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The document discusses the book 'Data Driven Decision Making Using Analytics', which aims to provide insights into data analytics and its applications in decision-making across various fields such as healthcare and climate change. It includes contributions from multiple authors and covers topics like big data mining, data visualization, and machine learning. The book serves as a resource for researchers, students, and practitioners interested in the methodologies and techniques of data analytics.

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100% found this document useful (4 votes)
54 views42 pages

Data Driven Decision Making Using Analytics Computational Intelligence Techniques 1st Edition Download

The document discusses the book 'Data Driven Decision Making Using Analytics', which aims to provide insights into data analytics and its applications in decision-making across various fields such as healthcare and climate change. It includes contributions from multiple authors and covers topics like big data mining, data visualization, and machine learning. The book serves as a resource for researchers, students, and practitioners interested in the methodologies and techniques of data analytics.

Uploaded by

maqaningifor
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© © All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
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i

Data Driven Decision


Making Using Analytics
ii

Computational Intelligence Techniques


Series Editor: Vishal Jain

The objective of this series is to provide researchers a platform to present state of the
art innovations, research, and design and implement methodological and algorithmic
solutions to data processing problems, designing and analyzing evolving trends in
health informatics and computer-​aided diagnosis. This series provides support and
aid to researchers involved in designing decision support systems that will permit
societal acceptance of ambient intelligence. The overall goal of this series is to pre-
sent the latest snapshot of ongoing research as well as to shed further light on future
directions in this space. The series presents novel technical studies as well as position
and vision papers comprising hypothetical/​speculative scenarios. The book series
seeks to compile all aspects of computational intelligence techniques from funda-
mental principles to current advanced concepts. For this series, we invite researchers,
academicians and professionals to contribute, expressing their ideas and research in
the application of intelligent techniques to the field of engineering in handbook, ref-
erence, or monograph volumes.

Computational Intelligence Techniques and Their Applications to Software


Engineering Problems
Ankita Bansal, Abha Jain, Sarika Jain, Vishal Jain, Ankur Choudhary

Smart Computational Intelligence in Biomedical and Health Informatics


Amit Kumar Manocha, Mandeep Singh, Shruti Jain, Vishal Jain

Data Driven Decision Making Using Analytics


Parul Gandhi, Surbhi Bhatia, and Kapal Dev

Smart Computing and Self-​Adaptive Systems


Simar Preet Singh, Arun Solanki, Anju Sharma, Zdzislaw Polkowski and Rajesh Kumar

For more information about this series, please visit: https://​www.routledge.com/​


Computational-​Intelligence-​Techniques/​book-​series/​CIT
iii

Data Driven Decision


Making Using Analytics

Edited by
Parul Gandhi, Surbhi Bhatia, and Kapal Dev
iv

CRC Press
Boca Raton and London
First edition published 2022
by CRC Press
6000 Broken Sound Parkway NW, Suite 300, Boca Raton, FL 33487-​2742
and by CRC Press
2 Park Square, Milton Park, Abingdon, Oxon OX14 4RN
© 2022 selection and editorial matter, Parul Gandhi, Surbhi Bhatia and Kapal Dev; individual chapters,
the contributors
CRC Press is an imprint of Taylor & Francis Group, LLC
Reasonable efforts have been made to publish reliable data and information, but the author and publisher
cannot assume responsibility for the validity of all materials or the consequences of their use. The authors
and publishers have attempted to trace the copyright holders of all material reproduced in this publication
and apologize to copyright holders if permission to publish in this form has not been obtained. If any
copyright material has not been acknowledged please write and let us know so we may rectify in any
future reprint.
Except as permitted under U.S. Copyright Law, no part of this book may be reprinted, reproduced,
transmitted, or utilized in any form by any electronic, mechanical, or other means, now known or hereafter
invented, including photocopying, microfilming, and recording, or in any information storage or retrieval
system, without written permission from the publishers.
For permission to photocopy or use material electronically from this work, access www.copyright.com or
contact the Copyright Clearance Center, Inc. (CCC), 222 Rosewood Drive, Danvers, MA 01923, 978-​750-​
8400. For works that are not available on CCC please contact mpkbookspermissions@tandf.co.uk
Trademark notice: Product or corporate names may be trademarks or registered trademarks and are used
only for identification and explanation without intent to infringe.
Library of Congress Cataloging-​in-​Publication Data
A catalog record for this title has been requested
ISBN: 978-1-03-205827-6 (hbk)
ISBN: 978-1-03-205828-3 (pbk)
ISBN: 978-1-00-319940-3 (ebk)
DOI: 10.1201/​9781003199403
Typeset in Times
by Newgen Publishing UK
v

Contents
Preface.......................................................................................................................vii
List of Contributors....................................................................................................ix
Editors’ Biography.....................................................................................................xi

Chapter 1 Securing Big Data Using Big Data Mining........................................... 1


Preety, Dagjit Singh Dhatterwal, and Kuldeep Singh Kaswan

Chapter 2 Analytical Theory: Frequent Pattern Mining...................................... 15


Ovais Bashir Gashroo and Monica Mehrotra

Chapter 3 A Journey from Big Data to Data Mining in Quality


Improvement.......................................................................................31
Sharad Goel and Prerna Bhatnagar

Chapter 4 Significance of Data Mining in the Domain of Intrusion


Detection............................................................................................. 45
Parul Gandhi, Ravi Kumar Sharma, Tejinder Pal Singh Brar,
and Pradeep Bhatia

