“You must be mad,” replied the Khoja; “am I a cat?  If it is really as dark as you say how can I possibly see whether I have got any or not?”

Tale 40.—­The Wise Donkey.

Once upon a time the Khoja was smoking in his garden, when a certain man came to borrow his donkey.

Now this man was cruel to animals, therefore the Khoja did not like to lend him his beast; but as he was also a man of some consideration, the Khoja hesitated to refuse point blank.

“O Effendi!” said he, “I will gladly lend you my donkey, but he is a very wise animal, and knows what is about to befall him.  If he foresees good luck for this journey all will be well, and you could not have a better beast.  But if he foresees evil he will be of no use, and I should be ashamed to offer him to you.”

“Be good enough to inquire of him,” said the borrower.

Thereupon the Khoja departed on pretence of taking counsel with his donkey.  But he only smoked another pipe in his garden, and then returned to the man, who was anxiously awaiting him, and whom he saluted with all possible politeness, saying—­

“May it be far from you, most worthy Effendi, ever to experience such misfortune as my wise donkey foresees on this occasion!”

“What does he foresee?” inquired the borrower.

[Illustration:  THE KHOJA AND HIS DONKEY.]

“Broken knees, sore ribs, aching bones, long marches, and short meals,” said the Khoja.

Then the man looked foolish, and sneaked away without reply.

But the Khoja went back to his pipe.

Tale 41.—­The Khoja’s Horse.

Once upon a time the Khoja was travelling in company with a caravan, when they halted for the night at a certain place, and all the horses were tied up together.

Next morning the Khoja could not for the life of him remember which was his own horse, and he was much afraid of being cheated if he confessed this to the rest.

So, as they were all coming out, he seized his bow and arrow, and aimed among the horses at random.

“Don’t shoot!” cried the men; “what is the matter?”

“I am desperate,” replied the Khoja; “I am determined to kill somebody’s horse, so let every one look to his own.”

Laughing at the Khoja’s folly, each man untied his own horse as quickly as possible, and took it away.

Then the Khoja knew that the one left was his own.

He at once proceeded to mount, but putting his right foot into the stirrup, he came round with his face to the tail.

“What makes you get up backwards, Khoja?” said his friends.

“It is not I who am in the wrong,” said the Khoja, “but the horse that is left-handed.”

Tale 42.—­The Khoja on the Bey’s Horse.

On a certain occasion Khoja Nasr-ed-Deen went to see the Bey, and the
Bey invited him to go out hunting.

The Khoja agreed, but when they were about to start he found that he had been mounted on a horse which would not move out of a snail’s pace.  He said nothing, however, for it is not well to be too quick in seeing affronts.