the ancient philosophers of India. The significant circumstance
has already been noticed (in the introductory section) that several of
the most striking tales in European mediaeval collections--particularly
the _Disciplina Clericalis_ of Petrus Alfonsus and the famous _Gesta
Romanorum_--are traceable to Talmudic sources. Little did the
priest-ridden, ignorant, marvel-loving laity of European countries
imagine that the moral fictions which their spiritual directors recited
every Sunday for their edification were derived from the wise men of the
despised Hebrew race! But, indeed, there is reason to believe that few
mere casual readers even at the present day have any notion of the
extent to which the popular fictions of Europe are indebted to the old
Jewish Rabbis.

Like the sages of India, the Hebrew Fathers in their teachings strongly
inculcate the duty of active benevolence--the liberal giving of alms to
the poor and needy; and, indeed, the wealthy Jews are distinguished at
the present day by their open-handed liberality in support of the public
charitable institutions of the several countries of which they are
subjects. "What you increase bestow on good works," says the Hindu sage.
"Charity is to money what salt is to meat," says the Hebrew philosopher:
if the wealthy are not charitable their riches will perish. In
illustration of this maxim is the story of

_Rabbi Jochonan and the Poor Woman._

One day Rabbi Jochonan was riding outside the city of Jerusalem,
followed by his disciples, when he observed a poor woman laboriously
gathering the grain that dropped from the mouths of the horses of the
Arabs as they were feeding. Looking up and recognising Jochonan, she
cried: "O Rabbi, assist me!" "Who art thou?" demanded Jochonan. "I am
the daughter of Nakdimon, the son of Guryon." "Why, what has become of
thy father's money--the dowry thou receivedst on thy wedding day?" "Ah,
Rabbi, is there not a saying in Jerusalem, 'the salt was wanting to the
money?'" "But thy husband's money?" "That followed the other: I have
lost them both." The good Rabbi wept for the poor woman and helped her.
Then said he to his disciples, as they continued on their way: "I
remember that when I signed that woman's marriage contract her father
gave her as a dowry one million of gold dinars, and her husband was a
man of considerable wealth besides."

* * * * *

The ill-fated riches of Nakdimon are referred to