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180

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447[ Id. f. 14a]. Two men were travelling in the desert,each one carrying his own provisions. At the request of one,they first ate together the provisions of one man, afterwhich the second refused to share and ran away. The manwent up a mountain and tried to feed on herbs and fearingwild animals, went up to the top of a tree. In the nighttwo demons came, brought the other man, slaughteredhim and cooked him. Whilst they were eating they saidto one another," The leaves of this tree are a remedy forall kinds of illness." The other said," The daughter of theking of Alexandria is insane, but the blood of a slaughteredspotted dog and tiger will heal her." They departed and theman gathered a large quantity of the leaves and wentalong healing the sick. He became very rich. Then he curedthe princess, acquired great wealth and married her.

448[ Ibid. f. 21b]. When Moses went up to Heaven toreceive the Law, an Angel refused him entrance, sayingthat this was not his place. He told him that once upon atime a star, curious to see the ways of the earth, camedown from Heaven and spent some time upon the earth.After a while he went up to Heaven. But the stars refusedhim admission as he had lost his position. He however pleadedto be re- admitted. His case was brought before the highestAngels, and they decided that he should be re- admittedas his proper place was in the Heavens. Not so Moseswho was earth- born. But Moses pushed him aside and en-tered the Heavens.

449[ Cod. G. 246 f. 35 b]. A pious man used to give almsto the poor until the people of his town decreed thatwhoever gave charity should either be cast into the sea orkilled. The man grieved over the decree and then cast aloaf daily into the sea, interpreting the verse," Cast thy breadupon the waters for in the length of days thou shaltfind it" to mean" in the heart of the seas thou shalt findit." On the eve of the Day of Atonement all the peoplewent to the seashore to wash their clothes and to bathein the sea, and the pious man did likewise. Suddenly a