Page:Folk-lore of the Holy Land.djvu/126

102 word of salutation, the Rabbi addressed him in Hebrew, in tones of excited pleading, “I beg you, for the sake of all that is Holy, to deny that you know anything about the ring which this Gentile accuses you of having stolen!” “That,” said the rascal, quite thrown off his guard, “that is exactly what I meant to do.” “Very well,” said the Rabbi sternly, “as you have virtually confessed before all these witnesses that you have the ring, hand it over to its owner immediately, and be thankful if he takes no steps to have you punished.” The thief gave back the ring, and went unpunished.

During the Egyptian occupation of Palestine between 1831 and 1840, Ibrahìm Pasha, governor of the country, happened to be at Jaffa, when a certain goldsmith came to him, complaining his shop had been burgled in the night, and demanding justice in a high tone. “While we were under the shadow of the Sultan,” he said, “I never lost a thing. But now, with you Egyptians who talk so much about good government, in the first month I lose half my substance. It is a shame to you and a great loss to me; and I think that you owe me compensation, for your own honour.”

“Very well, I take the responsibility,” said Ibrahìm in some amusement. He then sent a crier through the streets calling upon all who loved strange sights to be at the goldsmith’s shop at a certain hour next day, with the result that when that hour arrived, the street in front of the shop was packed with people. Then Ibrahìm appeared, attended by