ABSTRACT
Sadly, Abu-al-Hasan’s story fails to capture the imagination of those at the party who have gathered to hear him speak. None of the guests, Averroes included, seems to understand Abu-al-Hasan. This leads Abu-al-Hasan to a further elaboration that becomes Borges’ third and most elliptical clue. Abu-al-Hasan, in search of a helpful analog, begs the assembled guests to imagine someone showing them a story instead of telling it. He uses, as an example, The Companions of the Cave, also known as Ashab al Kahn, a popular tale for the early Christian and Muslim faiths.
