, to see him come to me with a large fish in his hand.
"Neighbour," said he, "my wife promised you last night, in return
for your kindness, whatever fish I should catch at my first
throw; and I approved her promise. It pleased God to send me no
more than this one for you, which, such as it is, I desire you to
accept. I wish it had been better. Had he sent me my net full,
they should all have been yours."

"Neighbour," said I, "the bit of lead which I sent you was such a
trifle, that it ought not to be valued at so high a rate:
neighbours should assist each other in their little wants. I have
done no more for you than I should have expected from you had I
been in your situation; therefore I would refuse your present, if
I were not persuaded you gave it me freely, and that I should
offend you; and since you will have it so, I take it, and return
you my hearty thanks."

After these civilities, I took the fish, and carried it home to
my wife. "Here," said I, "take this fish, which the fisherman our
neighbour has made me a present of, in return for the bit of lead
he sent to us for last night: I believe it is all we can expect
from the present Saad made me yesterday, promising me that it
would bring me good luck;" and then I told her what had passed
between the two friends.

My wife was much startled to see so large a fish. "What would you
have me do with it?" said she. "Our gridiron is only fit to broil
small fish; and we have not a pot big enough to boil it." "That
is your business," answered I; "dress it as you will, I shall
like it either way." I then went to my work again.

In gutting the fish, my wife found a large diamond, which, when
she washed it, she took for a piece of glass: indeed she had
heard talk of diamonds, but if she had ever seen or handled any
she would not have known how to distinguish them. She gave it to
the youngest of our children for a plaything, and his brothers
and sisters handed it about from one to another, to admire its
brightness and beauty.

At night when the lamp was lighted, and the children were still
playing with the diamond, they perceived that it gave a light,
when my wife, who was getting them their supper, stood between
them and the lamp; upon which they snatched it from one another
to try it; and the younger children fell a-crying, that the elder
would not let them have it long enough. But as a little matter
amuses children, and makes them squabble and fall out, my wife
and