Chapter 5 Data Analytics and Mining: Platforms for Real-​Time


Applications........................................................................................ 61
Saima Saleem and Monica Mehrotra

Chapter 6 Analysis of Government Policies to Control Pandemic and


Its Effects on Climate Change to Improve Decision Making.............. 81
Vaibhav Saini and Kapal Dev

Chapter 7 Data Analytics and Data Mining Strategy to Improve Quality,


Performance and Decision Making..................................................... 95
D. Sheema and K. Ramesh

v
vi

vi Contents

Chapter 8 SMART Business Model: An Analytical Approach to


Astute Data Mining for Successful Organization.............................. 111
Sharad Goel and Sonal Kapoor

Chapter 9 AI and Healthcare: Praiseworthy Aspects and Shortcomings........... 125


Ashay Singh and Ankur Singh Bist

Index....................................................................................................................... 137
vii

Preface
Digitalization has increased our capabilities for collecting and generating data from
different sources. Therefore, tremendous data have flooded in every aspect of our
lives. This growth created an urgent need to develop techniques and tools to handle,
analyze, and manage data to map it into useful information. This mapping will help
improve the performance which eventually supports decision making.
This book brings new opportunities in the area of Data Analytics for Decision
Making for further research targeting different verticals such as healthcare and cli-
mate change. Further, it explores the concepts of Database Technology, Machine
Learning, Knowledge-​Based System, High Performance Computing, Information
Retrieval, Finding Patterns Hidden in Large Datasets, and Data Visualization. In add-
ition, this book presents various paradigms including pattern mining, clustering and
classification, and data analysis. The aim of this book is to provide technical solutions
in the field of data analytics and data mining.
This book lays the required basic foundation and also covers cutting-​edge topics.
With its algorithmic perspective, examples, and comprehensive coverage, this book
will offer solid guidance to researchers, students, and practitioners.

vii
viii
ix

Contributors
Contributor’s Affiliation Email
Name
Pradeep Kumar Professor Department of Computer pkbhatia.gju@gmail.com
Bhatia Science and Engineering, Guru
Jambheshwar University of Science
& Technology, Hisar
Prerna Bhatnagar Assistant Professor, Indirapuram Preranabhatnagar.iihs@gmail.
Institute of Higher Studies (IIHS), com
Ghaziabad, Uttar Pradesh
Ankur Singh Bist Chief AI Data Scientist, Signy ankur1990bist@gmail.com
Advanced Technologies, India
Tejinder Pal Singh Assistant Professor, Department tpsbrar@gmail.com3
Brar of Computer Applications, CGC
Landran, Punjab
Kapal Dev University of Johannesburg, South kapal.dev@ieee.org
Africa
Dagjit Singh Assistant Professor, PDM jagjits247@gmail.com
Dhatterwal University, Bahadurgarh, Jhajjar,
Haryana, India
Parul Gandhi Professor, Faculty of Computer gandhi2110@gmail.com
Applications, MRIIRS, Faridabad
Ovais Bashir Scholar, Department of Computer ovaisgashru@gmail.com
Gashroo Science Jamia Millia Islamia, New
Delhi, India
Sharad Goel Director & Professor, Indirapuram Sharadgoel225@gmail.com
Institute of Higher Studies (IIHS),
Ghaziabad, Uttar Pradesh
Sonal Kapoor Associate Professor, Indirapuram Sonalkapoor.iihs@gmail.com
Institute of Higher Studies (IIHS),
Ghaziabad, UttaPradesh
Kuldeep Singh Associate Professor, Galgotias kaswankuldeep@gmail.com
Kaswan University, Greater Noida, Gautam
Buddha Nagar, UP, India
Monica Mehrotra Professor, Department of Computer drmehrotra2000@gmail.com
Science Jamia Millia Islamia, New
Delhi, India
Preety Assistant Professor, PDM sunnypreety83@gmail.com
University, Bahadurgarh, Jhajjar,
Haryana, India

ix
x

x Contributors

Contributor’s Affiliation Email


Name
K. Ramesh Professor, Department of Computer kramesh@hindustanuniv.ac.in
Science & Engineering, Hindustan
Institute of Technology and
Science, Chennai, Tamil Nadu,
India
Vaibhav Saini Indian Institute of Technology, vasa@signy.io
Delhi, India
Saima Saleem Scholar, Department of Computer saimak6.sk@gmail.com
Science Jamia Millia Islamia, New
Delhi, India
Ravi Kumar Assistant Professor, Department ravirasotra@yahoo.com2
Sharma of Computer Applications, CGC
Landran, Punjab
D. Sheema Department of Computer Sheemawilson20@gmail.com
Applications, Hindustan Institute of
Technology and Science, Chennai,
Tamil Nadu, India
Ashay Singh Data Scientist, US Tech Solutions ashaysingh007@gmail.com
Pvt Ltd, India
xi

Editors’ Biography
PARUL GANDHI
Dr Ghandhi has a is Doctorate in the subject of Computer Science with the study area
in Software Engineering from Guru Jambheshwar University, Hisar. She is also a Gold
Medalist in M.Sc. Computer Science, with a strong inclination toward academics and
research. She has 15 years of academic, research, and administrative experience. She
has published more than 40 research papers in reputable international/​national journal
and conferences. Her research interests include software quality, soft computing,
and software metrics and component-​based software development, data mining, and
IOT. Presently, Dr Gandhi is working as Professor at Manav Rachna International
Institute of Research and Studies (MRIIRS), Faridabad. She is also handling the PhD
program of the University. She has been associated as an Editorial Board member of
SN Applied Sciences and also a reviewer with various respected journals of IEEE and
conferences. Dr Gandhi has successfully published many book chapters in Scopus-
indexed books and also edited various books with well-known indexing databases like
Wiley and Springer. She also handles special issues in journals of Elsevier, Springer
as a guest editor. She has been called as a resource person in various FDPs and also
chaired sessions in various IEEE conferences. Dr Gandhi is the lifetime member of
the Computer Society of India.

