Price Cutters and Asses

^A,t the beginning of ttingr, when the world was young, the donkey war ecteemed by all the tribes of men'ab the wirert of dnimele.

The good Sheik Et-Sta-Shrm-Air ovmed e great herd of there ragacious beaste, which war the pride and joy of hir life.

Other Sheike came from all arorurd to lirten and marvel at the wisdorD of the herd. At cuch a time Game e,ven the Prophet himrelf-mort Iearned and wire of all the sonr of the East. With much glowing pride El-Sta-Shun-Air led him out to the herd and raid:

"Behold, O Prophet, the wise and talented asses. Converre with thenr" test them, and cee if they are not verily wiser than forty treer full of owlg.t' ttTruer" replied the long-eared one, ttbut I wanted the order."

Then tte Prophet addrecsed the a.sses. "Let us tect yorn wisdomr" raid he. "Aruwer me this quection: what rhould an a8r require for a three dayr' jowney?"

And they counselled arrrong themrelves and then made reply: "For a three dayst journey, O Prophet, any as! rhould require six burdles of hay and three bagl of dates."

"Very goodrt' quoth the Prophet, ttthat roundc& like a fair and prop€r price." Whereupon El-StaShrm-Air broke into loud chucklee and nid: !'Did I not tell you ttey are parring wige?"

The Prophet answered, "Waitr" and he agbin addre*ed tfie arses. "I have one foi'your" hd raidl "three dayst journey, but I will not give you six bundlec of hay and three begr of dater for making it. Let him who will go for ler, stand forth."

And behold, they all stood forth and began to ta& at once. One would go for six bundles of hay and one bag of datee, until finally one erpecially long-eared'ase agreed to go for one bundle of hay.

Then spoke the Prophet: "Fooln" quoth hq, "you cannot even livefor tlrree days on one bundle of han muc[ lerl profit from the journey."

.And from that far-off day to this, asser have been known as foolr, and price-cutters have been known aa lltet' -.vq6 ttripsr" Kanras city.