The laughable stories collected by Mâr Gregory John Bar Hebræ

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98 THE LAUGHABLE STORIES OF BAR-HEBR^US.
"from the people [by thy son], and, moreover, the Sab-
"bath day whereon thou hast asked the question is
a day
"of cessation from labour according to the old Law."
CCCXCIV. A certain Arab related that once when
he was mounted on a camel and was travelling in the
desert, he became thirsty, and he took out a waterskin
wherefrom to drink; and as he did so a raven
croaked in his face, and the water was scattered about
in the dust. And being very angry he drew his sword
and slit up the skin bottle, and behold, there fell from
it a large viper which had made its way therein for
the sake of the water, and which had escaped the
notice of him that filled the skin. And it came to pass
that when the man had travelled a little further he
saw the raven alight in the middle of the way, and
when he cried out to him he stood up upon a rock,
and swooped down upon a large purse full of gold
that
had been dropped by some merchants.
CCCXCV. Another magician went to
a certain king,
and said to him, "I saw in my dream a man who said
"to me. Go and announce to the king that he shall live
"another eighty years, and behold this shall be a sign
"unto him:—Behold, he shall see in a dream as if
"eighty rings [set with] hyacinthine stones were given
"to him." And when the king heard these words he
marvelled and said, "Verily I have seen even as thou
"hast said;" and he gave him a thousand dinars^
CCCXCVI. Another magician who had at home
a wife whose name was Zahrah was once travelling
alone in the desert. And having gotten concerning her
a suspicion of wrong he began to mutter to himself
' /. if., about twenty-five pounds sterling.