The Tale of the Three Apples

In the city of Baghdad, Caliph Harun al-Rashid and his vizier Ja'far discovered a locked chest at the bottom of the Tigris River. Upon opening it, they were horrified to find the body of a young woman. The Caliph ordered Ja'far to find the killer or face execution. Soon, a young man and an old man both came forward, each claiming to be the murderer. The youth explained that he had killed his wife out of a fit of jealous rage. He had traveled for fifteen days to find three rare apples for his sick wife, only to later see a slave in the street carrying one. The slave lied, claiming his mistress had given it to him. Heartbroken and enraged by the perceived betrayal, the husband killed her, only to discover later that his own son had stolen the apple and given it to the slave. Upon hearing this tragic truth, the Caliph pardoned the husband and eventually discovered that the deceitful slave belonged to Ja'far’s own household, concluding the tale with a lesson on the dangers of hasty judgment.