The Laughable Stories Collected by Mar Gregory John

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PROFITABLE STORIES OF TEACHERS AND LEARNED MEN.
CCLII. A certain teacher used to say, "A very large
"portion of learning hath escaped me, I mean that por-
*tion which I was ashamed to learn from men who
i^ ''were my inferiors. Therefore do not, O my disciples,
"let it be accounted a disgrace by you to ask questions
"of those who are your inferiors, whereby ye may
"become accomplished and perfect.*'
CCLIII. Another teacher related a story of his master
to the effect that on a certain day the people asked
him more than fifty questions, and that he replied to
[each of] them shamelessly "I do not know the answer
"thereof;" and that he never answered questions on any
matters except such as he knew accurately.
c^ CCLIV. Another teacher used to say, "The things
"which I know are few, but I know those accurately.*'
CCLV. Another learned man, when sitting at a feast
with certain people who were drinking milk and honey,
/ said to the servants, "Give me to drink of that for
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"which when it cannot be found a man would sell his
"soul, but which when found is rejected;" now by these
words he meant water.
CCLVI. Another learned man in heaping abuse on a
common man, said, " The father of this man used to con-
"ceal the greater number of the animals which he owned