Vermont phÅ“nix. [volume] (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1834-1955, 1878-07-12
stories from the Arabic.
HE HUNGRY MAN AND THE oLurroN.

A starved Arab was travelling by the way
when he met man who seated before nap
kin stretched on the ground was partaking of
a sumptuous meal, with an excellent appetite.
After the usual salutation, the hungry Arab |
sat down beside the man
whence comest thou - asked the man,
with his mouth full
From thy village, my lord" replied the |
hungry Arab, awaiting an invitation TO par
take of the viands
"Didst thou see my house - inquired the |
glutton, as he swallowed bit Of meat.
Verify did l." answered the Arab, the |
water in his mouth. Thou hast u nobly- |
constructed palace. Thy roof touches the |
stars and thy court yard is as elegant as is |
that in the mansion of paradise
"Didst notice Beb, my dog?'
"Bleb Thy dog was watching thy sleek |
kline, thy fat sheep. No wolf would as much |
as dare to look at thy hocks."
"Didst thou by chance see Khalid. my SOM"
asked the glutton, breaking off a crisp fake
Of barley cake
THY beautiful Khalid saw, through the
school-room door; thy boy was sweetly re-
citing verses Of the Khoran"
"Didst thou see the mother of Khalid?"
The glutton took long draught of cool wa
ter.
"Enshrouded in her veil. it was the mother
of thy Khald who was modestly vending her
way to the bath. Neither in Arabia nor else
where is there q woman more full of charity
and goodness than the mother of thy Khald"
''Didst happen though, to see my camelY"
Thy noble camel That miracle of beau
ty and strength Thy camel was browsing
on the prickly brush near thy house"
The glutton had heard all this good news
as he gorged himself with food, but never did
he as much as bid the hungry Arab to pick
even bone. The poor starved wretch,
whose belly was pinched with hunger, felt
ashamed of his hattery. II will lie no more
this way No, by Allah :" said he
Just then a miserable dog passing near, at
tracted by the scent of the meat, stopped for
moment, howled then wagged his tail.
Had thy old dog been alive now" sud
denly said the Arab, "he might too. have
stopped, howled, then wagged his tail
How is my good dog gone? How did
he die = anxously inquired the gutton.
From eating too much camel" said the
Arab.
What, is my stalwart camel dead too? -
They slaughtered him for the funeral
meats of the mother of thy Khalid"
! "Alack Is the mother of my poor Khalid
dead?"
Dead Aye, and buried is She She beat
out her brains against the tomb of thy Kha-
! lid"
What my Khalid gone too"
"Oh. my MASTER" said the Arab, IAN
earthquake came to thy village, thy house
was crumbled to the ground, and thy Khalid
was crushed in the ruins
When the glutton heard this he desisted
from eating, and smote his breast with his
greasy hands. Leaving the viands on the
ground, he hastened homeward as fast as he
could.
Then the hungry Arab, having said his de-
yotions and invoked blessing, sat cheerfully
down and feasted ON the glutton's victuals.
RAISING WEAVER
Jojee was a tramp and hungry Happen
ing to pass one day in a village where the
women were waiting, he noticed the prepara-
tions for funeral. In hopes of getting
something to eat Joiee said to the relatives
"Wouldst thou have fhe dead restored to
life :" Then all the relatives said, YES that
would We" place me-" said Jojee, the
tramp. lin the room next to the head man.
Bring me good cheer, so that l may propi-
tiqte the terminating angels. Most especial
ly put there pot of the finest honey, three
loaves of the whitest bread, and flask of
the purest oil.
This the relatives did Jojee, then eat un-
til | is appetite was satisfied Then he uttered
many shrieks and howls. The relatives waited
long and patiently.
At length Jojee called in the people. Tell
me. asked Jojee. what was the exact call
ing of the deceased? =
"A weaver was he by trade, the relatives
replied
"A weaver" cried Jojee, the tramp.
why did you not tell me so? There is
honey and bread and oil wasted. Had he
been tinker, tailor, or a cobbler, might
have brought the dead man to life-but Il
weaver! l never could do anything with Il
weaver
JAFFIER ALIVE AND DEAD.
On such day, by the command of the
CAliph-may his name be revered was Civ
en to Jatfer, son of Yah, as n free gift, an
incalculable sum of money, with robes, hors-
es, beautiful slaves, and perfumes. I, the
scribe, had to cast up the value placed oppo-
site to these gifts, and found the sum total
amounted to 30, OO0 600 dirrims. But Jaffier
son of Yah, fell into disgrace, and l, the
scribe, saw the entry of the expense for burn
ing the body of the once highly favored Jaf-
fer thus expressed: "Disbursed for burning
the carcass. of one Jafier, son of Yiah, y
drrims for pitch and straw"
HOW TO BECOME FAMOUS.
TIattifee the poet, wrote the verses of Lei
la and Mujjenau, and he thought there was
good in them. Then went he to the critic
Jami saying, wilt thou not pray for the
success of my pocm:' and Jami having
prayed first for long life and patience, read
the poem. Said Hattifee; Would, oh !!
would had been born sooner, or had done
this work in my younger days then might l
have been ilustrious among mem"
"Dost thou want celebrity, Hattifee y
inquired Jami.
THAT is what most crave" said the poet
60 then" said Jam, ''and selecting a
conspicuous place in the Bazaar, hang thy
poem there, so that all passers-by can see it..
Thou givest good advice, o Jami. will
straightway do it."
"'Tis not enough" added Jami. IF in
deed thou cravest fame, go and hang thyself,
too, in the Bazaar alongside of thy poem"
GOLD or MAxrMs.
Once l. Saalabi, poet of Munsoor the Illus
tiious, wrote for him an ode wherein prais-
ed his liberality, his wisdom. This ode l
presented to Munsoor when he was in hap
py mood. Thus said the great Caliph to
Saalab his slave:
"Wisdom have l, since l read it here, and
; liberality too. Which dost thou prefer Wilt
! thou have 500 pieces of gold, or three max
inns worth more than all the goldy'
80, Caliph," l replied, ''lasting knowledge
, is better than perishable gold Who weighs
wisdom with wealth.
so be it, Saalabi. First, then, when thy
coat is thin and threadbare, take care that
thy drawers are new and warm"
''Alack!" said to myself zone of my
hundred pieces of gold has gone,'
Secondly, when thy beard wants oil, oil
il not further than thy collar, leastways thy
vest will become soiled."
Curse the luck :" l said again to myself,
another hundred pieces gone !"
Thirdly" said the light of the world
Keep, l pray you" l interrupted, the
than thy poor poet. /, Saalabi, will take but
the hundred pieces of gold"
But Munsoor, may his name be forever
blessed, said, laughingly: "oh thou stu