Page:Hebrew tales; selected and translated from the writings of the ancient Hebrew sages (1917).djvu/126

122 The next day I did the same. The third day, my hostess, wishing to make me sensible of the impropriety of my conduct, so overseasoned the dish she had prepared for me, that it was impossible to eat it. Ignorant of what had been done, I began to eat; but finding the food so very salty, I laid down the spoon, and made my repast on bread. "Why eatest thou not of what has been prepared for thee?" asked my hostess. "Because I am not hungry," answered I. "If so," rejoined she, "why eatest thou bread? Do people eat that by way of dessert? But," continued she, with a significant smile, "I can perhaps guess thy motive. Thou leavest this for the poor servants, whom thou didst, yesterday and the day before, deprive of their due! Is it not so, Rabbi?" I was humbled, and acknowledged my fault.

Ekah Rabbati, I, 1; 'Erubin,53b; Derek 'Erez Rabba, ch. VI.

The Athenian and His One-Eyed Slave

Athenian went to study at Jerusalem. After remaining there three years and a half, and finding he made no great progress in his studies, he resolved to return. Being in want of a servant to accompny him on his journey, he went to the market-place and purchased one. Having paid the money, he began to examine his purchase more closely, and found to his surprise that the purchased servant was