I'jnl. ARABIAN ANECDOTE; 23 



"To the Editor of the Bee. 

 ^ feiR, 



Having an opportunity of Tending you a letter, I offer 

 you a little morfel for your Bee. 'Tis an Arabian tale 

 I never faw in print ; at leaft it has not been hackneyed 

 about in periodical publications. 



Arabian Anecdote. 



" Three Arabs, brethren of a noble family, who 

 " were travelling together for the improvement of their 

 " minds, were accidentally met by a camel driver, who 

 *' aiked them, if they had not feen a camel, which had 

 " ftrayed from him in the night. ' W^s not the ca- 

 *' mel blind of an eye ?' faid the elded. ' Yes,' faid 

 " the man. ' It had a tooth out before,' faid the fe- 



" cond. ' It is very true,' he replied ' Was it not 



*' a little lame?' added the third. ' "Why really itwas, 

 " returned the owner. Taking it for granted then, 

 "• that they had feen his beaft, he befought them to 

 " tell him which way it went. ' Follow us, friend,' 

 " faid they. He did fo, and had not gone far, till he 

 " happened to fay, that the camel was loaden with 

 " corn. And it had, continued the Arabians, a veffel 

 " of oil on one fide, and a veffel of honey on the other. 

 *' — It had fo, faid the driver ; therefore let me conjure 

 " you to tell me where you met it. Met it ! cried the 

 " eldeft of the brethren, why we never faw your ca- 

 " mel at all. — The man lofing patience at this, began 

 " to load them with reproaches ; and as they were 

 *' pafllng tluough a village, he raifed the people, and 

 " caufed them * to be apprehendvd. The Cadi or 



* If this ftory was a faift, it is not improbable, that from tlu5 cir- 

 fumftanec arofe that oriental provtrh; — " If any o;ie afk you, if you 

 " have fceii the came), anfwer no !" /. e. do not, by impertinent coa- 

 vcrfaiiou, involve yourlclf in difficulties. 



Vol. III. t D 



