Part 27 (1/2)
He was a shrewd buyer and the others hearing his bid of one golden ducat decided that he must know that the hair was of much greater value. So they began to outbid him until the price offered the poor man reached one hundred golden ducats. But the poor man insisted that this was not enough.
”One hundred golden ducats not enough for one red hair!” cried the merchants.
They pretended to be disgusted that any one would refuse such a price for one red hair, but in reality they were all firmly convinced by this time that it was a magic hair and probably worth any amount of money in the world.
The whole city became excited over the wonderful hair for which all the merchants were bidding and for a time nothing else was talked about. The matter was reported to the Tsar and at once he said that he himself would buy the hair for one thousand golden ducats.
One thousand golden ducats! After that there was no danger of the poor man's many children dying of starvation.
And what do you suppose the Tsar did with the hair? He had it split open very carefully and inside he found a scroll of great importance to mankind for on it were written many wonderful secrets of nature.
[Ill.u.s.tration]
THE BEST WISH
[Ill.u.s.tration]
_The Story of Three Brothers and an Angel_
THE BEST WISH
There were once three brothers whose only possession was a pear tree.
They took turns guarding it. That is to say while two of them went to work the third stayed at home to see that no harm came to the pear tree.
Now it happened that an Angel from heaven was sent down to test the hearts of the three brothers. The Angel took the form of a beggar and approaching the pear tree on a day when the oldest brother was guarding it, he held out his hand and said:
”In heaven's name, brother, give me a ripe pear.”
The oldest brother at once handed him a pear, saying:
”This one I can give you because it is mine, but none of the others because they belong to my brothers.”
The Angel thanked him and departed.
The next day when the second brother was on guard he returned in the same guise and again begged the charity of a ripe pear.
”Take this one,” the second brother said. ”It is mine and I can give it away. I can't give away any of the others because they belong to my brothers.”
The Angel thanked the second brother and departed.
The third day he had exactly the same experience with the youngest brother.
On the following day the Angel, in the guise of a monk, came to the brothers' house very early while they were still all at home.
”My sons,” he said, ”come with me and perhaps I can find you something better to do than guard a single pear tree.”