Page:Hebrew tales; selected and translated from the writings of the ancient Hebrew sages (1917).djvu/130

126 two daughters, two sons, and the stranger, were seated; and the servant brought a dish containing five chickens, which was placed upon the table. "Now," said the host to his visitor, "be so kind and carve." The latter begged at first to be excused, but at last complied; and executed the office in the following manner:—One of the chickens he divided between the master and his wife; another between the two daughters; the third between the two sons, and the remaining two he took for his own share. "A very strange way of carving, this!—My visitor must needs be a great glutton," thought the master within himself, but said nothing. The afternoon and evening were passed in various amusements, and when supper-time arrived, a very fine capon was placed upon the table. "Thou hast performed the honors of the table so well this day," said the kind host to his visitor, "that I must request thee to carve again." Our visitor took the capon before him, cut off its head, and placed it before the master; the inward part he gave to the mistress of the house; to the two daughters he gave each a wing; to the two sons a leg each; and kept the whole remainder to himself. "Upon my word," said the master, "this is too bad; I thought thy manner of carving at dinner very strange, but this is still more extraordinary. Pray, is this the way they carve at Jerusalem?" "Have patience until I explain myself, and my