TRANSLATIONS, &c. 277 



feast, and had his parents and sister splendidly dressed, and brought in 

 as spectators. Upon this the brothers recognised father, mother, sister, 

 and Joseph, and ran away in consternation and shame to the bush, 

 Joseph sought them for three years, to beg them to come back, and to 

 assure them of his forgiveness. The messenger then returned and said, 

 " I have found these people, but they have no longer any clothes, except 

 those made of grass, and they have become wild, and will not return." 



This history is not in the Koran, because it happened previous to the 

 making of that book. 



THE ORIGIN OF MONKIES. 



There was once a big and a strong man, who was by profession a 

 cook ; he courted a lady living in the same place with himself, and who 

 was of a rank superior to his own. She accepted his offer, on condition, 

 that she should never be asked to enter the cooking-house, but have a 

 dwelling prepared for her at some little distance. They were accord- 

 ingly married, and to her great indignation, she was led to the kitchen as 

 her only apartment ; however, not willing so soon to make her husband 

 unhappy, she submitted in silence, but seeing no prospect of any altera- 

 tion, she at length began to complain. Her remonstrances were at first 

 unheeded, but when they became violent and incessant, the man quieted 

 her by saying, that he would go to the bush and fetch wood to build the 

 promised house. He went, and brought home a little in a few hours. 

 The next morning, the wife urged him to renew his labours, and he went, 

 and after staying all day, again returned with a small quantity, which so 

 exasperated the wife, that she took the biggest of the sticks and beat 

 him well. The man then went a third time, but staid all night, and when 

 he repaired to his home, excused himself for returning empty handed, 

 by saying, that he had cut down some large trees, and could only bring 

 theai part of the distance, as they were so heavy. The day after, he 

 professed to go to the bush to complete his task, and then staid two 

 days and two nights, which made the wife so unhappy, that when he 

 came back to her, she cried and begged him not to leave her, and that 



