A man went on a journey. At the moment of departure he placed with a Jew,
his friend, a jar filled with gold. He covered the gold with butter and
said to the Jew: "I trust to your care this jar of butter, as I am going on
a journey." On his return he hastened to the house of his friend. "Give me
the jar of butter that I left with you," he said. The Jew gave it to him.
But the poor traveller found nothing but butter, for the Jew had taken the
gold. Nevertheless, he did not tell anybody of the misfortune that had
happened to him. But his countenance bore traces of a secret sorrow. His
brother perceived it, and said to him:
"What is the matter with you?"
"I intrusted a jar filled with gold to a Jew," he answered, "and he only
returned a jar of butter to me. I don't know what to do to recover my
property."
His brother replied: "The thing is easy. Prepare a feast and invite your
friend the Jew."
The next day the traveller prepared a feast and invited the Jew. During
this time the brother of the traveller ran to a neighboring mountain, where
he captured a monkey. During the night he entered the house of the Jew and
found a child in the cradle. He took the child away and put the monkey in
its place. When day had come the mother perceived the monkey tied in the
cradle. She called her husband with loud cries, and said to him:
"See how God has punished us for having stolen your friend's gold. Our
child is changed into a monkey. Give back the stolen property."
They immediately had the traveller summoned, and returned his gold to him.
The next night the child was taken back to the cradle and the monkey was
set free. As I can go no further, may God exterminate the jackal and pardon
all our sins!
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