SURBHI BHATIA PMP®


Dr Bhatia has a Doctorate in Computer Science and Engineering from Banasthali
Vidyapith, India. She is currently an Assistant Professor in the Department of
Information Systems, College of Computer Sciences and Information Technology,
King Faisal University, Saudi Arabia. She has eight years of teaching and academic
experience. She is an Editorial board member with Inderscience Publishers in the
International Journal of Hybrid Intelligence, SN Applied Sciences, Springer, and also
in several IEEE conferences. Dr Bhatia has been granted seven national and inter-
national patents. She has published more than 30 papers in reputable journals and
conferences in well-known indexing databases including SCI, SCIE, Web of Science,
and Scopus. She has delivered talks as keynote speaker in IEEE conferences and
faculty development programs. Dr Bhatia has successfully authored two books from
Springer and Wiley. Currently, she is editing three books from CRC Press, Elsevier,
and Springer. She also handles special issues in journals of Elsevier, Springer as a
guest editor. Dr Bhatia has been an active researcher in the field of data mining,
machine learning, and information retrieval.

xi
newgenprepdf

xii

xii Editors’ Biography

KAPAL DEV
Dr Dev is a Postdoctoral Research Fellow with the CONNECT Centre, School of
Computer Science and Statistics, Trinity College Dublin (TCD). His education profile
revolves over ICT background, i.e. Electronics (B.E and M.E), Telecommunication
Engineering (PhD), and Postdoc (Fusion of 5G and Blockchain). He received his
PhD degree from Politecnico di Milano, Italy in July 2019. His research interests
include blockchain, 5G beyond networks, and artificial intelligence. Previously,
Dr Dev worked as 5G Junior Consultant and Engineer at Altran Italia S.p.A, Milan
on 5G use cases. He is PI of two Erasmus + International Credit Mobility projects.
He is an evaluator of MSCA Co-​Fund schemes, Elsevier Book proposals, and top sci-
entific journals and conferences including IEEE TII, IEEE TITS, IEEE TNSE, IEEE
JBHI, FGCS, COMNET, TETT, IEEE VTC, and WF-​IoT. Dr Dev is TPC member of
IEEE BCA 2020 in conjunction with AICCSA 2020, ICBC 2021, DICG Colocated
with Middleware 2020, and FTNCT 2020. He is also serving as guest editor (GE)
in COMNET (I.F 3.11), Associate Editor in IET Quantum Communication, GE in
COMCOM (I.F: 2.8), GE in CMC-​Computers, Materials & Continua (I.F 4.89),
and lead chair in one of CCNC 2021 workshops. Dr Dev is also acting as Head of
Projects for Oceans Network funded by the European Commission.
1

1 Securing Big Data Using


Big Data Mining
Preety1, Dagjit Singh Dhatterwal2, and
Kuldeep Singh Kaswan3
1
Assistant Professor, PDM University, Bahadurgarh,
Jhajjar, Haryana, India
2
Assistant Professor, PDM University, Bahadurgarh,
Jhajjar, Haryana, India
3
Associate Professor, Galgotias University, Greater Noida,
Gautam Buddha Nagar, UP, India
Email ID: sunnypreety83@gmail.com, jagjits247@gmail.com,
kaswankuldeep@gmail.com

CONTENTS
1.1 Big Data..............................................................................................................2
1.1.1 Big Data V’s...........................................................................................2
1.1.1.1 Volume.....................................................................................3
1.1.1.2 Variety......................................................................................3
1.1.1.3 Velocity....................................................................................4
1.1.1.4 Veracity....................................................................................4
1.1.1.5 Validity.....................................................................................4
1.1.1.6 Visualization of Big Data.........................................................4
1.1.1.7 Value........................................................................................4
1.1.1.8 Big Data Hiding.......................................................................4
1.1.2 Challenges with Big Data.......................................................................4
1.1.3 Analytics of Big Data.............................................................................5
1.1.3.1 Use Cases Used in Big Data Analytics....................................5
1.1.3.1.1 Amazon’s “360-​Degree View”..............................5
1.1.3.1.2 Amazon –​Improving User Experience.................5
1.1.4 Social Media Analysis and Response.....................................................5
1.1.4.1 IoT –​Preventive Maintenance and Support.............................5
1.1.4.2 Healthcare................................................................................5
1.1.4.3 Insurance Fraud........................................................................6
1.1.5 Big Data Analytics Tools........................................................................6
1.1.5.1 Hadoop.....................................................................................6
1.1.5.2 MapReduce Optimize..............................................................7
1.1.5.3 HBase Hadoop Structure..........................................................7
1.1.5.4 Hive Warehousing Tool............................................................8

