to the girl’s house. I talked to the girl for quite some time. After a while, we heard the voices of two men. When we looked through the window, we saw that the girl’s father was coming. The girl got scared and quickly hid me in a chest.

As her father entered the house, the barber, who was standing outside, saw everything. The Qazi scolded one of his servants as soon as he entered the house, and he started crying loudly out of fear. The barber outside thought that the girl’s father had caught me. In the meantime, he started making a scene and gathered people around. He told everyone that the Qazi was beating his master. The voices from inside the house were still audible, causing everyone to believe the barber’s words. Everyone gathered outside the Qazi’s house, and they began banging on the door. When the door opened, everyone rushed inside. The Qazi was astonished and asked what had happened, why they entered like this. People said that he was beating his master. The Qazi denied it, saying he did not beat anyone. I was also scared that I might be caught because of the barber. Then the barber said that the Qazi was lying. His daughter had called my master to meet, and he came here. The Qazi came here and started beating him.

Hearing this, the Qazi said that it was not true. My master did not come here, and he could go inside to check. Upon hearing this, the barber and others started searching inside the house. The barber’s eyes fell on the chest in which I was hiding. He opened the lid slightly, and I was exposed. Seeing me, the barber took the chest on his head and started running. Everyone was shocked, so they silently watched. As soon as the barber moved away from the Qazi’s house, the chest fell, and its lid opened, allowing me to come out.

I quickly stood up, covered my face, and started running. The barber was also running behind me, and the others were chasing him. I managed to cross a stream by jumping over it, but my foot slipped, causing my leg to break. Despite the broken leg, I continued running, throwing some coins behind me so that they would stop to collect them and I could gain some distance. Everyone was busy picking up the coins, and I limped away quite a distance. However, the barber was not giving up and continued chasing me.
The barber reached me and said that he had saved me, otherwise, my death was certain. The limping man, while narrating the story to people, was surprised that even after such an incident, the barber was praising himself. I felt so angry that I wanted to beat him, but I didn’t do so. Instead, I went to my friend’s house nearby.

My friend was asking about my broken leg when the barber also arrived there. Then I scolded my friend and asked him to drive the barber away. My friend did exactly that. Then I told my friend everything.

After what happened that day, I was not in a condition to show my face to anyone. Therefore, for a few days, I stayed at my friend’s house. I somehow arranged for money and got my leg pain treated, but due to the bone fracture, my leg could not be completely healed, and the fracture remained. After that, I left Baghdad and settled here in my house, but even here, I encountered the barber.

Concluding his story, the limping man told everyone at the gathering that they should tell him what happened to him because of this barber. Now, I shouldn’t get angry seeing this barber, what should I do? Because of him, I got separated from the girl I loved. Because of him, I had to leave the city. I endured so much disgrace, and I became a cripple for life.

After hearing this story, the limping man left in front of everyone. Hearing his story, everyone present at the gathering began asking the barber why he did such a thing. If he did that, then he must be a dangerous and foolish man. He should receive punishment for his actions. The barber then said that he did nothing. If he had not been there that day, the limping man’s life could have been in danger. He told me that I talk a lot, but among my brothers, I talk the least. Now, let me tell the story of me and my brothers.