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252 again into the bag, so that you may see with your own eyes that we have told the truth."

The Fox said, "When I have seen with my own eyes the proof of what you have told me, then I will give an impartial decision on the question in dispute between you."

The man opened the bag, and the Snake, deceived by the Fox's words, once again crawled into it. Then the Fox exclaimed, "Oh, young man, when you have an enemy in your power, give him no quarter!"

The Camel Driver, taking the Fox's advice, tied up the mouth of the bag, and pounded it upon the ground until the Snake's power to do harm was destroyed.

(Anvar-i Suhaili. Book III, Chapter 3.)

THE BLIND MAN AND THE SNAKE

WO travellers, one of whom was blind, halted their horses in the midst of a wild tract of country, and dismounted for the night. They set forth again on their journey in the grey dawn of early morning. The Blind Man searched upon the ground for his whip, and since it happened that a snake lay there half frozen with the cold, he mistook it for his whip, and picked it up. When he touched it with his hand he found it much softer and nicer than his old whip had been, and mounted his horse much pleased, giving no further thought to the whip he had lost. When daylight broke his companion looked and saw the Snake in the Blind Man's hand, whereupon he shouted: "Comrade, what you mistook for a whip is a poisonous Snake, fling it away at once, before it stings you!"