DOI: 10.1201/9781003199403-1 1
newgenprepdf

2 Data Driven Decision Making Using Analytics

1.1.5.5 Pig Programming.....................................................................8


1.1.5.6 Mahout Sub-​Project Apache....................................................8
1.1.5.7 Non-​Structured Query Language.............................................8
1.1.5.8 Bigtable....................................................................................9
1.1.6 Security Threats for Big Data.................................................................9
1.1.7 Big Data Mining Algorithms..................................................................9
1.1.8 Big Data Mining for Big Data Security...............................................10
1.1.8.1 Securing Big Data..................................................................11
1.1.8.2 Real-​Time Predictive and Active Intrusion Detection
Systems..................................................................................11
1.1.8.3 Securing Valuable Information Using Data Science..............12
1.1.8.4 Pattern Discovery...................................................................12
1.1.8.5 Automated Detection and Response Using Data Science......12
1.1.9 Conclusions..........................................................................................13

1.1 
BIG DATA
The advent of IoT (internet of things) devices, business intelligence systems and
AI (artificial intelligence) has led to their widespread implementation and to con-
tinuously increase the amount of data in existence. The development of self-​driving
cars, smart cities, home and factory automation, intelligent avionics systems, weap-
onry automation, medical process automation, Ericsson Company has estimated that
nearly 29 billion connected devices are expected by 2022, of which 18 billion would
apply to IoT. The number of IoT units, led by the new use scenarios, is projected to
grow by 21% between 2016 and 2022. IDC reports that by 2025, real-​time data will
be more than a quarter of all data. Over the years, control systems kept evolving at
different levels of Big Data information security. These control measures although
serving as the underlying strategies for securing big data, have limited capability in
combating recent attacks as malicious hackers have found new ways of launching
destructive operations on big data infrastructures [1].
Digital data will increase as like zettabytes. This forecast gives insight into the
higher rate of vulnerabilities and the large scale data security loopholes that may
arise. Big data companies are facing greater challenges on how to highly secure and
manage the constantly growing data.
Some of the challenges include the following:

• Interception or corruption of data in transit.


• Data in storage which can be held internee by malicious parties or hackers.
• Output data can also be a point of malicious attack.
• Low or no encryption mechanism over the variety of data sources.
• Incompatibility resulting from the various forms of data implementation from
different sources.

1.1.1 Big Data V’s


The above-​outlined challenges greatly impact the Vs of big data building blocks that
are illustrated in Figure 1.1 [2].
3

Securing Big Data Using Big Data Mining 3

FIGURE 1.1 Nine V’s of big data

1.1.1.1  Volume
The cumulative number of data is referred to in the volume. Today, Facebook
contributes to 500 terabytes of new data every day. A single flight through the
United States can produce 240 terabytes of flight data. In the near future, mobile
phones and the data that they generate and ingest will result in thousands of new,
continuously changing data streams that include information on the world, loca-
tion, and other matters.

1.1.1.2  Variety
Data are of various types such as text, sensor data, audio, graphics, and video. Various
data forms exist.
Structured data: data that can be saved in the row and column table in the data-
base. These data are linked and can be mapped into pre-​designed fields quickly, for
example relational database.
Another Random Scribd Document
with Unrelated Content
"Are their eyes open yet? Does their mother seem fond of them?
How many are there?" asked Osman.
But Fatima did not give Selim a chance to answer. She had
already rung the bell at the door of his house, and a servant had
appeared to take charge of him.
So, without stopping for anything except a kind wish to Selim for
his peace and happiness, she led her own little charge home. His
father had reached there before him, and was all ready to talk over
the day's doings with his only child.
As the Turk sat smoking that evening, Osman described the fire
he had seen, and told of the hunted dog he had met on the way
home.
"He ought to have known better than to come into a strange
quarter," said the boy. "It was all he could expect. Any dog that
remains at home is not troubled by the others. I love the creatures;
don't you, papa? They are gentle and quiet and clever."
"Yes, Osman, the city would not seem like home without our
yellow-haired dogs. Before you were born, however, the Sultan
thought it would be wise to clear our streets of them. Great numbers
were taken to an island near the coast."
"Did they die there from want of food, papa?"
"Oh, no. They were too wise to stay there and starve. They all
swam back to the city. Our people were so pleased, the dogs have
never been troubled since then."
"I love the dogs because they are not only gentle, but they do not
forget a kindness. They are grateful creatures," said Osman's
mother. "I have a friend who told me the story of an English lady
living here in our city. She had a small terrier she had brought back
with her after a visit to England.
"I suppose, Osman, you know that our dogs are always ready to
attack one of a different breed?"
"Yes, mamma."
"Well, it happened one day that this little terrier escaped from his
home and got out into the street among the dogs of the city."
"Did they kill him?"
"No, indeed. But they had a reason for being friendly to him. The
English lady and her family had always been kind to them, and had
often fed them. Not only this, but she had seen that pans of water
were placed in the street on hot days, so the dogs should not suffer
from thirst. They were grateful to her, and seemed to feel that her
pet terrier was also a friend.
"After this, the lady allowed her dog to play with the others as
much as he liked. He was always well treated. But he did not have
sense enough to keep in his own street One day he wandered off
into another quarter, and he was instantly attacked. His dog friends
heard the noise and rushed after him. When they got to him, he was
surrounded on all sides by his enemies.
"It would have gone hard with him, if one brave friend had not
seized him by the neck and rushed home with him. He did not stop
till he reached the lady's house, where he dropped the terrier on the
door-step.
"Even then, he and his comrades did not go away. There they
waited till the owner appeared, when they tried to explain, as well as
poor doggies can, what had happened."
"What noble fellows they were," said Osman, when his mother
had finished the story. "I shall love them more than ever." Then the
little boy went on to tell of the family of puppies Selim had
discovered.
"I will go to see them early to-morrow morning, and will carry
some food to the mother," he said. "I love puppies. They are
beautiful little things, and their hair is as soft as silk."
Osman loved pets as much as any other boy in the wide world,
and he was always ready to take a family of puppies into his heart.
His parents taught him, however, that it was not good to handle
them. "The dog is an unclean animal," said the boy's father. "Be kind
to him and love him, but touch him as little as possible."
CHAPTER IV.
THE PICNIC

