to her habit, she had gone to wash her linen in the river, the Gardener, entering his house, said to himself:
“I do not know, really, whether my Wife loves me. I must put it to the test.”
On saying this, he stretched himself full length upon the ground, in the middle of the room, as if dead. Soon, his Wife returned, carrying her linen, and perceived her husband’s condition.
“Tired and hungry as I am,” she said to herself, “is it necessary that I should begin at once to mourn and lament? Would it not be better to begin by eating a morsel of something?”
She accordingly cut off a piece of pasterma (dried smoked meat), and set it to roast on the coals; then she hurriedly went upstairs to the garret, took a pot of milk, drank some of it, and put the rest on the fire. At this moment, an old woman, her neighbor, entered, with an earthen vessel in her hand, and asked for some burning coals.
“Keep your eye on this pot,” she said to the old woman, rising to her feet. Then she burst into sobs and lamentations.
“Alas!” she cried, “my poor husband is dead!”
The neighbors, who heard her voice, rushed in, and the deceitful hussy kept on repeating:
“Alas! What a wretched fate has my husband met with!” and tears flowed afresh.
At that instant the dead man opened his eyes.
“What are you doing?” he said to her. “Finish first the roasting of the pasterma, quenching your throat in milk, and boiling the remainder of it; afterward you will find time to weep for me.”
First myself, and then those I love, says a proverb.
The Fly
A Fly who had carelessly fallen into a pot full of food was at the point of death.
“What does it matter?” she said, “so long as hereafter I shall feel no more hunger, and for the present have eaten and drunk my fill, and have received a good bath.”
Patiently to accept the misfortunes which can neither be hindered nor avoided is a proof of wisdom.
The Widow and Her Friend
A Widow, tired of single blessedness, was desirous of marrying again, but feared to draw down upon herself the remarks of the public.
A Friend of hers, to show her how the tongues of neighbors discussed everything, took in hand to paint the Widow’s ass green; then leading the beast, she traversed all the streets of the town.
At first not only the children, but also their elders, who had never seen anything like it before, came to see the sight, and followed behind the ass.
At the end of a few days, when the Widow’s ass went forth people simply remarked: “What a very singular animal!”
Soon, however, the people ceased to pay any more attention to the spectacle.
The Friend of the Widow who wished to marry again returned to her and said:
“You have seen what has just happened. It will be the same in your case. For some days you will be on the tongues of the people and have to endure the gossip and remarks; but at last they will leave off talking about you.”
There is nothing so extraordinary in the world as not to become familiar in time.
The Two Young Men and the Cook
Two Young Men entered a cook-shop for the purpose of buying some meat.
While the Cook was engaged in serving one of them the other seized a huge piece of meat and popped it into his companion’s pocket.
The Cook began looking about for his meat, but in vain. Then he addressed the two friends.
“I have not seen it,” said one.
“As for me,” added the other, “I am sure I have not taken it.”
Then each one confirmed his statement with an oath.
“Really, gentlemen,” said the owner of the shop, who well understood their rascality, “although I do not know who has robbed me, the God by whom you have sworn does.”
Although a man may conceal things from men like himself, God is not deceived.
The Buffaloes and the Log
A pair of Buffaloes were harnessed to a heavy piece of elm wood, and were dragging it along.
“You are stupid,” said the Log, reproachfully, “for when you are hitched to a light burden like me, why do you not gallop?”
“Poor wretch!” they replied, “we should doubtlessly move more quickly if we were not fastened to you. But if we moved quickly now, another log would be placed on top of you, to make up the load, and we do not wish to see you broken down by exhaustion.”
This answer plunged the Log into profound thought.
The proverbial expression—“the Buffaloes’ answer”—a pretext for laziness—is founded on this fable.
The Old Man and His Son
A feeble Old Man had given his home to his Son; soon the hapless father found himself driven from his home and forced to take refuge in a hospital.
Some time afterward, he saw his Son one day passing by, and called out to him.
“For the love of God, my Son,” he said in a supplicating tone, “send me out of all that I have gained with the sweat of my brow a simple pair of sheets.”
The Son promised his unfortunate father to do so.
“I will send them at once,” he answered him.
When he arrived at home he said to his own son: “Take this pair of sheets, and carry them to your grandfather at the hospital.”
The young man left one of the sheets at home and carried the other to his grandfather. Some time afterward his father happened to count his sheets.
“Why
