Page:An argosy of fables.djvu/287

 Rh THE SERVANTS WHO KEPT THE RAIN OFF THE TRUNKS

N the course of a long journey the Camel of a certain merchant fell by the wayside exhausted by its heavy load. The merchant said to his Servants, "I must go and buy another Camel to carry half of this Camel's load. While I'm gone you must remain here, and if the sky clouds over you must be very careful that no rain touches the leather of these Trunks, for they are filled with costly clothing."

Having given these orders, the merchant went off, leaving the Servants watching beside the Camel. Suddenly a storm-cloud came up and a heavy Rain descended. Hereupon the foolish Servants said to one another, "Our master told us to take good care that no Rain should touch the leather of these Trunks." Accordingly they took counsel together, and being unable to think of a better way of protecting the leather, they dragged the clothing out of the Trunks and wrapped it around them. The result was that all the clothing was ruined by the Rain. When the merchant returned he flew into a great rage and said to his Servants, "You idiots! See the harm you have done! Why, my whole stock of clothes is spoiled by the Rain!"

The Servants answered, "What fault have we committed? You told us to keep the Rain off the leather of the Trunk."

The master said, "I told you that if the leather got wet, the clothes would be spoiled. I told you this, in order to save the clothes and not the leather."

Then the master placed the load on another Camel, and when they