It was a beautiful summer day. The sun was shining brightly on


the glossy leaves of the olive-trees in Osman's garden, and the
plants were loaded with blossoms.
Osman had just picked a bunch of flowers when he heard his
mother's voice.
"How would you like a day by the Sweet Waters of Europe, my
child?"
The little boy looked in the direction of the voice. His mother was
moving slowly down the garden path.
"That would be lovely, mamma, but can't Selim go with us?"
"Certainly, and I have sent word to some of my friends to join us,
too. We will have a merry time. I am tired of the house, and I long
for a row on the beautiful river. Let Fatima go for Selim, and make
yourself ready at once."
The little boy's mother was already dressed for the excursion. So,
while the servants were preparing the lunch and Osman was getting
ready, she sat down on a cushion under the trees and idly waited.
She was richly clad in a pink silk mantle with wide sleeves and
deep cape. It was so long it reached down to her ankles.
A small, bright-coloured cap, trimmed with pearls, was fitted
closely to her head. The thin muslin veil, fastened to this cap, was
brought around her face so no part of it could be seen except her
soft, kind eyes.
She did not have long to wait before her friends and Selim arrived
to join in the day's outing. The slaves, with wraps and carpets, were
also ready, and, at a sign from their mistress, the party started out.
How queerly the ladies walked! They waddled along in a clumsy
fashion with their skirts tucked up under their mantles and around
their waists. They looked like shapeless bundles moving along in
loose trousers and clumsy overshoes.
It was only a few steps to the waterside, where boats were
waiting for them. The boatmen first helped the ladies to get in and
seat themselves on soft cushions; next came the two boys, and, last
of all, the servants.
When every one was comfortably settled, and umbrellas had been
raised over the ladies' heads to protect them from the strong
sunlight, the men bent to their oars and they were off.
The boats were light and very graceful. They were of a kind the
Turks call kaiks. They sped onward through the water as the men
gave long, strong pulls at the oars.
On and on they went, now rapidly as the river widened; again,
they moved more slowly as they entered a narrow stretch of water,
almost filled with the boats of other pleasure-seekers.
Sometimes they were obliged to pass under a little wooden
bridge. Then it was fun for Osman and Selim to reach up and see if
they could touch the floor of the bridge before they left it behind
them.
Pretty houses stood here and there on the banks of the river, or
groves of trees that seemed to say, "Stop here and rest awhile. I will
give you shade and comfort."
But still the rowers kept on, as though their arms would never get
tired. They did not speak, these sober-faced men. Each wore a red
fez on his head, which made him look hot and uncomfortable in the
strong sunshine.
There was a time when all Turks wore soft turbans, which are the
best and most comfortable covering for the head. But times are
changed now. The great Sultan likes the fez best, and the turban is
seen more and more seldom as the years pass by.
At last the party reached a spot where Osman's mother decided
to stop. It was a favourite picnic-ground for the people of
Constantinople. A pretty grove of trees was growing close to the
shore, while, near by, tiny coffee-houses stood here and there in the
meadows.
"I hear sweet music," said Osman. "Listen, mamma."
"Yes, it is a wandering player. After we get settled, we will pay
him to play for us," answered his mother.
The ladies made themselves comfortable on the rugs their
servants spread under the trees. The children wandered about as
they liked.
"Sweet Waters of Europe" is a good name for this part of the
river. It was a pleasant place, and everything about them looked
fresh and inviting.
"Osman, let's see what that man is showing," cried Selim, after
the boys had listened to some music and eaten the ices they had
bought at a stand.
The children joined a crowd of people gathering around a
showman.
It was a puppet-show, something like the Punch and Judy one
sees in England and America. But the funny little figures acted out a
very different play. It must
have been amusing, for
every one laughed heartily.
Before the day was over
other showmen came along,
each with a different
exhibition of his own. Then
there were men who
performed tricks, and
others who had candies and
dainties to sell.
As for the ladies, you
must not think they sat
quietly on their mats all day
long. Oh, no indeed! They
laughed and romped, they
sang and danced, they ate
candies and cakes as freely
as the children themselves.
The serious ways of the city
were quite forgotten.
"IT LOOKED ALMOST LIKE A FAIRY
But at last the shadows CITY."
of evening began to fall.
"Come, come, we must start for home," cried Osman's mother. "I
must certainly be home by sunset to greet my husband."
They made haste to start, and in a few minutes they had taken
their places in the boats and were moving back toward the great
city.
As it came into view once more, it looked almost like a fairy city.
The soft light of the late afternoon bathed the tall spires and
minarets, which reached up toward the sky like long, slender
needles.
Here and there were grand buildings of white marble, while the
whole place was dotted with groves of dark cypress-trees.
Yes, it looked very, very beautiful, but when the boats were left
behind, and the narrow, dirty streets were reached again, it did not
seem possible it could be the same place the party had seen from
the water.
There was no likeness to fairy-land now. The hungry dogs, the
ragged beggars, the tumble-down houses in the very midst of the
fine buildings, make the stranger feel sad.
But Osman is so used to these sights, they do not trouble him.
This city, the greatest one of his people, always seems grand and
