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Jew did not know their quality but Ben Ezra said that thewhite pearl, if crushed and swallowed by an old man,would rejuvenate him, the red pearl, if shown by the kingto a rebellious town, would bring about its subjection, thegreen one would reveal hidden treasures. They were testedand found true. Ben Ezra then owned that the pearls reallybelonged to the other man, and that he had raised the dis-pute in order to make the king buy them at a good price.347( 9). A story about the annual sacrifice of a Jewishchild by the Christians. Ben Ezra called up Mary and Jesusand everything changed.

348( 10). A wicked man died and was brought before Godfor judgment. He asked to be allowed to return to life torepent. This was granted to him but he was worse thanbefore. He was allowed to return for a third time but stillcontinued in his wickedness. Once however, there wereonly nine men for prayer, and he joined and made theMinyan. He died and was brought before God togetherwith a pious man. The latter was sentenced to one hour inGehinom, and the wicked man was granted one hour inParadise. But the wicked asked to be allowed to suffer inGehinom that hour decreed for the pious. God, moved tomercy by this action, allowed both to enter and remain inParadise.

349( 11). In the house of Rabbi Elazar a filly was bornwhich killed everybody who came near it. He presentedit to the king. There it only permitted Jews to attend it.It was used by the king in battle, and helped him to vic-tory, but was unmanageable afterwards. He thereforereturned it to Rabbi Elazar. The horse suddenly spokewith a human voice and told its story. It was possessedof the soul of a certain Abiathar, a priest who had led awicked life. He had died through a fiery snake coming outof his body and killing him. After death he had suffered.all kinds of punishment in Hell[ described in detail] andhad been reborn as a hare and after death had again beenpunished in Hell. While there he witnessed the triumphant