Ibn Sina and the Coppersmiths
Ibn Sina and the Coppersmiths
– Oh, sovereign, the coppersmiths of the city of Kashan do not let me rest at night. They bang and make such noise that it prevents me from reading and writing peacefully!
– Ibn Sina, – the sultan was surprised, – the city of Kashan is very far from here, at a distance of twenty farsangs .
How can it be that the noise and clanging of the coppersmiths from Kashan disturb your reading and work?
Ibn Sina began to assure the sultan that it was indeed so.
– Very well, – then said the sultan, – I will issue an order for the coppersmiths of the city of Kashan not to work at night. Let them bang and clink only during the day!
Having said this, the sultan sent the order to Kashan. But the order stated that the following week the coppersmiths of Kashan should work not during the day, but at night.
The coppersmiths did as instructed.
The next day, Ibn Sina came running to the sultan, shouting and wailing, and began to complain:
– You promised that you would order the coppersmiths of Kashan not to work at night. But today they again did not let me study and read. I did not sleep all night!
The sultan heard this and was stunned with amazement. He finally realized that Ibn Sina indeed had an extraordinary sense of hearing. Then he sent a new order to Kashan and prohibited the coppersmiths from working at night.