The Laughable Stories Collected by Mar Gregory John

PROFITABLE SAYINGS OF THE PERSIAN SAGES. 25
[about it] and ran out among the men having her
head uncovered, but when she came to her father on
the cross she covered it. And when the king asked
her concerning what she had done, she replied, **He
''was the only man [there] before whom it was meet
'to be ashamed [at being uncovered]."
XCIV. Sapor ^ said, "The ornaments of a city are
"these:— A victorious king, a righteous judge, a market (y^
"full] of merchandize, a skilful physician and a flowing
"river.
XCV. Khusrau (II) asked one of his wise men,
"Which are the more numerous, men or devils?" And
he replied, "If thou considerest the Kurds and the com-
"mon folk of the bazaars men, men are the more
"numerous."
XCVI. Bazarjamhir said, "Whosoever loveth thee
"will keep thee from thine anger, but whosoever hateth
"thee will stir thee up thereunto."
XCVII. To this same Bazarjamhir it was said, "Who _^
"is he that hath no defect in himi^" And he replied,
"He that dieth not."
XCVIII. Bazarjamhir's wife asked him a certain
question and he replied, "I know not the answer."
Thereupon she said unto him, "Dost thou take such
"large wages from the king [for thy wisdom] and yet ^
"not know the answer to my question.'*" And he re-
plied, "I receive my wages for what I know, and it is
"not payment for what I know not. If I were to re-
"celve wages for that which I know not all the king's
"treasures would be insufficient to reward me, for the
"things which I know not are exceedingly many."
* Shapur I began to reign A.D. 272, Shipur II A.D. 621, and
Shapur III A.D. 695.