Page:The Book of the Thousand Nights and One Night, Vol 6.djvu/23

7 bazaar, where he found the Jew seated on a stool at the door of his storehouse. When the latter saw the mule, he said, ‘The man hath perished and nought undid him but covetise.’ Then he took the mule from Jouder and gave him a hundred dinars, charging him keep the matter secret. So Jouder went to the baker and giving him a dinar, took what bread he needed. The baker reckoned up what was due to him and said, ‘I still owe thee two days’ bread.’ ‘Good,’ answered Jouder and went on to the butcher, to whom he gave a dinar and took meat, saying, ‘Keep the rest of the dinar on account.’ Then he bought vegetables and going home, found his brothers importuning their mother for food, whilst she said, ‘Have patience till your brother comes home, for I have nothing.’ So he went in to them and said, ‘Take and eat;’ and they fell on the victual like ghouls. Then he gave his mother the rest of the dinars, bidding her, if his brothers came to her, give them wherewithal to buy food and eat in his absence.

Next morning he took his net and going down to Lake Caroun, was about to cast his net, when there came up to him a second Moor, riding on a mule, more handsomely accoutred than he of the day before and having with him a pair of saddle-bags, in each pocket of which was a casket. ‘Peace be on thee, O Jouder!’ said the Moor. ‘And on thee be peace, O my lord the pilgrim!’ replied Jouder. Quoth the Moor, ‘Did there come to thee yesterday a Moor riding on a mule like this of mine?’ At this Jouder was alarmed and replied, ‘I saw none,’ fearing lest the other should say, ‘Whither went he?’ and if he answered, ‘He was drowned in the lake,’ that he should charge him with having drowned him; wherefore he could not but deny. ‘Harkye, good fellow,’ rejoined the Moor, ‘this was my brother, who is gone before me.’ Quoth Jouder, ‘I know nothing of him.’ Then said the Moor,