Page:Barlaam and Josaphat. English lives of Buddha.djvu/129
high to be scaled ; on the other side is a sea of poison, over which blows a fiery simoon.
The desert is the world, the garden represents the joys of the faithful, the sea the misery of the wicked.
[Occurrences in Barlaam. — In Arabic, Reh., 151.]
VlI.e. Language of Animals.
A man once learnt the language of animals, but on condition that if he betrayed the secret he would have to die. One night he heard an ass recommend an ox to feign illness so as to escape work, whereat he laughed aloud. His wife wished to know why he laughed, but he would not tell her. Next day, when the ox pretended to be ill he ordered the ass to do its work ; and at night, when the ass returned, he told the ox that he was to be slain on the morrow if he were not better. Whereat the man laughed again. His wife was eager to know why he laughed, even though he told her it would be his death to let her know. "Either your death or mine," said the wife, "for I will not eat till I know;" so the man agreed to let her know the next day, and prepared for his death. All was sadness in the house, even the dogs would not eat their food, but a cock and his wives pecked away merrily, till one of the dogs said, "Do you not know our master is to die to-day?" "More fool he," said the cock; "I can rule ten wives." "What can you do?" said the