which surrounded
the poor man's house. As it was summer, and the weather in that country
extremely hot, the fire soon spread over the whole marsh, and not only
consumed all the rushes, but soon extended to the cottage itself, and
the poor basket-maker was obliged to run out almost naked to save his
life.

"You may judge of the surprise and grief of the poor man, when he found
himself entirely deprived of his subsistence by the wickedness of his
rich neighbour, whom he had never offended; but, as he was unable to
punish him for this injustice, he set out and walked on foot to the
chief magistrate of that country, to whom, with many tears, he told his
pitiful case. The magistrate, who was a good and just man, immediately
ordered the rich man to be brought before him; and when he found that he
could not deny the wickedness, of which he was accused, he thus spoke to
the poor man:--'As this proud and wicked man has been puffed up with the
opinion of his own importance, and attempted to commit the most
scandalous injustice from his contempt of the poor, I am willing to
teach him of how little value he is to anybody, and how vile and
contemptible a creature he really is; but, for this purpose, it is
necessary that you should consent to the plan I have formed, and go
along with him to the place whither I intend to send you both.'

"The poor man replied, 'I never had much; but the little I once had is
now lost by the mischievous disposition of this proud and oppressive
man. I am entirely ruined; I have no means left in the world of
procuring myself a morsel of bread the next time I am hungry; therefore
I am ready to go wherever you please to send me; and, though I would not
treat this man as he has treated me, yet should I rejoice to teach him
more justice and humanity, and to prevent his injuring the poor a second
time.'

"The magistrate then ordered them both to be put on board a ship, and
carried to a distant country, which was inhabited by a rude and savage
kind of men, who lived in huts, were strangers to riches, and got their
living by fishing.

"As soon as they were set on shore, the sailors left them as they had
been ordered, and the inhabitants of the country came round them in
great numbers. The rich man, seeing himself thus exposed, without
assistance or defence, in the midst of a barbarous people, whose
language he did not understand, and in whose power he was, began to cry
and wring his hands in the most abject