SOME CURRENT PUSHTU POLK STORIES. 
395 
The man in reply began to make apologies, but on receiving another cuff, he got 
up off the chair • and the counsels of the faqir recurred to his mind, and he said to 
himself, “ Ah you unfortunate creature ! In exchange for the loaves, what was the 
advice you received ? Had you not appropriated a chair, there would have been 
no reason for the other man to strike you.” 
A little while later, when some of the folk of the village gathered together, they 
fell to chatting, and saying, “ So and so, and so and so has a fine rifle,” and another 
would add, <f So and so has a fine revolver.” 
When the man overheard these words, he quickly pulled out his own revolver, 
and exclaimed, “ Say now, if you consider such and such a revolver a good one, 
then just look at mine. Tell me what you think of this ? ” 
The people there having inspected it, the leader amongst them suddenly cried 
out, But this is my revolver ! In such and such a year my house was burgled, and 
many things w r ere carried off, — among them this revolver. Seize this man ! He’s a 
thief ! ” 
The wretched simpleton stood there thunderstruck. Just at this juncture who 
shou’d arrive in the village, but that very faqir who had before given him counsel. 
Hurriedly the man confided to him his predicament. 
“ Long ago I advised you against disclosing your affairs to anyone,” was the 
faqir’s reply, “ and you have not acted upon my recommendation. Now, then, let 
them seize you ! ” 
But the man implored him, and said, “ God himself has put me to shame. 
Help me out of this trouble ! 
“ Very well,” conceded the faqir, “ then your best course is to reply to your 
accuser and say to him, c In such and such a deserted spot someone murdered my 
lather with this very pistol. Therefore have I been taking it from village to village 
that I might learn who is the owner of it and exact from him the blood money ; and 
now, — since you say yourself that the pistol is yours, — it seems that I have found in 
you the man who killed my father.’ ” 
The man, as he listened to the faqir’s words, thanked him sincerely ; then off 
he went to the leader amongst the villagers, and made this same reply to him. 
“ For God’s sake do not report me to the authorities,” exclaimed the village- 
leader. “Accept a present of seven hundred rupees from me ! ” 
So the simpleton took the seven hundred rupees : and, very well pleased, crossed 
the Frontier. ***** 
A few days after arriving back at the town where he lived, in Tirah, he went 
out in the direction of a mountain. There he found a water-melon. 
He returned home and said to his wife, “ In such and such a place, on such and 
such a hill, I have seen some water-melons. Now I am going out to lay a wager as 
to who shall first produce a melon within an hour, — myself or some other man.” 
“ Lay your wager on these conditions,” said the woman, “ that on whatsoever 
object (the winner) shall first lay his hand, that thing shall be his.” 
The man adopted this suggestion. He went off to the village meeting-house, 
