III. 2. A rich man on his death bed, ordered his son never to take an oath. Swindlers came and robbed him of all his property, claiming debts from his father, he refusing to swear. When quite poor, another came and claimed a dinar. He refused to swear and was put in prison. His wife washed linen to earn sufficient to keep her husband and two sons. One day a ship came; the captain saw the beautiful woman, fell in love with her and gave her one dinar to wash his linen. She gave the dinar to her eldest son and when she brought the linen back the captain set sail with her. The son brought the dinar to the father who was set free. He decided to go to another place. Travelling they came to a river. He took off his clothes and with his youngest boy on his back tried to swim across. In the middle, the waves swept the boy off and carried him away. A plank of wood came within the son's reach and he swam across. The two boys remained there weeping, each on a separate bank of the river. A boat came along and took them captive. The man meantime came to a town, naked. People took pity; he was told they wanted no scholar but he could look after the sheep. He led them along the riverside. One day, remembering his troubles, he decided to drown himself. He cast himself into the river but snakes and scorpions drove him back. Suddenly he heard a voice call him by his name and saw an eagle who told him that his time had come to rise again; there was a big treasure waiting for him on that very spot. “Go to the ruler of the country and buy this river and build a town." He went and bought it and built up a large town. Merchants came there to trade and the boat with the two boys came also. He recognised them, took them off and kept them at the

palace but did not tell them who he was. After a time the boat with the wife came to the town. He had become king and used to invite all the people to dine. He also invited the captain of that ship but the latter declined, not wishing to leave his wife alone. The king said he would send two trustworthy servants to keep watch. On the boat the two young boys wept, saying that this boat was like the one in which their mother had been carried away. The mother, who overheard them, also wept all the night. In the morning the captain saw her full of tears, and she complained of the two men having abused her. The captain went to the king. He called the two lads and asked them whether it were true. They at once denied it violently and said, "Let the woman come and testify." When she came she asked the lads to tell their story. Then she recognised them as her sons. The king then recognised her as his wife and asked the captain to tell the truth of what had actually happened. Then he told how he had carried her away but that he had never touched her. The king let him go free and then all lived happily ever after.

III. 3. Story of the man who hid his money in one place. Stolen by the neighbour. Money recovered by a clever trick. See No. 324.