by its master.

The Khoja was not wanting in grateful and liberal feelings.

"Well done, my little pond-birds!" said he, throwing a handful of coins
into the water. "Divide that among you to buy sweetmeats with."

_Tale_ 48.--The Khoja reproaches his Cock.

Once upon a time the Khoja was carrying his fowls in a cage to the city
for sale.

As he went along he began to feel sorry for them.

"O my soul!" said he, "these poor fowls are sadly imprisoned. I will let
them go a little." So he opened the cage, and the birds scrambled out.
One ran one way, and another another; but the Khoja contrived to keep up
with the cock, which he drove before him with his stick, the poor bird
waddling hither and thither, and fluttering from side to side with
distress and indecision pitiable to behold.

On seeing this the Khoja began to reproach him. "You never thought it
would come to this, my fine bird, did you?" said he. "And yet what a
wiseacre you are! You know when it's day better than the sun himself,
and can crow loud enough for all the world to hear your wisdom."

The poor cock made no reply, but waddled on with hoarse cries and
flapping wings.

"You're a poor prophet!" said the Khoja. "You know that it is morning in
the middle of the night: how is it you could not foresee that you were
to be driven to market? Thus--and thus!" And turning him at every corner
by which he would escape, the Khoja drove the distracted cock into the
city.

_Tale_ 49.--Hare-soup.

One day there came a man from the village who made the Khoja a present
of a hare.

The Khoja brought him in, treating him with all honour and hospitality,
and gave him some rich and excellent soup.

In a week's time the man called again; but the Khoja had forgotten him,
and said, "Who are you?"

"I am the man who brought the hare," he replied. The Khoja entertained
him as before, though the soup was not quite so rich.

After a few days came some men who desired to be guests to the Khoja.

"Who are you?" said he.

"We are neighbours of the man who brought the hare," said they.

This time the soup was certainly thin, but that did not hinder the
arrival of some fresh guests in a very few days.

"Who are you?" said the Khoja.

"We are neighbours of the neighbours of the man who brought the hare,"
was the reply.

"You are welcome," said their host; and he set a bowl of clear water
before them.

"What is this, O Khoja?" cried the men.

"It is soup of