“O Effendis!” said he, “be good enough, I beseech you, to take the will for the deed.  You are indeed most welcome, and if there had been butter or rice, or anything else in our house, you would have had excellent soup out of this very bowl.”

Tale 34.—­The Khoja and the Ten Blind Men.

Once upon a time Khoja Nasr-ed-Deen, wandering by the banks of a river, came to a certain ford near which he seated himself to rest.

By and by came ten blind men, who were desirous of crossing the river, and they agreed with the Khoja that he should help them across for the payment of one penny each.

The Khoja accordingly exerted himself to the utmost of his power, and he got nine of the blind men safely across; but as he was helping the tenth, the man lost his footing, and in spite of the Khoja’s efforts the river overpowered him, and bore him away.

Thereupon the nine blind men on the opposite shore set up a lamentable wail, crying, “What has happened, O Khoja?”

“One penny less to pay than you expected,” said the Khoja.

Tale 35.—­The End of the World.

Now Khoja Nasr-ed-Deen Effendi had a lamb which he brought up and fattened with much care.

[Illustration:  THE KHOJA RECOMPENSES HIS FRIENDS.]

Some of his friends were very desirous to get hold of this lamb and make a feast of it.  So they came to the Khoja and begged him earnestly to give up the lamb for a feast, but the Khoja would not consent.

At last one day came one of them and said, “O Khoja! to-morrow is the end of the world.  What will you do with this lamb on the last day?  We may as well eat it this evening.”

“If it be so, let us do as you say,” replied the Khoja, for he thought that the man was in earnest.  So they lighted the fire and roasted the lamb, and had an excellent feast.  But the Khoja perceived that they had played a trick upon him.

By and by his friends went to some little distance to play games together, but the Khoja would not accompany them, so they left their upper garments in his charge and departed to their amusements.

When they were gone the Khoja took the clothes and put them on to the fire where the lamb had been roasted, and burnt them all.

After a while the friends returned and found their robes burnt to ashes.

“O Khoja!” they cried, “who has burnt our clothes?  Alas, alas! what shall we do?”

“Never mind,” said the Khoja, “to-morrow the world comes to an end, you know.  You would not have wanted them for long.”

Tale 36.—­The Dog on the Tomb.

One day the Khoja was wandering among the tombs.  As he strolled along he perceived a dog lying upon a grave-stone.

Indignant at this profanation of a tomb, the Khoja took a stout stick and made up his mind to chastise the intruder.  But the dog, who saw what was coming, got up and prepared to fly at him.