Reflections on Literal Obedience

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من أخبار جحا الأحمق من حماقات جحا

From Joha's tales of foolishness:

إِنَّهُ كان له حمار ف مرض

He had a donkey that got sick,

فأراد أن يداويه

so he wanted to treat it,

فقيل له ائت العطار واشتر له دواء

so he was told: 'Go to the herbalist and buy some medicine for it.'

فذهب إلى العطار

He went to the herbalist

فقال أعطني دواء للحمار

and said, 'Give me medicine for the donkey.'

فقال العطار خذ هذا الدواء واجعله في إحدى عينيه

The herbalist said, 'Take this medicine and put it in one of its eyes.'

فأخذ جحا الدواء وذهب به إلى الحمار ووضعه في عينه

Joha took the medicine and went to the donkey and put it in its eye,

فمات الحمار من ساعته

so the donkey died instantly.

فغضب جحا ورجع إلى العطار

Joha was angry and went back to the herbalist

وقال له ألم أقل لك أعطني دواء للحمار

and said to him, 'Didn't I tell you to give me medicine for the donkey?'

قال بلى

He said, 'Yes, you did.'

قال فلماذا مت حمارتي؟

He said, 'Then why did my donkey die?'

قَالَ العَطّارُ لِأَنَّكَ وَضَعْتَ الدَّوَاءَ فِي عَيْنِهِ وَكَانَ يَنْبَغِي أَنْ تَجْعَلَهُ فِي فَمِهِ

The herbalist said, 'Because you put the medicine in its eye, and you were supposed to put it in its mouth.'

فقال جحا لو كنت تعلم أن الدواء يوضع في الفم ما أعطيتني إياه لعين

Joha said, 'If you knew that the medicine should go in the mouth, why did you give it to me for the eye!'