Once upon a time, there was a Great Khan in Crimea, who had three sons.
One day, he called the sons and told them:
- My dear children, the lights of my soul, I feel that the mighty Allah is calling me. I have to be separated for a long time with you. But let your sorrow die with thing that your father is taking care of you during his destiny’s last minutes.
I hid for you the casket of jewels. It used to be in the cache of the palace’s corner room. Take it all and divide equally between yourself. That would be enough for the all your life.
The Khan, who said that, made a last breath and drank the cup of death.
Once the Khan’s body was buried, and his soul was blown by Azrael to heaven, his sons came to that place, to take the bequeathed treasure. Just imagine their surprise and horror when they saw the empty cache - someone stole jewelry. The brothers began to quarrel and argue, accusing each other in stealing. So they argued and quarreled as long as the eldest of them said:
- No doubt, dear brothers, that the jewels stole one of us, only we knew about their existence. Even Kadi would hardly judge us. There is one old man in the village , who was famous for his wisdom. Let's stop quarreling and turn to the wise man. He’d resolve our dispute.
They thought that it would be really better. The princes agreed to the proposal and immediately went to the old man. The wise old man welcomed them, listened to, as follows, and finally said:
- Before announcing my decision, I ask you to listen to the tale of the three pious man.
The brothers were ready to listen, and the old man told them the following:
- "In very ancient times, a young man and woman lived in one happy country. They loved each other greatly. However, the girl, against her will, was announced to be the bride of another man. As the wedding day approached, and it was necessary for the young people to be separated, the young man ardently embraced his lover and said to her:
- Oh, the light of my eyes, the sovereign of my thoughts! Now we are still together, and I enjoy your presence, but what will happen to me when you leave me and go away to your husband!
- Don’t worry, the master of my heart, - she said. - I will not be the wife of this man until I divide your bed. You first open the gates of my love!
So she gave her lover the oath of allegiance, calling Allah as a witness.
On the wedding day, the girl opened to her fiance and told about that oath she gave. Bathed in tears, she fell to her husband's feet and begged to let her lover to fulfill his vow.
The groom listed to his bride recognition. As a true pious man, he said:
- Oh, my wife, sent down to me by the sky! The faithfulness to Allah must be stronger than loyalty to husband. Since you swore to this young man, then get up and go to fulfill his promise.
She didn’t expect such a beautiful fair. She looked tenderly at him. She regretted that she hadn’t met him before. She became delighted, thanked her husband and came out of his house to meet the beloved. It was dark night and far away to go. She came out of the city and met the robber on the road. He saw the defenseless girl, adorned with jewels and blocked the way to rob her. But that desire was replaced by another. The starlight opened the girl’s charm that could be compared only with the fourteenth day’s moon.
The robber, who has never seen such a beauty, rushed to the girl like a hungry wolf. But she begged for mercy, and with so plaintive cry that the thief petrified heart melt.
- What are you crying for, my soul? - He asked, releasing her from his embrace.
The poor girl told her story from the beginning to the end, that made her go quite alone so late at night. Such confession made soft the robber’s soul and as a true pious man, he said:
- If your fate is inscribed in such a way, oh the star of my night, then in the name of the prophet, I say: I do not destroy your soul. Loyalty to Allah is above all! It would be a shame for the brave soldier to do so dishonestly. Once you made a vow - go and perform it!
The robber not only spared his victim, but also took her to the house where the the young man lived.
When she came in hut, her lover was indulged in tears and despair. He saw the object of his dreams, rushed to the beauty, embraced her warmly, and after many kind words said:
- Oh, the sun of my life! How could you come to me in the night?
- I have come to fulfill the promise, - said the girl. - A month ago, in that room, I swore to you by Allah that I will be faithful to you. I celebrated my wedding with the unloved. In time, when I had to obey my fiance, I told him about my oath of loyalty, pleading to let me go to fulfill my vow. I was stopped by a robber on the road who wanted to take advantage of my helplessness. He saw my tears and asked me reveal their origin. So I told him all the story without hiding anything, The compassionate man didn’t cause me any harm and led me to your house.
The young man was so surprised by the story of these generous people and as a true pious man, exclaimed:
- Oh, the heart of my heart! If your fiance and the robber were so devout, that I can’t share my bed with you! Know, that I have nothing to do but follow the example of these people. Go to the house of your husband and may Allah preserve you from the Shaitan’s evil eye. Now, I take a vow of you and will love you as the daughter of my father!
She thanked the young man, said goodbye to him and came back home. The bride told her husband about everything that happened to her, and he wondered for a long time to the piety of robber and young man. A girl, feeling liberated from the curse, rose on the bed of her husband, and shared with him all the joys of married life".
The wise, finishing the story, appealed to the three brothers, who listened to him with attention, and asked:
- Tell me, my children, who of these three men was the most pious?
The first came Khan's eldest son and said:
- I see the greatest piety in the act of husband, the better half of the girl, who was as pure as a diamond. He had a right not to listen to the requests of his bride and to fulfill the law of Shariat. But he gallantly let her fulfill the vow. The husband was the most pious of all three men!
- Oh, the faithful guardian of wisdom and justice! - Said the Khan’s second son. - Let me say that the most pious man was the woman’s lover.
He saw a dream of his thoughts in front that came to fulfill the promise, he did not want to abuse her honesty, and taking off her vow, let her go into the house of her husband. There can be no greater devotion than the act of the noblest young men.
He took his seat with these words. Then a younger brother got up , bowed to the old man and said:
- Tell me, how to call the act of rogue, who met the beautiful girl at night, away from the city and did not want to take advantage of her!
Oh, pious sage, there can’t be more pious than the piety of this pious warrior, worthy to be faithful.
The old man listened to them all carefully and turned to the youngest son of the khan, and said:
- Well, Prince, took out a casket, so hurry! It’s no doubt that you have the jewelry. Because the honest person always intercedes for the honest, the passionate always protects beloved, and a thief who sees from afar becomes their defense!
The youngest son of Khan, who heard the unexpected decision, was so stunned and immediately brought a hidden chest with treasures and gave it to the old man.
He counted all the jewels and divided them into three parts, passed into the hands of the three brothers.