wherefore I would fain know of
thee whether of the three Laws thou reputest the true, the Jewish, the
Saracen or the Christian.' The Jew, who was in truth a man of learning
and understanding, perceived but too well that Saladin looked to
entrap him in words, so he might fasten a quarrel on him, and
bethought himself that he could not praise any of the three more than
the others without giving him the occasion he sought. Accordingly,
sharpening his wits, as became one who felt himself in need of an
answer by which he might not be taken at a vantage, there speedily
occurred to him that which it behoved him reply and he said, 'My lord,
the question that you propound to me is a nice one and to acquaint you
with that which I think of the matter, it behoveth me tell you a
little story, which you shall hear.

An I mistake not, I mind me to have many a time heard tell that there
was once a great man and a rich, who among other very precious jewels
in his treasury, had a very goodly and costly ring, whereunto being
minded, for its worth and beauty, to do honour and wishing to leave it
in perpetuity to his descendants, he declared that whichsoever of his
sons should, at his death, be found in possession thereof, by his
bequest unto him, should be recognized as his heir and be held of all
the others in honour and reverence as chief and head. He to whom the
ring was left by him held a like course with his own descendants and
did even as his father had done. In brief the ring passed from hand to
hand, through many generations, and came at last into the possession
of a man who had three goodly and virtuous sons, all very obedient to
their father wherefore he loved them all three alike. The young men,
knowing the usance of the ring, each for himself, desiring to be the
most honoured among his folk, as best he might, besought his father,
who was now an old man, to leave him the ring, whenas he came to die.
The worthy man, who loved them all alike and knew not himself how to
choose to which he had liefer leave the ring, bethought himself,
having promised it to each, to seek to satisfy all three and privily
let make by a good craftsman other two rings, which were so like unto
the first that he himself scarce knew which was the true. When he came
to die, he secretly gave each one of his sons his ring, wherefore each
of them, seeking after their father's death, to occupy the inheritance
and the honour and denying it to the others, produced