1 _Food is measured out unto the people_. 4 _A certain woman hath an
appetite_. 12 _She retaineth it_. 13 _The ways of a young man_. 15
_The rulers lay hands on the people's pleasures_. 23 _Concerning
certain amongst the makers of munitions for the war_.
Now the chief larderer of the land of En did send unto the people,
and he spake unto them concerning _the things_ that they should eat,
and concerning _how_ much.
2 And he commanded them that they should partake of meat according to
a _certain_ measure, and of other things also, a weekly rate _for_
every week, all the weeks of the war.
3 And he cautioned all them that were given _over_ to the pursuit of
food, and he forbade them to eat of certain viands save only
according to the measure. And he gave all the people cards; yea,
unto every man, _he did_ give a card.
4 ¶ Now there was a certain woman, _being_ a woman of an appetite,
and she lived in an house where four people were. And she went unto
the bazaar, and she did buy _her_ meat.
5 And she did pay for it in five pieces of silver _and_ in four new
stamps. And the meat, it was to provide sustenance during all _that_
week for them that were in the house.
6 And when she was come home, she did put it in a safe _place_,
saying, Because it is a little meat, _therefore_ let us preserve it
until the Sabbath be come.
7 Now it came to pass that two of them that did live in that house,
_they were_ called away; and the Sabbath was not yet come.
8 And the woman, she was left alone with her husband; and the meat,
it did _also_ remain. And she lifted up her voice on high, singing
songs of jubilation _because_ the meat, it was grown double.
9 And she said unto her husband, Let us therefore make us a festival,
and let us eat our fill, _and_ more also. And let us buy wine _of a_
rare vintage for to cheer us on the day.
10 And she went out and she did get her wine _of a_ rare vintage that
was very old. And her Sabbath eve was passed in joyful expectation.
11 And _when_ the morrow was come, she made her preparations for the
festival. And she made her sauces of a choice flavour, and a
_little_ gravy also. And when the mixing of them, it was done, she
betook herself unto the safe _place_ where the meat, it was hid.
12 ¶ And, behold, it was gone, being eaten _up_ of the cat. And the
anguish of that woman, _it was_ terrible. Neither did the sauces of
a choice flavour, nor the gravy, nor the wine of a rare vintage
suffice for to console her in _the time_ of her tribulation.
13 ¶ Now whensoever it happened that a young man, being devoured of
love for a damsel, did seek for to pave _the way_, then would he wait
upon the damsel's mother.
14 And he would bring with him seven small pieces of sugar and a
little butter, for _it was_ a sure means, nor ever failed of _its_
purpose.
15 ¶ Now the rulers made them a decree, and they ordained that a
measure of water, it should be added unto all the strong drink that
_was_ sold throughout the land.
16 And the publicans made haste with a good heart for to fulfil the
rulers' behest; yea, wonderful _was_ their zeal in the doing of it.
17 Wherefore that which was erstwhile strong, behold, _it was_ grown
very weak; nevertheless, there were some who contended that a little
_of it_, sprinkled upon ground where seeds were, it hastened _the
time_ of the harvest.
18 And the rulers of the land did also make them a new ale, _being_
of the colour of drink, but not otherwise.
19 And all the blowers of froth, they came _together_ for to seek
enlivenment of it. Nevertheless, after that they had drunk all that
which the publicans did _have_, yet gat they not enlivenment.
20 But they remained a miserable _lot_ and sober; verily, there was
not one amongst them that could say unto his friend on the morrow,
21 Assuredly, _it was_ a goodly night and very pleasing, _for_ I did
get me rarely oiled, being bailed out _by_ my brother.
22 Wherefore many did murmur against the rulers _because_ they
stretched forth their hands for to touch the pleasures of the people.
23 ¶ Now it came to pass on occasions that _certain_ of the makers of
munitions for the war, being the foolish and the ill-advised amongst
them, they did cease from their labours because they were displeased.
24 Peradventure they were dissatisfied on account of their hire,
seeking that _it should_ be added to by the matter of one farthing
_for_ every hour of their labour.
25 And after they had rested them for a time, withholding their help
from their brothers that _were_ gone into battle, then that which
they asked, it would be given unto them.
26 And they would take it as the fitting reward of _their_
persistence, nor recked the farthing, that it was paid for in the
blood of valiant men.
27 Nevertheless, there _were_ also others amongst the makers of
munitions that ceased not from their labours, nor rested them either
by day or by night, but _were_ for ever at it.
28 And all the people honoured them, being thankful that such _as
these_, both the men and the women _of them_, they were left for to
prove the land of En _before_ the eyes of the world.