accompany him, the other offered to go with
him as far as the king's gate, but no farther. In his extremity he
called upon the third friend, whom he least esteemed, and he not only
went willingly with him, but so ably defended him before the king that
he was acquitted. In like manner, says the Talmudist, every man has
three friends when Death summons him to appear before his Creator. His
first friend, whom he loves most, namely, his _money_, cannot go with
him a single step; his second, _relations_ and _neighbours_, can only
accompany him to the grave, but cannot defend him before the Judge;
while his third friend, whom he does not highly esteem, the _law_ and
his _good works_, goes with him before the king, and obtains his
acquittal.[92]

[92] This is the 9th parable in the romance of Barlaam and
Joasaph, where it is told without any variation.

* * * * *

Another striking and impressive parable akin to the two immediately
preceding is this of

_The Garments._

A king distributed amongst his servants various costly garments. Now
some of these servants were wise and some were foolish. And those that
were wise said to themselves: "The king may call again for the garments;
let us therefore take care they do not get soiled." But the fools took
no manner of care of theirs, and did all sorts of work in them, so that
they became full of spots and grease. Some time afterwards the king
called for the garments. The wise servants brought theirs clean and
neat, but the foolish servants brought theirs in a sad state, ragged and
unclean. The king was pleased with the first, and said: "Let the clean
garments be placed in the treasury, and let their keepers depart in
peace. As for the unclean garments, they must be washed and purified,
and their foolish keepers must be cast into prison."--This parable is
designed to illustrate the passage in Eccles., xii, 7, "Then shall the
dust return to the earth as it was, and the spirit shall return unto
God, who gave it"; which words "teach us to remember that God gave us
the soul in a state of innocence and purity, and that it is therefore
our duty to return it unto him in the same state as he gave it unto
us--pure and undefiled."

_Solomon's Choice_

of Wisdom, in preference to all other precious things, is thus finely
illustrated: A certain king had an officer whom he fondly loved. One day
he desired his favourite to choose anything that h