he keep in his house his neighbor's property, as though it were his
own."

O Maker of the material world, thou Holy One! How many in number are thy
contracts, O Ahura Mazda?

Ahura Mazda answered:--

"They are six in number, O holy Zarathustra. The first is the
word-contract; the second is the hand-contract; the third is the
contract to the amount of a sheep; the fourth is the contract to the
amount of an ox; the fifth is the contract to the amount of a man; the
sixth is the contract to the amount of a field, a field in good land, a
fruitful one, in good bearing. The word-contract is fulfilled by words
of mouth. It is cancelled by the hand-contract; he shall give as damages
the amount of the hand-contract. The hand-contract is cancelled by the
sheep-contract; he shall give as damages the amount of the
sheep-contract. The sheep-contract is cancelled by the ox-contract; he
shall give as damages the amount of the ox-contract. The ox-contract is
cancelled by the man-contract; he shall give as damages the amount of
the man-contract. The man-contract is cancelled by the field-contract;
he shall give as damages the amount of the field-contract."

O Maker of the material world, thou Holy One! If a man break the
word-contract, how many are involved in his sin?

Ahura Mazda answered:--

"His sin makes his Nabanazdistas answerable for three hundred years."

O Maker of the material world, thou Holy One! If a man break the
hand-contract, how many are involved in his sin?

Ahura Mazda answered:--

"His sin makes his Nabanazdistas answerable for six hundred years."

O Maker of the material world, thou Holy One! If a man break the
sheep-contract, how many are involved in his sin?

Ahura Mazda answered:--

"His sin makes his Nabanazdistas answerable for seven hundred years."

O Maker of the material world, thou Holy One! If a man break the
ox-contract, how many are involved in his sin?

Ahura Mazda answered:--

"His sin makes his Nabanazdistas answerable for eight hundred years."

O Maker of the material world, thou Holy One! If a man break the
man-contract, how many are involved in his sin?

Ahura Mazda answered:--

"His sin makes his Nabanazdistas answerable for nine hundred years."

O Maker of the material world, thou Holy One! If a man break the
field-contract, how many are involved in his sin?

Ahura Mazda answered:--

"His sin makes his Nabanazdistas answerable for a thousand years."

O Maker of the ma