beautiful to him.
On the evening after the picnic, Osman's mother said to her
husband, "I have invited a party of my friends to lunch with me to-
morrow."
The Turks do little visiting after sunset. The ladies often spend the
day with each other, but are seldom away from home at dinner-time.
The next morning, after their master had gone away for the day,
and Osman had started for school, the servants began to make
ready for the party.
As soon as the first guest arrived, a pair of shoes belonging to
Osman's mother was placed outside the door of her room. If her
husband should happen to come home during the day, he would see
these shoes. He would know by this sign that his wife had lady
visitors. It would not be polite for him to enter her rooms during
their stay in the house.
The lunch-hour soon came. The hostess led her friends into the
dining-room. They seated themselves on the soft cushions placed by
the servants around the low stand.
There was a spoon, and also a piece of bread, at each lady's
place. On the centre of the stand was a leather pad on which hot
dishes would be set as they were brought in. But when the ladies sat
down there was no food to be seen, except the pieces of bread,
some saucers containing olives, bits of cucumber, melons, and
radishes.
And now the slaves moved from one guest to another, bringing a
basin of water and towels. Each one must bathe her hands before
eating, as well as afterward, whether alone or in the grandest
company.
It was a pleasure to watch them. As the stream of clear water fell
slowly into the basin, each one rubbed her fingers gracefully and
daintily, and then dried them on the fine linen towel held out by the
watchful servant.
When this had been done by every one, Osman's mother clapped
her hands, and a tureen of thick, creamy soup was brought in and
set on the leather pad.
The hostess politely waved her hand toward her principal guest.
She was inviting her to be the first one to dip her spoon into the
soup. After this, the other ladies joined in, all eating together from
the same dish.
After a few mouthfuls, the hostess made a sign to the slave to
remove the soup and bring in another dish. Before the meal was
over there would be sixteen courses, at least, and, therefore, it
would not be well to eat much of any one of them.
The guests ate a little of every course. But, between the courses,
they nibbled at the olives, cucumbers, and different sweetmeats.
More than once, Osman's mother broke off a choice bit of food
with her fingers, and held it up to the mouth of one of her friends. It
was a very polite attention, and her visitor was pleased.
"How rude some people in the world are about eating," said one
of the ladies. "They use the most clumsy things in their hands. They
call them knives and forks. And besides, I have heard they do not
wash before and after each meal. Ugh! It makes me shiver to think
of their unclean ways."
"Yes, they are certainly not neat, and they are very awkward, if all
I have heard about them be true," said another visitor. "They should
study the ways of our people."
At last the luncheon was ended. The hostess led the way into the
drawing-room, where coffee was now served.
They were having a merry time, laughing and chatting, when
Osman entered the room. His face showed he had something he
wished to tell. Making a low bow to the ladies, he turned to his
mother and said:
"Oh, mamma, I just saw a cat fall ever so far. She was on the roof
of that old building behind our house. She fell down, down to the
ground. And, mamma, I thought she would be killed. But she came
down softly on her feet and ran off as if she hadn't been hurt the
least bit. How is it that a cat can do such a thing? No other animal is
like her, I'm sure."
His mother laughed, and turned to one of her friends. "Won't you
tell my little boy the story of Mohammed and the cat?" she asked.
"We should all be pleased to listen, and perhaps there are some
here who do not know it."
The rest of the company nodded their heads. "Yes, do tell it," said
one after another.
"Very well, little Osman," said the lady whom the boy's mother
had asked. "You shall have the story. I trust you will remember it
whenever you think of the Holy Prophet.
"Mohammed once travelled a long, long distance over the desert.
He became very tired, and at last he stopped to rest. As he did so,
he fell fast asleep.
"Then, sad am I to tell it, a wicked serpent glided out from
among the rocks and drew near the Prophet. It was about to bite
him, when a cat happened to come along. She saw the serpent and
what it was about to do; she rushed upon it and struggled and
fought. The serpent defended itself with all its strength and cunning,
too. Great was the battle. But the cat killed the snake.
"As it was dying, the wicked creature hissed so horribly that the
noise awakened Mohammed, and he saw at once that the cat had
saved his life.
"'Come here,' he said. As the cat obeyed him, the holy man
stroked her lovingly three times. Three times he blessed her, saying
these words:
"'May peace be yours, O cat. I will reward you for your kindness
to me this day. No enemy shall conquer thee. No creature that lives
shall ever be able to throw thee on thy back. Thou art indeed thrice
blessed.'"
"And is this the reason a cat always falls on her feet?" asked
Osman.
"Even so, my little friend. Perhaps after this story you will feel
more loving toward those soft-footed creatures," said the lady.
Osman made a low bow and thanked her for her kindness in
telling the story. He was about to leave the room when another of
the visitors reached out her hand and softly patted his shoulder.
"Sit down beside me, my child. I have a story to tell the company.
Stay and hear it, if your dear mother is willing."
"May I, mamma?" he asked.
"Certainly, Osman, if you are good and quiet."
The little boy at once settled himself beside the lady who had
asked him to stay. This is the story he heard.

