they could cut in three days. It happened soon afterwards that because of the heavy rains there was a great scarcity of wood in the market, and I was able to sell all that I had bought for several hundred panas. With this money I set up a shop, and as I am a shrewd business man I soon became wealthy.
Then I went to a goldsmith and had him make me a Mouse of solid gold. This Mouse I presented to Visakhila as payment of the loan; and he soon after gave me his daughter in marriage. Because of this story I am known to the world as Mushika, the Mouse. So it was that without any capital to build on, I amassed a fortune.
(Katha-Sarit-Sagara. Book I, Chapter 6; adapted from the German of F. Brockhaus.)
THE MERCHANT'S SON AND THE IRON SCALES
THERE was once a Merchant's Son who had spent all his father's wealth, and had nothing left except a pair of Iron Scales. Now these Scales were worth much, for they were made of a thousand palas of iron. So when the Merchant's Son decided to journey to a distant land he left the Scales for safe-keeping in the care of another merchant. When the young man returned from his long journey, he demanded back from the merchant the Scales he had deposited with him. The merchant answered, "I cannot give them back, they have been eaten by the Mice." And he repeated, "What I tell you is quite true; the iron of which the Scales were made was especially sweet iron, so the Mice ate it." This he said with an outward show of regret, while laughing in his heart. The young man made no reply, except to ask if he might have some food; and the other, being well pleased with himself, cordially gave him some. Having eaten,
