Moorish Literature Part 52

"I won't gnaw it."

"Come, cat, eat the rat."

"Bring it here."

"Why eat me?" said the rat; "bring the strap and I'll gnaw it."

"Why gnaw me?" said the strap; "bring the blacksmith and I'll bind him."

"Why bind me?" said the blacksmith; "bring the knife and I'll break it."

"Why break me?" said the knife; "bring the ox and I'll kill him."

"Why kill me?" said the ox; "bring the water and I'll drink it."

"Why drink me?" said the water; "bring the fire and I'll quench it."

"Why quench me?" said the fire; "bring the stick and I'll burn it."

"Why burn me?" said the stick; "bring the child and I'll strike him."

"Why strike me?" said the child; "bring me my dinner and I'll eat it."

THE WREN

A wren had built its nest on the side of a road. When the eggs were hatched, a camel pa.s.sed that way. The little wrens saw it, and said to their father when he returned from the fields:

"O papa, a gigantic animal pa.s.sed by."

The wren stretched out his foot. "As big as this, my children?"

"O papa, much bigger."

He stretched out his foot and his wing. "As big as this?"

"O papa, much bigger."

Finally he stretched out fully his feet and legs. "As big as this, then?"

"Much bigger."

"That is a lie; there is no animal bigger than I am."

"Well, wait," said the little ones, "and you will see." The camel came back while browsing the gra.s.s of the roadside. The wren stretched himself out near the nest. The camel seized the bird, which pa.s.sed through its teeth safe and sound.

"Truly," he said to them, "the camel is a gigantic animal, but I am not ashamed of myself."

On the earth it generally happens that the vain are as if they did not exist. But sooner or later a rock falls and crushes them.

THE MULE, THE JACKAL, AND THE LION

The mule, the jackal, and the lion went in company. "We will eat the one whose race is bad," they said to each other.

"Lion, who is your father?"

"My father is a lion and my mother is a lioness."

"And you, jackal, what is your father?"

"My father is a jackal and my mother, too."

"And you, mule, what is your father?"

"My father is an a.s.s, and my mother is a mare."

"Your race is bad; we will eat you."

He answered them: "I will consult an old man. If he says that my race is bad, you may devour me."

He went to a farrier, and said to him, "Shoe my hind feet, and make the nails stick out well."

He went back home. He called the camel and showed him his feet, saying: "See what is written on this tablet."

"The writing is difficult to decipher," answered the camel. "I do not understand it, for I only know three words--_outini, ouzatini, ouazakin_." He called a lion, and said to him: "I do not understand these letters; I only know three words--_outini, ouzatini, ouazakin_"

"Show it to me," said the lion. He approached. The mule struck him between the eyes and stretched him out stiff.

He who goes with a knave is betrayed by him.

THADh.e.l.lALA

A woman had seven daughters and no son. She went to the city, and there saw a rich shop. A little farther on she perceived at the door of a house a young girl of great beauty. She called her parents, and said:

"I have my son to marry; let me have your daughter for him."