THE WOOD-CUTTER AND FORTUNE


Once upon a time there was a wood-cutter who lived in the forest
with his wife and two children. He was very poor. Day after day, and
year after year, he went out into the midst of the wood and worked
hard chopping down the trees and cutting them up for fire-wood.
After he had cut all the logs he could fasten upon the backs of his
two mules, he went with them to the nearest town and sold his
wood.
As each year came to an end, the poor wood-cutter was no richer
than he was at the beginning. When twenty such years had passed
by, he began to feel quite hopeless.
"What is the use of working so hard?" he said. "Perhaps if I stay
in bed from morning until night, Fortune will take pity on me. I will
try it, at any rate."
The next morning, therefore, the wood-cutter stayed in bed, as
he had promised himself he would do. When his wife found he did
not get up, she went to wake him.
"Come, come," she cried, "the cock crowed long since. You are
late."
"Late for what?" asked her husband.
"Late for your work in the forest, to be sure."
"What is the use? I should only gain enough to keep us for one
day."
"But, my dear husband, we must take what Fortune gives us. She
has never been very kind to us, I must admit."
"I am tired and sick of the way she has treated us. If she wishes
to find me now, she must come here. I will not go to the wood to
seek her any more."
When she heard these words, the woodcutter's wife began to
weep bitterly. She thought of the empty cupboard. She was afraid of
hunger and cold.
Neither his wife's pleadings nor her tears had any effect on the
wood-cutter. He would not rise from the bed. In a little while a man
came to the door of the cottage, and said:
"Friend Wood-cutter, will you help me with your mules? I have a
load to move."
But the wood-cutter would not get up. "I have made a vow to
stay in my bed, and here I shall stay," he answered.
"Then, will you let me take your mules?" asked the neighbour.
"Certainly, help yourself," said the wood-cutter.
The neighbour took the mules and went away. It happened that
he had found a rich store of treasure in his field, and he needed the
mules to carry it for him to his home.
But, alas for him! The animals were safely loaded and had nearly
reached his house, when some armed policemen came that way.
The man knew the law of the Sultan, by which he claimed all
treasure-trove for himself.
There was only one thing for him to do, that is, if he did not wish
to be killed for taking the treasure for himself. He must flee.
Away he ran as fast as he could move, leaving the mules to go
where they chose.
You can easily guess they turned toward their own home. They
soon reached it in safety.
When the wood-cutter's wife saw them standing in front of the
door with their heavy loads, she rushed to her husband and begged
him to get up and look into the matter.
But he still refused.
He had vowed to stay in bed till Fortune should visit him, and stay
he would.
His wife, seeing something must be done, went out to the mules
and began to cut the cords binding the sacks.
Of course you know what happened then. Out fell a perfect
shower of gold pieces. The ground was soon covered with a golden
carpet, richer than the most precious stores of the great East.
"A treasure! A treasure!" cried the woman, as she rushed to her
husband's bedside. "Fortune has truly come to our home. Husband,
you did right in waiting for her here. Look and see how rich we are
now."
It was certainly time for the wood-cutter to get up, for he had
kept his vow. As he looked at the piles of gold pieces, he said:
"I was quite right, dear wife. One must wait for Fortune. She is
very fickle. You will never catch her if you run after her. But, if you
wait for her, she will surely come to you."
When the story was ended, one of the ladies pointed to the clock.
"My dear friend," she said, turning to Osman's mother, "I have
had a most delightful day. But it is now late in the afternoon. I must
bid you farewell."
As she rose to go, the other ladies followed her example, each
one thanking the hostess for the pleasant day spent with her.
CHAPTER V.
GIPSIES

