Page:Jewish Fairy Book (Gerald Friedlander).djvu/164

140 These words grieved the poor old man very much. &quot;I am not satisfied with this judge,&quot; he cried aloud.

Leaving the ox behind he went on his way with the snake coiled around his neck.

&quot;Let us try again, if it please thee,&quot; said the snake. &quot;We will ask the next creature that we meet. I am sure I will win the case.&quot;

&quot;Wait and see, Master Snake. Ah! here comes thy friend the ass. We will ask him to be the judge.&quot;

&quot;By all means.&quot;

They both told their story in turn to the ass, just as they had told the ox. The ass also quoted the same words of the Bible as the ox. After a long tale of his own sorrows at the hands of ungrateful man, the ass decided that the snake was in the right.

&quot;See!&quot; cried the snake, &quot;did I not say that I should win? I shall now kill thee and know that I am doing the right thing.&quot;

&quot;Stay, Master Snake, let us be fair. We have asked two animals to judge between us. Let us also put the case before a man. It is natural that animals should judge in thy favor, for they are thy kinsmen. Come before David, King of Israel. He is a good man and will speak as is right.&quot;

&quot;Very good, I agree.&quot;

When they came before the King, he listened very attentively to both of them. Turning to the old man, David said: &quot;Why hast thou not kept the Holy