utched with both hands at the first things I could
lay hold of, lest it should drive me further. And so they remain in my
grasp."

"Oh," said the gardener; "but who put these into the sack, I wonder?"

"That is just what puzzles me," the Khoja replied; "I was thinking about
it when you came in."

_Tale_ 32.--The Spurting Fountain.

One summer's day the Khoja had come a long way, and was very hot and
thirsty. By and by he perceived a fountain, of which the pipe was
stopped up with a piece of wood.

"Now I shall quench my thirst," said the Khoja, and he pulled out the
stopper, on which the water rushed out with vehement force over the
Khoja's head, and drenched him in a moment.

"Ah!" cried the Khoja angrily, "it's because of your running so madly
that they have stuck that stick into you, I suppose."

_Tale_ 33.--Well-meant Soup.

One day as the Khoja was returning home he met a party of students
walking together.

"Good-evening, Effendis!" said he. "Pray come home with me, and we will
have some soup."

The students did not think twice about accepting the invitation, and
they followed the Khoja home to his house.

"Pray be seated," said the Khoja, and when they had seated themselves he
went to the upper room. "Wife," said he, "I have brought home some
guests. Let us give them a good bowl of soup."

"O Effendi!" cried the wife, "is there any butter in the house? Is there
any rice? Have you brought anything home for me to make it of, that you
ask for soup?"

"Give me the soup-bowl," said the Khoja. Then taking the empty bowl in
his hand he returned to the students.

"O Effendis!" said he, "be good enough, I beseech you, to take the will
for the deed. You are indeed most welcome, and if there had been butter
or rice, or anything else in our house, you would have had excellent
soup out of this very bowl."

_Tale_ 34.--The Khoja and the Ten Blind Men.

Once upon a time Khoja Nasr-ed-Deen, wandering by the banks of a river,
came to a certain ford near which he seated himself to rest.

By and by came ten blind men, who were desirous of crossing the river,
and they agreed with the Khoja that he should help them across for the
payment of one penny each.

The Khoja accordingly exerted himself to the utmost of his power, and he
got nine of the blind men safely across; but as he was helping the
tenth, the man lost his footing, and in spite of the Khoja's efforts the
river overpowered him, and bore him aw