o
worship fire? "Why not water," answered Abraham, "which can put out fire?
why not clouds, which can pour forth water? why not the winds, which can
produce clouds? why not God, which can create winds?"'

A murmur of approbation sounded throughout the congregation.

'Eliezer,' said Zimri, addressing himself to a young Rabbi, 'it is
written, that he took a rib from Adam when he was asleep. Is God then a
robber?'

The young Rabbi looked puzzled, and cast his eyes on the ground. The
congregation was perplexed and a little alarmed.

'Is there no answer?' said Zimri.

'Rabbi,' said a stranger, a tall, swarthy African pilgrim, standing in
a corner, and enveloped in a red mantle, over which a lamp threw a
flickering light; 'Rabbi, some robbers broke into my house last night,
and stole an earthen pipkin, but they left a golden vase in its stead.'

'It is well said; it is well said,' exclaimed the congregation. The
applause was loud.

'Learned Zimri,' continued the African, 'it is written in the Gemara,
that there was a youth in Jerusalem who fell in love with a beautiful
damsel, and she scorned him. And the youth was so stricken with his
passion that he could not speak; but when he beheld her, he looked at
her imploringly, and she laughed. And one day the youth, not knowing
what to do with himself, went out into the desert; and towards night
he returned home, but the gates of the city were shut. And he went down
into the valley of Jehoshaphat, and entered the tomb of Absalom and
slept;[44] and he dreamed a dream; and next morning he came into the
city smiling. And the maiden met him, and she said, "Is that thou; art
thou a laugher?" and he answered, "Behold, yesterday being disconsolate,
I went out of the city into the desert, and I returned home, and
the gates of the city were shut, and I went down into the valley of
Jehoshaphat, and I entered the tomb of Absalom, and I slept, and I
dreamed a dream, and ever since then I have laughed." And the damsel
said, "Tell me thy dream." And he answered and said, "I may not tell my
dream only to my wife, for it regards her honour." And the maiden grew
sad and curious, and said, "I am thy wife, tell me thy dream." And
straightway they went and were married and ever after they both laughed.
Now, learned Zimri, what means this tale, an idle jest for a master of
the law, yet it is written by the greatest doctor of the Captivity?'

'It passeth my comprehension,' said the chief Rabbi.