Page:Katha sarit sagara, vol2.djvu/62



Then the minister Gomukha again said to Naraváhanadatta, in order to solace him while pining for Śaktiyaśas; " Prince, you have heard a tale of a wise person, now hear a tale about a fool."

Story of the foolish merchant who made aloes-wood into charcoal.* :— certain rich merchant had a blockhead of a son. He, once on a time, went to the island of Katáha to trade, and among his wares there was a great quantity of fragrant aloes-wood. And after he had sold the rest of his wares, he could not find any one to take the aloes-wood off his bands, for the people who live there are not acquainted with that article of commerce. Then, seeing people buying charcoal from the woodmen, the fool burnt his stock of aloes-wood and reduced it to charcoal. Then he sold it for the price which charcoal usually fetched, and returning home, boasted of his cleverness, and became a laughing-stock to everybody.

" I have told you of the man who burnt aloes-wood, now hear the tale of the cultivator of sesame."

Story of the man who sowed roasted seed.† :— There was a certain villager who was a cultivator, and very nearly an idiot. He one day roasted some sesame-seeds, and, finding them nice to eat, he sowed a large number of roasted seeds, hoping that similar ones would come up. When they did not come up, on account of their having been roasted, he found that he had lost his substance, and people laughed at him.

" I have spoken of the sesame-cultivator, now hear about the man who threw fire into water."

Story of the fool who mixed fire and water.‡ :—There was a silly man, who, one night, having to perform a sacrifice next day, thus reflected:— " I require water and fire, for bathing, burning incense, and other purposes; so I will put them together, that I may quickly obtain them when I want them." Thus reflecting, he threw the fire into the pitcher of water, and then went to bed. And in the morning, when he came to look, the fire was extinct, and the water was spoiled. And when he saw the water blackened with charcoal, his face was blackened also, and the faces of the amused people were wreathed in smiles.