Page:Folk-lore - A Quarterly Review. Volume 7, 1896.djvu/269

 Rh father sent for him and obtained permission of leave from his teacher. When he came to his father and mother they rejoiced exceedingly on seeing him; and on his father asking him again what he had learnt, he replied: "I have learned very much." Then said his father: "Tell us something of what thou hast learned." "But," he replied, "I have not yet been able to acquire wisdom, and therefore I cannot tell thee anything until I remain there another three years." "Thou hast been there a very long time and thou shalt not return; for we are both of us very aged and wish thee to stay here with us to take care of us." But he replied: "I shall surely lose whatever I have gained if I do not remain there another three years." "If this is so," said his father, "since it is not good for thee to lose whatever thou hast gained, go in peace." He accordingly went on his journey, taking with him another 1,000 pieces of gold, and remained there another three years. During those three years he learned how to speak the language of the trees and demons, the tales of foxes and the language of every animal, wild beast and bird; in fact, there did not remain any single science in the world which he had not learned. When the three years came to an end his father came for him himself, and presented his teacher with very costly gifts. The teacher then said to him: "Take thy son, thine only son, and go with him in peace to thy house. He is profoundly wise in all the sciences of the world; there is no equal to him." Having taken leave of the teacher they went on their way. When they came to the sea they engaged a ship and entered it. On being in mid-ocean a raven came and, sitting on the mast, cried; and while he was crying, said: "The father of this youth is now very rich; but before he dies he will be reduced to absolute poverty, and ultimately he will again become so rich that there will not be anyone like him in all the land."

When his son heard this he laughed very much. "Why dost thou laugh so much?" said his father. He replied: "Because I was thinking of things I used to do in my boyhood." But his father said: "Thou dost not laugh at that, but at something else." The son did not wish to tell his father the truth, lest he should frighten him and make him angry. But his father was nevertheless exceedingly angry with him, and said: "Is it for this I have thrown away my money, that he laughs and does not know why? He must indeed be a fool, as Solomon in his wisdom says: 'Laughter in the mouth of a fool is weeping.' "He thereupon seized hold of his son and cast him into the sea. Now God prepared a great fish, which swallowed him and carried him to a place far off; and there it vomited him in another kingdom. While he was sitting by the seashore the shepherd of the king saw him there naked, and going up to him said: "My son, what is thy business? Whence comest thou, and from what place?" He replied: "I was travelling in a ship and the Lord brought a very strong wind upon us which destroyed the ship in which I was travelling. But the Lord prepared a raft and brought me hither." "Dost thou know any kind of work?" said he. "Yes," he replied. "What kind of work dost thou know?" "I have been a shepherd from my youth," said he. "If so, then stay with me and mind my flock, and I will give thee