Stranica 106 [106]
LA BOULBAY ES" EALRY BGOK
The elder, however, persisted in his resolution till the
younger was forced to yield. "Since it must be so," said
he, "I am not angry. Divide the property as you like."
The division made, each took his share. The idler hired
a drover for his cattle, a groom for his horses, a shepherd
for his sheep, a goatherd for his goats, a swineherd for his
hogs, and a keeper for his bees, and said to them all, “I
intrust my property to you. May God have you in His
keeping." And he continued to stay at home, with no more
care than before.
The elder, on the contrary, labored for himself as he had
done for the common good: he kept his own flocks and
had an eye to everything; yet, in spite of all this, he found
bad luck and misfortune everywhere; everything went
wrong with him, until at last he was so poor that he had
not even a pair of shoes, but was forced to go barefoot.
He said to himself, “I will go to my brother’s house and
see how affairs are prospering with him."
His road lay through a pasture in which a flock of sheep
was feeding. On approaching them he saw that they had
no shepherd. A beautiful young girl was seated near them,
with her distaff, spinning gold thread.
He saluted the young girl and asked her to whom the
flock belonged.
“To him to whom I belong belong also these sheep,”
answered she.
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