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they grew old, they threw themselves into a flaming pit,the gate of Gehinom, believing thereby that they wereabsolved from their sins and carried straight to Paradise.A Jew one day came thither and left his purse with an oldman. When he returned the man had thrown himself intothe fire. The people told him to wait, for such men returnedon the third day and settled their property; and so it hap-pened. The old man re- appeared, settled his affairs and gavehim back his purse. The Jew wanted to follow him but onthe way the old man told him that he was a demon whohad induced the people to worship and had acted in suchmanner to increase their belief and lead them astray. Buthe, being a Jew, could not be allowed to follow when heworshipped the true God.

421. In time of drought the sages sent to Abba Hilkiah topray for rain. They found him digging in the field and hedid not reply to their greeting. In the evening, returninghome, the sages followed silently. He carried his faggots onone shoulder and his mantle on the other. Crossing the riverhe put on his shoes; passing through thorns he lifted hisclothes. His wife met him beautifully dressed, and whenthey reached home, he did not invite the sages to the meal.He then gave one piece of bread to the elder and two tothe younger son. After the meal, he and his wife went on theroof to pray. Clouds gathered in the corner where the womanwas praying and rain fell as they came down. He then askedthe sages what their errand was. They replied that he shouldintercede for them for rain. He said it was now no longernecessary but they maintained that they knew that that wasthrough his merit, and prayer. Then they asked him to explainhis curious action. He said he did not reply to their greeting,so as not to waste time as he worked as a hireling. He car-ried the faggots on one shoulder and not on the mantlewhich had been lent to him to wear. He put on his shoeswhen crossing the river for he could not see what was lyingat the bottom and so avoid it. He lifted his clothes becausescratches could heal but tears in his clothes could not be

II*