The Laughable Stories Collected by Mar Gregory John

STORIES OF MISERS. I I 3
^'understanding, if every time I eat a date thou doest
*
'likewise, where is the reward of my labours ? Or per-
''haps thou dost imagine that I gained these without
"any exertion?"
CCCCXXXVI. When a number of folk were sitting
at table with another miser and he wished to keep
them from eating, he said to them, "This is not the
"kind of food for a man to eat if he wisheth to make
"a supper."
CCCCXXXVII. Avarus alius quidam aegrotans oleum,
medicis jubentibus, hausit: ubi alvum autem pergasset,
servis, "Ite," clamat, "oleum e stercore meo coUigite quo
"ad lucernas incendendo uti possimus."
CCCCXXXVIII. When a certain miser was dying
he commanded his son, saying, "In thy dealings with
"men be thou like unto those who play chess, and
"who are most careful to keep what is their own, and
"to take what belongs to others both by skill and
"craft."
CCCCXXXIX. When a certain miser heard that
there lived in the city another miser who was more
crafty in miserly acts than himself he went to see him.
And when he had gone into his house and had saluted
him, the niaster thereof rose up and went to the market
to buy oil to bring in to his guest to eat with the
bread; and having drawn nigh to one of the shopmen,
the shopman said to him, "I have some oil which is
"as clear as water." Then the miser said, "I have
"whole skins full of water in the house," and he quickly
returned thereto. And he filled a dish with water and
setting it before his guest said unto him, "I went out
"to buy some oil to bring thee, and I saw that wish-
"ing to praise the oil they compared it unto water.