A poor hamàl (porter) brought to the Pasha of Stamboul his savings, consisting of a small canvas bag of medjidies (Turkish silver dollars) to be kept for him, while he was absent on a visit to his home.

The pasha, being a kind-hearted man, consented, and after sealing the bag, called his steward, instructing him to keep it till the owner called for it. The steward gave the man a receipt, to the effect that he had received a sealed bag containing money. When the poor man returned he went to the pasha and received his bag of money. On reaching his room he opened the bag, and to his horror found that it contained, instead of the medjidies he had put in it, copper piastres, which are about the same size as medjidies. The poor hamal was miserable, his hard-earned savings gone. He at last mustered up sufficient courage to go and put his case before the pasha. He took the bag of piastres, and with trembling voice and faltering heart he assured the pasha that though he had received his bag apparently intact, he had discovered on opening it that it contained copper piastres and not the medjidies he had put into it.

The pasha took the bag, examined it closely, and after some time noticed a part that had apparently been darned by a skilful hand. The pasha told the hamal to go away and come back in a week: in the meantime he would see what he could do for him. The grateful man departed, uttering prayers for the life and prosperity of his Excellency.

Next morning, after the pasha had said his prayers kneeling on an expensive carpet, he took a knife and cut a long rent in the carpet. He then left his konak without saying a word to anyone. In the evening when he returned he found that the rent had been so well repaired that it was with difficulty that he discovered where it had been. Calling his steward, he demanded who had repaired his prayer-rug.

The steward replied that he thought the rug had been cut accidentally by some of the servants, so he had sent to the bazaar for the darner, Mustapha, and had it mended. The steward added, by way of apology, that it was very well done.

"Send for the Mustapha immediately," said the pasha, "and when he comes bring him to my room."

When Mustapha arrived, the pasha asked him if he had repaired the rug. Mustapha at once replied that he had mended it that very morning.

"And, indeed, you mended it very well," said the pasha; "much better than you mended that hole in the canvas bag."

Mustapha agreed, saying that it was very difficult to mend the bag as it was full of copper piastres. On hearing this, the pasha gave him backsheesh (a present) and told him to retire.

The pasha then called his steward, and not only compelled him to pay the hamàl his money, but discharged the dishonest man from his service, in which he had been engaged for many years.