and as soon as he had seen the
setting of the sun, he prepared and arose to give notice. So when the
Cricket had given notice until midnight, our Lord sent a man to him
saying: "Go and tell the Cricket, that there has been much notice, and
that it is now enough; else he will have the headache." But the
Cricket would not hear, he said: "If I am out they will see me." So he
went into his hole, stretched only his head out, and began to give
notice. The Cricket went on giving notice until the day dawned; but
when it was day he became silent and stopped giving notice. Then all
the Insects arose and went to the prayer-place of our Lord, the
Merchant alone being left behind. To all the Insects who came first,
our Lord gave their employment, which they all took and went home.

Afterward also the Merchant-insect went to our Lord, and our Lord said
to him: "To all thy people who came before, I have given their work,
and they are gone; now what kept thee back that thou camest to me last?"

The Merchant-insect replied to our Lord, "My bags are many and on the
day when I took my bags and bound them up in my large travelling sacks
to load them upon my asses, then my people left me behind and came to
thee first."

Our Lord said to him: "All other employments are assigned; the people
who came first took them and went away; but stop, I will also give one
to thee. Go, and having arrived at the entrance of the black ants,
where are a great many ant-heads, when thou seest these many heads of
the black ants, take them, and fill thy bags with them; then load thy
bags upon thy ass, carry them to market, spread mats there, and sell
them."

So the Merchant-insect obtained his employment, drove his ass, and went
from our Lord, picked up ant-heads at the entrance of the black ants,
loaded his ass, and went his way to the market. As he went the ass
threw off the large bag. Then, he alone not being able to lift the
bag, he called people, saying: "Come, be so good as to help me; let us
take the sacks and load mine ass;" but not any of the people would do
so. Then the little red ants came after him, and when they were come
to where he was, he said to them, "Please come and help me to load mine
ass". The little red Ants said to the Merchant-insect, "We will not
help thee for nothing."

The Merchant-insect said to the little red Ants, "If you will not help
me for nothing, then come and help me, and when I have come back from
the marke