have still a little to spare, for I am hungry to my very heart. The
blessing of God be on him who relieves my present sufferings from
hunger!" The woodcutter and his wife agreed that it would be much better
for them to go to Paradise with half a meal than to leave one fellow
creature famishing on earth. So they shared their own portion with him
who had none, and he went away from them rejoicing. "Now," said the
happy pair, "we shall eat of our half-share with unmixed delight, and
with thankful hearts. By to-morrow evening we shall be transferred to
Paradise."

They had scarcely raised the savoury food to their mouths when a
bewailing voice arrested their attention, and stayed the hands already
charged with food. A poor creature who had not tasted food for two days
moaned his piteous tale, in accents which drew tears from the woodcutter
and his wife; their eyes met and the sympathy was mutual: they were more
willing to depart for Paradise without the promised benefit of one
earthly enjoyment, than suffer the hungry man to die from want of that
meal they had before them. The dish was promptly tendered to the
unfortunate one, and the woodcutter and his wife consoled each other
with reflecting that, as the time of their departure was now so near at
hand, the temporary enjoyment of a meal was not worth one moment's
consideration: "To-morrow we die; then of what consequence is it to us
whether we depart with full or empty stomachs?"

And now their thoughts were set on the place of eternal rest. They
slept, and arose to their morning orisons with hearts reposing humbly on
their God, in the fullest expectation that this was their last day on
earth. The prayer was concluded, and the woodcutter was in the act of
rolling up his carpet, on which he had prostrated himself with
gratitude, reverence, and love to his Creator, when he perceived a fresh
heap of silver on the floor. He could scarcely believe but it was a
dream. "How wonderful art thou, O God!" cried he. "This is thy bounteous
gift, that I may indeed enjoy one day before I quit this earth." And
Musa, when he came to him, was satisfied with the goodness and the power
of God. But he retired again to the Mount, to inquire of God the cause
of the woodcutter's respite. The reply which Musa received was as
follows: "That man has faithfully applied the wealth given in answer to
his petition. He is worthy to live out his numbered years on earth who,
receiving my bounty, thought