The Olive Fairy Book

e direction. Now the bunniah was very grasping, like most of his class, and was lamenting that he had had

elf. ‘Let me see if this farmer is not goo

er good day very politely, t

you, but since we are going the same way, I shall

what shall we talk about? A city man like you

ch tell the other the wildest tale we can imagine, and he who firs

nd privately he made up his mind that, however improbable it might be, nothing should induce him t

I met a merchant travelling with a great

the farmer; ‘I’ve seen t

niah, ‘all tied together by their nose strings — nose to tai

said the

m off, struggling, into the air, and by reason of them all b

r. ‘But — well — yes, doubtless; yes — well — one hu

t?’ demanded

said the fa

he was looking upward, with her head thrown back, whilst the maid tugged away at the comb, when that wretched kite, with its prey, went soaring overhead; and, as lu

mer; ‘it’s so painful havi

ss shook her head, and sprang up, clapping her hand on her eye. “Oh de

farmer, ‘perfectly true. Well

lid a twitch, and out came a camel, which the maid put in her pocket —’ (‘Ah!’ grunted the farmer)—‘and then she just twisted up the co

is out of breath, but the farmer lo

’ replied the bunniah. ‘Besides, tha

the farmer, ‘and no d

ah. ‘I am so anxious to hear your story

ll,’ answered the f

nd half a dozen buffaloes, and goats in abundance; but of all his possessions the

errupted the bu

would have it, he rode that mare to market with a torn saddle, which galled her so,

bunniah impatien

ches the bird ca

n at times? Well, the poor beast got dust in that wound, and what’s more, with the dust some grains

gets a fair chance

wheat on that horse’s back as big as anything you ever saw in

ire extra hands for rea

nds of wheat off that mare’s

!’ murmured

eep body and soul together —(the bunniah snorted, but was silent)— came to

us glance at his companion, but

aster, let me have the loan of sixteen maunds o

red my father; “take what you

the bunniah wit

r; ‘but he never repaid it, and it’s a debt to this day. S

ckly up and down the fingers of his right ha

matter?’ aske

unniah, with the calmness of despair, as he remembered that by his

en a man owes a debt: ‘Give me the money; o

ral tradition.)