I. Story of the Tirah Faqir. 
The story goes that an impostor, garbed as a faqir, went into Tirah, right 
amongst the Afridis, and there took his seat in a mosque. People at first 
commenced to bring him food (in welcome), but the fellow called out to them, “ I 
am a Saint. Of food I have no need.” 
Thereupon the people started to bring him money (saying), 
“Oh lord faqir! If thou wilt accept these alms, then thy kindness will be 
great.” 
The fellow replied, “ I have no mind for taking money.” 
Then all the folk said, “ This is indeed a great Saint ! It is befitting that he 
should show us a miracle, and cause a spring to gush forth from such-and-such a 
mountain.” 
The idea pleased them, so they said to the faqir, “ Show us then (a proof of) 
your holiness. Cause a spring to break forth on such-and-such a mountain.” 
The faqir replied, “ It is well. All of ye be present on Friday. Moreover show 
me the mountain on which ye want a spring.” 
All the folk there were pleased, and showed him the site where the spring was 
to be 
Now on the appointed day, all the people assembled in that place. The faqir, 
aware beforehand that this was the place where they wanted a spring, had buried 
in the ground a ‘ mussack ’ full of water. So when he arrived on the spot, he called 
out to the crowd. 
“ O ye people ! In this place will I cause a spring to break forth. Only when 
your eyes behold the water, then straightway go ye hence, and return not again for 
five days ! Then on this mountain will be much water.” 
So saying, the faqir seized a lance, and struck at the place where the buried 
‘ mussack ’ was. The water spouted out. All the folk there were fully persuaded 
that the faqir had called forth a spring. Every man among them gave backshish to 
the faqir, and when night fell the faqir returned to his house, and thence set out 
upon a journey Five days later when the people of the neighbourhood 
gathered together, there was lying, in the place whence the spring had sprung forth 
an empty ‘ mussack.’ 
II. The Story of the Gay Wife, her Step-son, and a Labourer. 
It is thus related that (once upon a time) there was a man, who had one son. 
He had no wife (living), but he had saved up a few rupees wherewith to buy one. 
