which of these eggs came from white
and which from black hens."

Once more did a Hebrew urchin prove his superiority in wit over an
Athenian: "Here, boy," said he, "here is some money; bring us some figs
and grapes." The lad went and bought the fruit, kept half of it for
himself, and gave the other half to the Athenian. "How!" cried the man,
"is it the custom of this city for a messenger to take half of what he
is sent to purchase?" "No," replied the boy; "but it is our custom to
speak what we mean, and to do what we are desired." "Well, then, I did
not desire thee to take half of the fruit." "Why, what else could you
mean," rejoined the little casuist, "by saying, 'Bring _us_?' Does not
that word include the hearer as well as the speaker?" The stranger, not
knowing how to answer such reasoning, smiled and went his way, leaving
the shrewd lad to eat his share of the fruit in peace.

"There is no rule without some exception," as the following tale
demonstrates: Rabbi Eliezar, who was as much distinguished by his
greatness of mind as by the extraordinary size of his body, once paid a
friendly visit to Rabbi Simon. The learned Simon received him most
cordially, and filling a cup with wine handed it to him. Eliezar took it
and drank it off at a draught. Another was poured out--it shared the
same fate. "Brother Eliezar," said Simon, jestingly, "rememberest thou
not what the wise men have said on this subject?" "I well remember,"
replied his corpulent friend, "the saying of our instructors, that
people ought not to take a cup at one draught. But the wise men have not
so defined their rule as to admit of no exception; and in this instance
there are not less than three--the _cup_ is small, the _receiver_ is
large, and your WINE, brother Simon, is DELICIOUS!"

TALES OF A PARROT.

I

GENERAL PLAN OF EASTERN ROMANCES--THE "TUTI NAMA," OR PARROT-BOOK--THE
FRAME-STORY--TALES: THE STOLEN IMAGES--THE WOMAN CARVED OUT OF WOOD--THE
MAN WHOSE MARE WAS KICKED BY A MERCHANT'S HORSE.

Oriental romances are usually constructed on the plan of a number of
tales connected by a general or leading story running throughout, like
the slender thread that holds a necklace of pearls together--a familiar
example of which is the _Book of the Thousand and One Nights_, commonly
known amongst us under the title of _Arabian Nights Entertainments_. In
some the subordinate tales are represented as being told by one or more
individuals to