234 IN MALAY FORESTS. 



replied the creditor, " and you promised to pay in 

 two months." 



But "there is only one moon" was all that he 

 could get out of the debtor. 



So the creditor went home and waited another 

 month. Then he went again to demand his money, 

 but " there is only one moon " was all that the debtor 

 said. 



" You said that last time," cried the creditor, " and 

 that was a month ago." 



" Only one moon," replied the debtor ; " when there 

 are two moons I will pay you." So they quarrelled. 

 Then to settle the dispute they went to Sir Peace 

 of the Forest. 



Sir Peace heard both men state their cases, and then, 

 when the sun had set, took them both down to the 

 river-bank. It was a cloudless night, and upon the 

 bosom of the river the full moon shone reflected. 



" What is that ? " said Sir Peace of the Forest to 

 the debtor, pointing to the golden circle that lay 

 upon the water. 



"The moon," replied the debtor. 



"And what is that?" said Sir Peace, pointing to 

 the sky. 



" The moon also," replied the debtor. 



" That makes two," cried Sir Peace. " Two moons ; 

 and the time has come for you to pay your debt." 



The debtor was silent. He had relied upon a trick, 

 and the same trick had been used against him. He 

 could find nothing to say, and was compelled to repay 

 the loan. 



The stories in this second class are not as numer- 



