The merchant, looking on him, thought that he had been
weeping, and asked him why he wept. This courtier, not
willing it to be known that he had brent his mouth with
the hot custard, answered and said, "Sir," quod he, "I
had a brother which did a certain offence, wherefore he
was hanged." The merchant thought the courtier had said
true, and anon, after the merchant was disposed to eat
of the custard, and put a spoonful of it into his mouth,
and brent his mouth also, that his eyes watered. This
courtier, that perceiving, spake to the merchant; and
said, "Sir," quod he, "why do ye weep now?" The merchant
perceived how he had been deceived, and said, "Marry,"
quod he, "I weep because thou wast not hanged when that
thy brother was hanged."
* * * * *
Many of the Muslim jests, like some our of own, are at the expense of
poor preachers. Thus: there was in Baghdad a preacher whom no one
attended after hearing him but once. One Friday when he came down from
the pulpit he discovered that the only one who remained in the mosque
was the muezzin--all his hearers had left him to finish his discourse
as, and when, he pleased--and, still worse, his slippers had also
disappeared.
Pages:
63
64
65
66
67
68
69
70
71
72
73
74
75
76
77
78
79
80
81
82
83
84
85
86
87