fear that the carrot
would break, and anger at the meddling of those strangers who put her in
peril. She struggled, and beat with hands and feet upon those below her.

"Let go," she cried; "it is _my_ carrot."

The words were hardly out of her mouth before the carrot broke, and she
fell, with them all, back into torment, and the pit swallowed them up.

* * * * *

In a little German town the pious Rabbi Jisroel Isserlheim is deep in the
study of the sacred writings, when of a sudden the Messiah stands before
him. The time of trial of his people is past, so runs his message; that
very evening he will come, and their sufferings will be over. He prays
that his host will summon a carriage in which he may make his entry into
town. Trembling with pride and joy, the rabbi falls at his feet and
worships. But in the very act of rising doubts assail him.

"Thou temptest me, Master!" he exclaims; "it is written that the Messiah
shall come riding upon an ass."

"Be it so. Send thou for the ass." But in all the countryside far and near
no ass is to be found; the rabbi knows it. The Messiah waits.

"Do you not see that you are barring the way with your scruples to the
salvation you long for? The sun is far in the west; do not let it set, for
if this day pass, the Jews must suffer for untold ages to come. Would you
set an ass between me and the salvation of my people?"

The man stands irresolute. "Ten minutes, and I must go," urges his
visitor. But at last the rabbi has seen his duty clear.

"No Messiah without the ass," he cries; and the Messiah goes on his way.

* * * * *

Once, so runs the legend, there lived in far Judean hills two affectionate
brothers, tilling a common field together. One had a wife and a houseful
of children; the other was a lonely man. One night in the harvest time the
older brother said to his wife: "My brother is a lonely man. I will go out
and move some of the sheaves from my side of the field over on his, so
that when he sees them in the morning his heart will be cheered by the
abundance." And he did.

That same night the other brother said to his workmen: "My brother has a
houseful and many mouths to fill. I am alone, and do not need all this
wealth. I will go and move some of my sheaves over on his field, so that
he shall rejoice in the morning when he sees how great is his store." And
he did. They did it that night and the next, in