Answer:
D. It puzzles and interests the caliph.
Explanation:
"The Story of Baba Abdalla" is one of the 1001 Nights' stories. Its central theme is how dangerous it is to be greedy. The character and narrator Abdalla, who was already a rich man, reveals himself insatiable when a dervish reveals the location of a treasure to him. At first, Abdalla agrees to share the treasure with the dervish. Later on, he decides to convince the man to give him everything, including a box containing a special ointment. When applied to the left eye, the ointment reveals the location of treasures all over the world. However, when applied to the right eye, it makes the person blind instantly. Abdalla's greed has taken control of his heart, so he has the ointment applied to both his eyes and ends up blind forever.
After narrating this story to the caliph, he adds that, to punish himself for his sins, Abdalla asks people to slap him. The caliph is not disgusted, angered, nor even amused by this. He is simply puzzled and interested. In his opinion, Abdalla has already suffered a great deal and does not need to be punished any longer. Note the excerpt below:
When the blind man had ended the Caliph addressed him: “Baba-Abdalla, truly your sin is great, but you have suffered enough. Henceforth repent in private, for I will see that enough money is given you day by day for all your wants.”
At these words Baba-Abdalla flung himself at the Caliph’s feet, and prayed that honor and happiness might be his portion for ever.
