One day the elder brother came to his wife from abroad: ‘Now I am tired, O my cousin!’ She replied: ‘Well, as to the tiredness, God forgive it!’ He became vexed; he had no money, no clothes, was hungry, had nothing. He said: ‘I had better go into the desert and die; a hyena will eat me until I vanish from the world.’ So he walks in the desert: he found a fountain where was a tree. He sat down under the tree and in his pocket was a loaf of bread. He took the loaf from his pocket and began to eat. After he had eaten and drunk he looked with his eye; it came across forty brigands coming along; he climbed up the tree. When they entered the cave forty sat down. Presently when they had left the cave he counted forty of them. He descended from the tree and went to the cave; he examined the cave; he found it full of money, of silver and of gold. He lifted up his galabiya (outer garment) and tied the sleeves of the galabiya together and filled it with the gold; he carried it away and went towards his house. When he reached the house he knocked at the door; when he knocked at the door his wife said: ‘Who is it?’ He replied: ‘I! open at once.’ She said: ‘What is this? what is the matter to-night? what are you bringing with you?’ Then she came down and opened (the door) for him, and they went upstairs. He took down the galabiya from the top of his head; he said to her: ‘Take (this); buy for us some meat and chickens and corn.’ She said to him: ‘Where have you got the money from?’ He answered: ‘I have got it from the world.’ He arose in the morning, took a basket and took (food for) lunch and walked to under the tree. He went on eating the lunch and drinking until the brigands came. When they had entered the cave he counted forty of them and when they came out he counted forty of them. He descended from the tree and went to examine the cave; he went inside, filled the basket with the gold and carried it away. When he left the cave he shut it up as before,
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Cairene and Upper Egyptian Folk-Lore.
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