home in safety. All men hold the belief that all the earth rests upon her back.”

The king asked the fish what she had to say about it, and she replied, “ I cannot in any way go there, nor can I either contend with the men, because I have no feet wherewith to get there, nor have I any tongue wherewith to talk to them. I cannot endure thirst; if for one instant I am parted from the water, my state becomes miserable. In my opinion the turtle is better fitted for the business, because he goes out of the water and stays also on dry land; dwelling in the sea or on the land is all one to him. And besides this, his body is strong and his back hard; he is exceedingly patient and enduring under trouble and pain.”

The king asked the turtle what he thought advisable, and he said, “This work is impossible for me also. When I walk my feet become heavy, and the way is far. I am also a poor talker, and long speeches are impossible for me. The dolphin is better suited for this, because he is very vigorous in his movements, and has great powers of speech."

The king asked the dolphin what he thought advisable. He said, “The crab is best fitted for this business, because he has many feet, is swift in walking and running, his talons are sharp, his claws hard, and his back strong as if covered with armour." The king spoke to the crab, and he replied, "How can I go there? my body is ugly, my back crooked, my figure exceedingly bad. I should not like for there to be a laugh against me." The king said, "Why should there be derision of you? what fault is there in you?" The crab said, "When they see me they will all say, who is this headless animal? he has eyes in his neck, a mouth in his breast, his cheeks are split open on both sides, he has got eight legs and they are crooked, and he goes along face downwards as if made of lead. All when they see me will crack jokes upon me." The king said, "Who then is better fitted to go there?"

The crab said, “In my opinion the crocodile is very well fitted for this business, because his legs are very strong, and he has plenty of action. He is swift in running, his mouth is large, his tongue long, his teeth numerous, his body hard, he is very patient, to gain his object he waits a long while, and shows no rashness in anything." The king asked the crocodile, and he replied, “ I am not at all fitted for this work, because there is great passion in me. Leaping, jumping, and running away with whatever I can get,—these are all defects of mine; and, in fine, I am a thorough cheat and impostor." When the messenger heard this he said, “For going on this business there is no need of strength, vigour, or trickery, but sense and gravity, justice and equity, eloquence and fluency are the things required.”

The crocodile said, “There is no one of these qualities and merits in me; but in my opinion the frog is the best person for this business, because he is mild and patient and devout; night and day he utters praises in commemoration of God, and morn and eve he is engaged in prayer and fasting. He goes also into the houses of men. In the estimation of the children of Israel his worth and honour are great, because once upon a time he showed them this kindness, that when Nimrod cast Abraham, the friend of God, into the fire, he took water in his mouth and squirted it on the fire, so that the fire was extinguished, and took no effect upon his body. And at another time, when there was a conflict between Moses and Pharaoh, he assisted Moses. And he is eloquent also ; he utters many words, and is ever engaged in praising, magnifying, and glorifying (God). He roams about both on the land and in the water, moving on the land and swimming in the water; all this he knows. His members also are appropriate; his head is round, his face good, his eyes bright, his hands and feet large, in movement he is swift, and he goes into the houses of men and shows no fear."

The king said to the frog, "What is the best course in your opinion?" He said, "I am ready, heart and soul, and I am the king's subject; whatever order he may give is agreeable to me. If it is decided that I am to go there, it is quite agreeable to me. I having there taken the part of my own fellows, will contend with the men. king will pray to God for aid and assistance to me, because But I hope that the the prayers of kings on behalf of their subjects are accepted." In compliance with his request, the king prayed to God, and all the congregation said, Amen. Then the frog took leave of the king, and proceeding thither, he presented himself before the King of the Jins.

1 Ba sar o chashm-lit., "with my head and eyes."

WH

CHAPTER XVI.

In description of the Sixth Messenger.

HEN the sixth messenger went to the dragon, king of all the reptiles—i.e., chief of all the worms1 and ants— and told him all the circumstances of the animals, he as soon as he heard it, directed that all the worms should attend. Instantly all snakes, scorpions, chameleons, lizards, green lizards, spiders, lice, small ants, earthworms, and, in fine, all worms which are produced in filth, and crawl upon the leaves of trees, all came and attended before the king. In such multitudes did they assemble that no one but God could have the power to count them. When the king beheld their wonderful and extraordinary forms and shapes, he was amazed, and remained silent for a moment. Afterwards, when having attentively considered and looked upon them, he perceived that there were very many creatures small and feeble in body, and deficient in instinct and intelligence. He became serious (and asked), “What can be done with these ?" He said to his minister, the serpent, "In your opinion, is there any one among them sufficiently clever to send there on the business of the dispute, so that he may confront the men? for these creatures are for the most part dumb, deaf, and blind; they have no hands or feet at all, there is neither hair nor feather visible on their bodies, they have no beaks or claws, and for the most part they are weak and feeble."

1 Kira-a worm, grub, insect.

In fine, the king felt great distress and sorrow for their state. Incontrollably he sighed in his heart, and began to weep in grief. Looking towards heaven, he preferred this prayer to God, saying, “O Creator and Provider, Thou alone takest compassion on the state of the feeble. In Thy grace and beneficence look upon the condition of these, for Thou art the most merciful of the merciful." At length, through the prayers of the king all the creatures who were there assembled began to speak with great eloquence and fluency.