the man?" The little red Ants answered, and said to our Lord, "The reason why
we killed this man is this: When he went to market and his ass had thrown off
the sacks, those sacks were too heavy for him to take alone, so he called us, and
when we came to him, he said to us, 'Please help me to take my large bag and
load it upon mine ass, that I may go to market. When I have sold my things and
come back, I will pay you.' Accordingly we helped him to load his ass; but when
he had gone to market and sold all his things there, we saw him on his return
home, and went to him, to ask him for what he owed us; but he refused it, drove
his ass, and went homeward. However, he was only gone a little while, when he
got fever, sat down under a tree, tied his ass fast, took off his sacks and laid them
down; and on the same spot where he sat down, the fever overpowered him that
he lay down. Then on seeing him lying we went, assembled ourselves and killed
him, because he had refused what he owed us."
Our Lord gave them right.
Our Lord said to the Merchant, "Thou goest to market until thy life stands still."
Our Lord said to the Cricket, "Do thou give notice whenever it is time! This is
thy work."
Our Lord said to the little red Ants, "Whenever ye see any Insect unwell and
lying down in a place, then go, assemble yourselves and finish it."
Now the Cricket begins to give notice as soon as it is evening and does not keep
silence in his hole until the morning comes; this is its employment. The
Merchant has no farm and does not do any work, but constantly goes to market;
this is its employment, given to it by the Lord. Now the little red Ants, whenever
they see an Insect unwell and lying down they go and assemble themselves
against that Insect, and, even if that Insect has not yet expired they finish it. This
our Lord gave to the little red Ants for their employment.
I have now told thee the fable of the Insects, which I have heard of
Omar Pesami. This is finished.
Man and Turtle
Let me tell of Turtle of Koka.