"I wish you had been with me this afternoon, Osman," said his
father, as his little boy ran to meet him.
"What did you see, papa? Please tell me all about it."
"I went to walk with a friend. We wandered on and on until we
came to a large field near the city walls. The field was alive with
gipsies, who were having some sort of a holiday. They were dressed
in their gayest colours and were having a dance."
"Outdoors in that field, papa?"
"Yes, Osman, and it was a very pretty sight. A number of the men
were squatting on the ground in a circle. Those were the musicians.
They played on different kinds of instruments. There were drums,
flutes, and mandolins.
"The players banged away with no kind of time, but the gipsies
seemed to enjoy it, notwithstanding."
"How did they dance, papa?"
"The men kept by themselves, each one moving separately. But
the women danced together. They all beat time with their hands. At
the same time they kept saying, 'Oh, Oh, Oh,' as they moved about.
"When the dance was ended, the gipsies went over to a corner of
the field where a feast was being prepared. Great fires had been
kindled. Huge kettles of rice were boiling there, and whole sheep
were being roasted.
"Many of the young gipsies were handsome. Their eyes were dark
and sparkling, and their teeth were of a pearly white. But the old
women were wrinkled and ugly. Their long, thin fingers made me
think of witches."
"The gipsies dress in the old style of our country, don't they,
papa?"
"Yes, you always see them with large, baggy trousers, short
jackets, and turbans wound around their heads. The men wear
bright-coloured waistbands, stuck full of pistols and daggers."
"I feel scared, papa, only to hear you speak of such things."
"How foolish that is, Osman. The gipsies would do you no harm.
They mind their own affairs pretty well. To be sure, we do not love
these people, but there is nothing to fear from them.
"They have chosen to live among us, and, although they go away
in large companies and travel all over Europe, they are sure to come
back here."
"Where did they come from in the first place, papa?"
"A long time ago, I believe, they lived in the far East, or in Egypt.
They speak a queer language, made up of Hindi and Greek, as well
as Turkish words."
Just then, Osman's mother came into the room.
"Father has just been telling me about a feast held by the gipsies
this afternoon, mamma."
"Indeed! And did any of the women offer to tell you your
fortune?" asked the lady, as she turned toward her husband.
"They were having too good a time among themselves to notice
any outsider," he answered. "At any other time I should have been
bothered by them. I can't tell you how many times this year I have
been asked to show the palm of my hand and cross it with silver."
"The silver is the pay for the fortune-telling, isn't it?" asked
Osman.
"Certainly; a gipsy
wouldn't give you a
moment of her time unless
she were paid for it," said
his mother.
"When I was a young
girl, I loved to have my
fortune told. One day a
beautiful young gipsy girl
came to the door of my
house. Of course, she
asked to tell my fortune.
"I spread out the palm
of my hand and she looked
at it a long time with her
bright black eyes. She
seemed to study the lines
as though she were
reading. At last, she began
to speak slowly in a low
voice. And, would you
"'SHE TOLD ME HE WOULD BE MY
believe it! she described
HUSBAND.'"
your father, Osman,
although I had never seen
him at that time. She told me he would be my husband."
Osman's father smiled a little and then said, "The less we have to
do with these strange people, my son, the better. It is very easy for
these fortune-tellers to make one or two guesses that afterward turn
out to be true. But we have talked enough about the gipsies for one
day. Let us speak of something else."
"Then tell me about our great ruler, whom you serve," said
Osman. "I like to hear about the palace and the Sultan's little
children who live in a city of their own inside of our great one."
The people of Turkey seldom speak of Osman's city as
Constantinople, the name given it by the Christians. They prefer to
call it "The Town."
"Yes, the palace and the buildings belonging to it really make a
city by themselves," said his father. "It is a beautiful place, with its
lovely gardens and parks. There is a lake in the midst of the park,
and the Sultan sometimes sails around it in an elegant steam launch.
"The palace is of white marble, as you know, Osman. The
furniture is of ebony inlaid with ivory. The curtains and carpets are of
the brightest colours, and are rich and heavy."
"There is a theatre, as well as a great many other buildings, isn't
there, papa?"
"Yes, Osman. It is decorated in the richest colours. The Sultan's
seat is in the front part of the gallery."
"He has many children, hasn't he?"
"Yes, and he loves them dearly. He often spends the evening with
them and plays duets on the piano with his favourites. The building
where they live with their mothers is in the park. I have been told it
is very beautiful."
"The Sultan has many, many wives, I have heard mother say."
"It is true. And each wife has a great number of slaves as well as
other attendants. Sometimes his wives drive through the city in
elegant carriages."
"But the Sultan never leaves the palace grounds, except on the
two great times each year, does he?"
"Never, except at those times, Osman. But any one can get
permission to see him as he rides on horseback to the mosque in his
grounds, where he worships."
"It is a beautiful sight, papa. You know you have taken me there
to see him. The lines of soldiers, all in red fezzes, reach from the
door of the palace to the snow-white mosque. The Sultan himself
looks so grand as he rides along!
"The troops cheer him as he passes them and enters the mosque,
but everybody else is very, very quiet. I suppose they feel somewhat
as I do, papa. I'm not exactly afraid. But he is such a great and
powerful ruler, it doesn't seem as if I could move or make a sound
while I look at him."
Dear little Osman! Our far-away cousin has never heard how the
people of other countries speak of Turkey. They call it the "Sick Man
of Europe." They think it is a pity the Sultan has such power in the
land. They say:
"Turkey is the only country in Europe that does not believe in the
Christian faith. Its most important city is on the shores of a strait
through which a great deal of trade is carried from all parts of the
world. These are some of the reasons different countries would like
to get control of Turkey and its great city. They all look toward it
with longing eyes.
"Besides these things, the Sultan himself is not a good ruler for
his people. He has many wives and hundreds of slaves. Many of his
people follow his bad example and buy slaves, both black and
white."
But little Osman knows nothing of what is said about the Sultan
and the people of his land. It has never entered his head that it is
wrong to buy and sell human beings.
His mother is kind to her slaves, and does not make them work
hard. Sometimes, too, she frees one of her slave women. They are
happy, she thinks.
"But, dear little Osman," you would say, "it is the right of every
one to be free. Perhaps when you grow up you will see this, and
help to make things different in your country."
Let us go back now to the little boy and his father as they sat
talking of the Sultan and his palace.
"He dresses very plainly," said the Turk. "But in the old days, the
ruler's garments were very rich, and his fez fairly blazed with
diamonds. If you had lived then, Osman, your eyes would have been
dazzled when you looked at him."
"I wish I could have seen some of the things my grandmother has
described," answered his son. "But I'm glad I wasn't living during
the revolution of the janizaries. Everybody must have been scared
then.
"Is it really true that Sultan Mahmoud's old nurse saved his life by
hiding him away in an oven?"
"Yes, but he wasn't Sultan then. He was the heir to the throne,
however."
"What made the trouble, papa?"
"Sultan Selim III. was a wise ruler. He wished to improve his
country. At one time the janizaries were the best trained and most
useful troops. They were chosen from the Christians who were taken
captive in war.
"But after awhile, men with no training and with selfish motives
managed to get into their ranks. Sultan Selim knew they were
harmful to the Empire, and intended to disband them. They found
out what he was about to do, took the city and palace by surprise,
and killed the good Selim.
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