Page:Jewish Fairy Book (Gerald Friedlander).djvu/37

This page has been validated.
THE MAGIC APPLES
21

"True," exclaimed Jacob. "Listen, good friends. To-day is the anniversary of our last gathering here, when you, dear uncle, gave me one hundred pounds and you also gave my cousin David, whom I see here, a similar sum. I do not know whether David has turned his hundred pounds into a very large fortune. I, for my part, am the owner of this town and that means a fairly large fortune. Our sweet and lovely cousin has agreed to marry the one who has the larger fortune. His Majesty the King has even been good enough to promise to give me half of his kingdom as well as fifty thousand pounds. Need I say more?"

The remarks were greeted with applause by all present, and David agreed that the bride had been fairly won by Jacob. Every one was thoroughly delighted except David, who slipped away and was heard of no more.

Jacob and his wife lived a very happy life, blessed with worldly prosperity. Elijah's blessing was realized to the full, and Jacob never forgot his wonderful dream in the College at Sura in Babylon.

Ma'aseh Book (Chap Book),         

ed. Rödelheim 72d-74b.