The Drop of Honey.[FN#174]
A certain hunter used to chase wild beasts in wold, and one day
he came upon a grotto in the mountains, where he found a hollow
full of bees' honey. So he took somewhat thereof in a water-skin
he had with him and, throwing it over his shoulder, carried it to
the city, followed by a hunting dog which was dear to him. He
stopped at the shop of an oilman and offered him the honey for
sale and he bought it. Then he emptied it out of the skin, that
he might see it, and in the act a drop fell to the ground,
whereupon the flies flocked to it and a bird swooped down upon
the flies. Now the oilman had a cat, which sprang upon the bird,
and the huntsman's dog, seeing the cat, sprang upon it and slew
it; whereupon the oilman sprang upon the dog and slew it, and the
huntsman in turn sprang upon the oilman and slew him. Now the
oilman was of one village and the huntsman of another; and when
the people of the two places heard what had passed, they took up
arms and weapons and rose one on other in wrath and the two lines
met; nor did the sword leave to play amongst them, till there
died of them much people, none knoweth their number save Almighty
Allah. "And amongst other stories of the malice of women"
(continued the Wazir) "I have heard tell, O King, one concerning
The Woman who made her Husband Sift Dust.
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