Page:Tales of the Punjab.pdf/23



SIR BUZZ

NCE upon a time a soldier died, leaving a widow and one son.They were dreadfully poor, and at last matters became so bad that they had nothing left in the house to eat.

'Mother,' said the son, 'give me four shillings, and I will go seek my fortune in the wide world.'

'Alas!' answered the mother, 'and where am I, who haven't a farthing wherewith to buy bread, to ﬁnd four shillings?'

'There is that old coat of my father's,' returned the lad; 'look in the pocket—perchance there is something there.'

So she looked, and behold! there were six shillings hidden away at the very bottom of the pocket!

'More than I bargained for,' quoth the lad, laughing. 'See, mother, them two shillings are for you; you can live on that till I return, the rest will pay my way until I ﬁnd my fortune.'