The Laughable Stories Collected by Mar Gregory John

I 30
THE LAUGHABLE STORIES OF BAR-HEBR.EUS.
•'to give him a thousand pieces of silver. Now when
"he had taken the paper he came out to me and gave
*'it to me, saying, 'Collect [the money] for me/ And
*'I went straightway and soaked the paper in water,
"and when I had brought it to him it was torn into
"shreds; and the guards would not let him go into the
"king's presence again in order that he might give
"him another order. Then, being greatly wroth, he said
"to me, 'Go then utterly to perdition, for thou hast no
"'longer any need of me.'"
CCCCXC. Another actor used to say, "With one
"small experiment I can vanquish the believer who saith
"that everything, both of good and of evil, cometh from
"God, and that man hath no power to do anything of
"himself." And when it was said to him, "How is this.'^"
he said, "I will lift up my hand over a man's neck,
"and I will ask him, 'Am I able to smite thy neck, or
"not? If he saith, 'Yes,' behold he hath repudiated what
"he confesseth; and if he saith 'No,' I will smite him
"and shew him that I have the power to do so."
CCCCXCI. Unto another actor who was lame it was
said, "What is the cause [of thy lameness]?" He replied,
"I wish to go forth into the country to-morrow, but I
"shall not get far if a thorn run into my foot."
CCCCXCII. Another actor said, "I and my brother
"were twins, and we both came forth from the womb
"at one time. He hath become a merchant whilst I am
"a wandering beggar. How then can the opinions of
"the astronomers be held to be true? This proof alone
"is quite sufficient to shew their falsehood."
CCCCXCIII. Another actor was eating his supper
with his friend, whose wife waited upon them, when
straightway there fell in front of them a pebble from