The Superior times. [volume] (Superior, Wis.) 1870-1912, 1873-10-25
An Eastern Fable .


How Is it that some of the best
friendships have to come to an end
without the fault of either friend 2
The following story was told Bishop
Ferette III Arabic during his travels in
the East
There was once an old shepherd who
was very poor, but he was the best
flute player III the land, and used to
play the flute while the sheep were
grazing. One hot day, while he was
thus playing, sitting under an old tree
near dry brook, he happened to gaze
vacantly III different directions, when
an object caught his attention. Was
ltE Yes, 1T was the head of a snake,
peeplng out of a hole In the trunk
OF tree looking at him, and
apparently listening. The old man
was SO frightened that he
dared not move to run away, and hay
ing heard that music would charm ser
penis he contlnuep to play until the
end OF his tune, when the snake began
slowly to crawl out of its hole and move
! directly toward the old man, who now
was almost dead with fear and struck
moGonless. But, contrary to his an
tlclpatlon, the snake having approached
h1m within convenient distance made a
very polite bow with its head, opened
It's mouth, and deposited at the feet of
the old man "a gold dollar Gan Arab
coin of about the value of two dollars.
The snake then turned back, crawled
away Just as 1T had come, until it en-
tlrely disappeared in the hole from
which 1t had emerged.
The old man took the gold, blessing
Allah for this visitation of Providence.
for his wife had on that very morning
expended the last penny in the house
In getting the breakfast for the family |
consisting of the old shepherd, his |
wife, and one SOD. The next day the |
shepherd went to play under the same
tree, and, as he hardly dared to expect |
the snake at the end of his tune exactly |
repeated It's actions of the preceding
day. This went on day after
day for long time, the shepherd
every day getting gold dinar
and as this is a considerable sum
among the Arabs, in whose country mon
ey goes a great length, he began to pur
chase many things and to be deemed
rich. But he spent the money as he
got it-as those who are not accus |
| TONED to have are seldom accustomed
to save-until he became i'll and could
not go to play the flute under the tree
| for several weeks at the end of which |
| all the furniture of the house having
been gradually sold for necessaries.
| there remained absolutely nothing to
| purchase the materials of the next
meal. SO, by the advice of his wife, |
he sent his son, who was, after him, !
| the best fiute-player in the country,
entrusted him with his flute, and in.
Structed him how to find the tree and
how to act.
Perhaps" said he. "the snake
lives in the tree no more, but seeing
| that no one came for such a long time. |
has sought another abode. Perhaps
also 1t will not do to YOU what it did to |
me, as 1T knows you not. But if it
comes out, beware not to hurt it.,
Father, answered the son, cam I
a child to require to be thus instruct
ed Give me the flute, for | know
how to act" SO the son went with the
flute, but also took the ak under his
arm.
When he reached the tree he sat I'M
der it, and having Land the AK by his
side began to play. The snake peeped
out and listened. When the tune was
terminated, it crawled out, as it had
done in the case CT the old man, and
1T laid at the feet of the boy dinar.
While 1t was slowly crawling back the
young man thought within himself:
u There must be treasure within that
tree. L Will kill the snake and get all
the gold at once, and not be obliged to
come so often for paltry dinar a
day 80 he rose and took the ak, and
when the snake had already put its
head III the hole he struck at
1t with all his might, in order
to sever the body from the
head. But IN the excitement his aim
lacked precision, and it was only at
the third or fourth blow, when the
snake, Fastening its retreat, had almost
entirely disappeared, that he succeeded
IN crushing and nearly severinc its
tail. The maHgled tail, however. crept
in as the body had done, and the boy
now began TO strike at the tree in order
to cut it down and get the gold. But
the snake In the meantime had crawled
out again while he was unawares. and
taking aim at the boy Jumped at him.
anu piuuSeu III MIN 1DS venom fanpS.
The poison was so violent that the bow
died Immediately.
The old parents not seeing their son
come back, began to fear the worst. So
the old man, sick as he was, managed
to rise from his bed, and found his
worst anticlpations realized: for near
the tree We're the flute, the dinar, the
AK, and the dead body of his son. His
heart was too sad for music, but hun
gers power as strong. SO he took the
flute and began to play as he had done
before. The snake peeped out and
Looked at him with a sad, not unfriend
~ look. Then it crawled out. but in a
sort OF lame way, when it appeared
| that 1T bad lost It's tail II arnroaaLoa