ow it had come into his possession.

The Ambassador drew forth a heavy bag of money, and taking out a
handful of gold pieces, gave them to the man.

"My good fellow," he said, "since you offer me the stone, I accept it
gladly; but as I am leaving the kingdom, and my expenses are very
heavy, I cannot give you all that it is worth. If it please Heaven, I
will return this way, and I will pay you then."

The poor man did not like to accept so much gold for what he judged to
be a worthless stone; but on the nobleman's entreaty he took the
money, and ran back to his wife, full of joy at his good fortune. Both
husband and wife then went at once to the hermit to recount to him all
that had taken place, and to offer him a tenth of the money. This he
refused to take, but bade them return to the village and distribute it
in alms to the poor. They returned to the village accordingly and did
as the monk had bidden them. They also gave part of the money to the
parents of the lads who had fought so desperately for the possession
of the stone. The rest the man spent in purchasing a piece of land.

This little plot of ground proved very fertile, and whatever the owner
planted produced a hundredfold. His trees were borne down by the
weight of the fruit, which always fetched a good price.

Years passed ere the Ambassador returned from the foreign country,
where he had gained high honours and wealth. On passing the village
again where he had obtained the stone, he inquired for the good man,
and was told how he had prospered with the money he had given him, and
that he was now a person of importance.

On arriving at the Court of his sovereign he recounted to the King all
that had taken place. The King was greatly pleased with the history of
the honestly earned coin, and had the stone valued by the first
jewellers of the kingdom, who all pronounced it to be a singularly
valuable gem. A large sum was given to the Ambassador for it, and he
was loaded with distinctions and honours. The nobleman, wishing to
show his gratitude for the honours conferred on him, sent handsome
presents to the good man and his wife.

And so it came to pass that they who had been honest were now
prosperous as well.

_The Jackal, the Barber and the Brahmin_

A barber and a Jackal once struck up a great friendship, which might
have continued to this day, had not the Jackal been so clever that the
Barber never felt quite on equal terms with him, and sus