Page:Gems of Arabic Literature.djvu/17



This is an example of one who gave tit for tat.

The story goes that in a certain country, there was a merchant who intended setting out, one day, for a certain place in search of a livelihood. He had two hundred pounds of iron; this he deposited with one of his friends and then set out on his business. Now, some time afterwards he returned, and demanded the iron. His friend told him that the rats had eaten it. The merchant replied, "I have heard that nothing is keener for iron than their teeth"; so the man rejoiced at the other's belief in his explanation and excuse. The merchant left him, and, meeting one of the man's sons, seized him and carried him off to his own house. Next day, the man came to the merchant and said to him, "Dost thou know anything of my son?". "When I left your house yesterday", he answered, "I saw a hawk carrying away a boy; perhaps it was your son". Thereupon the man, smote his head and said, "O people! have you ever seen or heard of hawks carrying away boys?" "Yes, certainly", replied the merchant, "In a land where rats devour two hundred pounds of iron, it is not surprising if its hawks carry away elephants". "I have eaten your iron", answered the man, "and here is its price; so return me my son."

There is a story told of a cock and a hawk who had been associates for some time. One day the hawk said to the cock, "Verily, I have never seen any one more wanting in gratitude, or less observant of the claims of friendship, than you cocks are ". "What is it thou dislikest in us?" asked