thy power, by kind treatment,
for the injury thou hast done him by thy late hard-hearted conduct."

'The Dhobhie, glad to escape so well, went away leading the ass to his
home, fed him with well-soaked gram (grain in general use for cattle), and
nicely-picked grass, sheltered him from the burning sun, poured healing
oil into his wounds, and covered his back to keep off the flies; once a
day he bathed him in the river. In short, such expedients were resorted to
for the comfort and relief of the ass, as were ultimately attended with
the happiest effects.

'At the expiration of the forty days, the Dhobhie set off from his home to
the palace, leading his now lively ass by a cord. On the road the
passers-by were filled with amazement and mirth, at the manners and
expressions of the Dhobhie towards his led ass. "Come along,
brother!--Make haste, son!--Let us be quick, father!--Take care, uncle!"

'"What means the old fool?" was asked by some; "does he make his ass a
relation?"--"In truth," replied the Dhobhie, "my ass is a very dear old
friend, and what is more, he has been a greater expense to me than all my
relations latterly: believe me, it has cost me much care and pains to
bring this ass into his present excellent condition." Then relating the
orders of the King, and his own subsequent treatment of the beast, the
people no longer wondered at the simple Dhobhie's expressions which had
prompted them at first to believe he was mad.

'The King, it is related, received the Dhobhie graciously, and commended
and rewarded him for his careful attention to the animal; which in his
improved condition became more useful to his master than he had ever been,
through the King's determination to enforce justice even to the brute
creation.'

The second anecdote, translated for me by the same kind hand, is often
related, with numerous embellishments, under the title of 'Khareem
Zund'.[16]

'Khareem Zund ruled in Persia. One day he was seated in the verandah of
his palace smoking his hookha, and, at the same time, as was his frequent
practice, overlooking the improvements carried on by masons and labourers,
under the superintendence of a trusty servant. One of the labourers, who
was also named Khareem, had toiled long, and sought to refresh himself
with a pipe. The overseer of the work, seeing the poor man thus engaged,
approached him in great wrath, rated him severely for his presumption in
smoking whilst he stood in the presence of