The Placer herald., 1872-05-04
A TRADE IN RIDDLES.

4>uC pCioJ cuuCu hOhi tuC DdSIC uOWI u
the Rhine. A Jew who wished to go to
Schalmapt was allowed to come on board and
journey with them, upon condition that he
would conduct himself with propriety, and
give the captain eighteen kreutzers for his
passage. Now it is true something jingled
in the Jews pocket when be had struck his
hand against it; but the only money there
was a twelve kreutzer piece-for the other
was brass button. Notwithstanding this
he accepted the offer with gratitude, for he
thought to himself something may be learned
even upon the water. There has many a
man grown rich upon the Rhine.
During the first part of the voyage the
passengers were very talkatve and merry,
and the Jew, with his wallet under his arm,
(for he did not lay it aside) was an object Of
much mirth and mockery, as is often the
case with those of his nation. But as the
vessel sailed onward and passed Thuringen
and st. Welt the passengers one after another
grew silent, and gaped and gazed listlessly
down the river, until some one cried:
"Come, Jew, do you know any pastime
that will amuse us? Your race must have
contrived many one during their journey
in the wilderness. %
"Now is the time," thought the Jew, "to
shear my sheep"
He then proposed that they should sit
round in circle, and he, with their permis-
sion, would sit with them. chose who could
not answer the question any one proposed
should pay the one who propounded it a
kreutzer piece, and those who answered him
pertinently should receive twelve-krcutzer
piece. This proposal pleased the company,
and hoping to divert themselves with the
jews wit Or stupidity, each one asked at
random whatever Glanced to enter bis head.
Thus, for example, the first one asked:
Glow many soft boiled eggs could Goliah
eat on an empty stomach p
All said it was impossible to answer that
question; but the Jew said
"One; for he who has eaten one egg can
not put the second on an empty stomach"
And the other paid him twelve kreutzers.
"Wait, jew" thought the second; 81
will try you out of the New Testament, and
! think shall win my piece" Then said
he, "Why did the Apostle Paul write the
second Epistle to the Corinthians p
"Because he was not in Corinth," said
the Jew; "otherwise he wouldhave spoken
to them
So he won another twelve-kreutzer piece.
When the third saw that the Jew was so
well versed in the Bible, he tried him in a
different way. "Who," said he "prolongs
his work to as great length as possible, and
completes it in time"
ssfrbo ,o,o,,oLoy bo Z, ;,J,,,tr;o,, >
said the Jew.
In the meantime they drew near to vii
lage, and one said to the other, "That is
Bamlatch."
The fourth asked, "In what month do the
people of Bamlatch eat the least p
"In February" said the jew, "for it has
only twenty-eight days"
"There are two natural brothers," said
the fifth, "and still only one of them is my
uncle
"The uncle is your fathers BROTHER" said
the Jew, "and your father is not your un-
cle."
A fish now leaped out of the water, and
the sixth asked, "What fish have their eyes
nearest together ?"
"The smallest, said the Jew.
The seventh asked, "How can a man
ride from Basle to Berne in the shade, in the
Summer time. when the sun shines? ?"
"When he comes to place where there
is no shade he must dismount and go on
foot, was the reply.
The eighth asked, "Wheu man rides
in the Winter time from Base to Berne, and
has forgotten his gloves, how must he man
age so that his hands won't freeze ?"
"He must make fists of them," the Jew
replied.
The ninth was the last, and he asked:
elbow can five persons divide five eggs SO
that each man will receive one, and still one
remain in the dish p
"The last man must take the dish with
the egg," said the Jew, "and he can let it
lie in the plate as long as he pleases."
But it now came his turn and he deter
mined to make good sweep. After many
preliminary complaints he asked, with an
air of mischievous friendliness:
GLOW can man fry two trout in three
pans SO that one trout may be in each pan p
the other gave him twelve-kreutzer piece
but when the ninth desired that be should
solve the riddle he rocked to and fro, shrug-
ged his shoulders, and rolled bis eyes.
81 am poor jew" he said.
"What has that to do with it ?" cried the
rest. "Give us the answer"
"You must not take it amiss," said the
Jew, "for | am but poor jew"
AT last after much persuasion and many
that thaxg ,uo,,ld do him horn,
he thrust his hand into his pocket, took out
one of the twelve-kreutzer pieces he had
won, laid it on the table and said:
81 do not know the answer any more thar
you. Here are my twelve kreutzers. :"
When the others heard this they opened
their eyes, and said this was scarcely accord.
ing to the agreement. But as they could
not control their laughter. and were wealthy
and good-natured men. and as the jew helped
them to while away the time from st. Welt