FURTHER EXEMPLA

217/

A.- Codex Gaster. 184( ff. 391-392)."

[ The numbers in brackets denote the consecutive order of the exempla in the original MS.]

298( 1). R. Akiba saw a man drowning in a ship that hadfoundered. He afterwards met him on land. The waveshad carried him to shore. He was saved for giving a poorman his own loaf of bread and thereby sustaining him.Reward for observing the injunction:" Cast thy bread uponthe waters" etc.( Eccles. XI¹.)

299( 2). People were travelling in a ship and came uponstill waters. They resolved to share out their provisions andif necessary, die together. They suddenly hit upon the follow-ing inspiration. They roasted a lamb and tied it to thefront of the ship. A huge sea- beast came for it and draggedit along and with it the ship, into moving waters.

This was the reward for their mutual help, and for thusobserving the injunction" Cast thy bread upon the waters"etc.( Eccles. XI¹.)

300( 3). Bar Kapara, strolling by the sea- shore saw a nakedman, an" Antipata" cast up from the billows. He took himhome, clothed and fed him and gave him five Selaim. Aftera time the government started to persecute the Jews. BarKapara was sent to plead for them and took with him100 dinars, for the government did nothing without pay.

The" Antipata" had become ruler. He was not recognisedby Bar Kapara, but he remembered the man's kindness,and made him a present of the proferred dinars in returnfor the five Selaim he formerly received from him, andgranted his request.

Thus it came true:-" Cast thy bread upon the watersfor thou shalt find it after many days."( Eccles. XI¹.)