eathed on them, and brought to the world peace and
tranquillity."

"That evening, from behind the mountains, a tall pale man appeared.
His feet trembled like leaves when the wind shakes them, and his
hands from time to time were raised to the heavens. And when he saw
the small, poor cabin, a stream of tears flowed from his eyes--for it
was Akiba, the husband of the beautiful Rachel."

"Akiba stopped at the open window, and listened to the talk that was
going on within. His wife, Rachel, was talking with her brother, whom
her father sent to her. 'Return to Kolba Sabua's house,' spoke her
brother, and she answered, 'I am waiting for Akiba, and taking care
of his house.' The brother spoke, 'Akiba will never return--he has
left you, and he is a disgrace to you.' She answered, 'Akiba has not
left me. I, myself, sent him to the fountain of wisdom, that he might
drink from it.' 'He drinks from the fountain of wisdom, and you bathe
yourself in tears, and your flesh dries from misery!' 'Let my eyes
flow out with my tears, let my flesh be eaten with misery, I shall
watch the house of my husband. And if that man, for whom I fed love
in my heart, shall come back to me and say, 'Rachel, I come back to
you that you may not weep any more, but I have not drunk enough from
the fountain of wisdom,' I would say to him, 'Go and drink more.''"

"The pale traveller, who stood at the window, which was open, became
still paler, and trembled still more when he heard what Rachel said.
He left the small cabin, and returned whence he came."

"Again seven years passed by. And there came a day when the sun pours
streams of golden brightness, and the trees rustle, and the flowers
blossom, and the birds sing, and the people laugh, as though the
spirit of the Eternal breathed on them, and brought to them life and
joy."

"On the road which led up the mountain to the shepherd's little cabin
a great crowd of people was roaring. Amidst them a tall man was
walking. His face shone like the sun with great wisdom, and from his
mouth fell words sweet as honey and fragrant as myrrh. People bowed
low before him, seizing every word, and crying with great love to
him, 'Oh, Rabbi!'"

"But through the crowd of people a woman rushed, and falling on the
ground, she seized the master's knees. She still held a spindle in
her hand. She was covered with rags; her face was thin and her eyes
deeply sunken, for during fourteen years they had flowed with tears."

"'Go