upon the table, placed it before the Bey, who
being very much delighted with the plum which the Cogia brought,
presented him with a great deal of money. The Cogia went home, and a few
days after, taking a number of beetroots, set out again in order to carry
them to the Bey. As he was going along he met an individual, who said to
the Cogia, 'To whom are you carrying those things?' 'I am carrying them
to the Bey,' said the Cogia. 'If you were to carry him some figs
instead,' said the individual, 'he would like it better.' The Cogia
instantly went and procured a few pounds of figs, which he carried to the
Bey, who ordered his attendants to fling them all at his head. Some of
the figs striking the Cogia's head, he forthwith began to cry out, 'Thank
God, thank God!' 'How is this, Cogia?' said they. 'Why do you thank
God?' 'I was bringing a great quantity of beetroots,' said the Cogia,
'but meeting an individual on the road, he advised me to bring these
instead. Now if I had brought beetroots, my head would have been
broken.'

The Cogia going on another day to visit the Bey, the Bey took him out a-
hunting, but mounted him on a good-for-nothing horse. As they were
hunting, it began to rain; every one escaped by means of his horse, but
the good-for-nothing horse would scarcely move. The Cogia forthwith
stripping himself naked, took his garments and sat down upon them. No
sooner was the rain over, than he got up, and having dressed himself, he
went to the Bey. Said the Bey, 'It is a wonder you escaped a wetting.'
Said the Cogia, 'I was mounted on a horse that was a great goer, he flew
away with me so fast that I escaped the rain.' The Bey believed every
word that he said. On another day the Bey again went out a-hunting, but
he now rode that same horse himself, whilst the Cogia was mounted on
another; now it so pleased God that it again began to rain, every one
escaped as fast as he could, but the Bey on the good-for-nothing horse
was left behind, and at last reached home, creeping along like a crane.
He was very much incensed at what the Cogia had told him, and the next
day addressed him in this manner: 'Was it fit and proper that you should
tell me the lie you did, and cause me to be wet through by the rain which
God sent?' Said the Cogia, 'Why are you angry with me? Why had you not
sense enough to strip off your clothes as I did, and sit upon them, and
when the rain was over, dress yourself and come here?'