Precis

“have I the right to do what I like with my own?”

     One day a rich merchant was walking through the street of the town where he lived;he was on his way to see his brother who lived some distance from his house.He paused to watch a man who was furiously beating a donkey with a whip.The donkey seemed to take no notice and it was clear that the man was not going to do much good by the method he had adopted.After a while the merchant said to him,”why are you doing that ?” “to make the donkey go,”replied the man.”have you the right to beat the poor animal like that?”asked the merchant.”certainly I have,”replied the man,”it is my donkey and I can do what I like with what is mine.” The merchant thought for a minute and then remarked that he did not think what was really true.But what he said did not seem to persuade the man.So the merchant took his own stick and started to beat the man about the head and shoulders.”stop,”cried the man,”what have I done to desserve this?” “oh,”replied the merchant,”this is my stick and I have the right to do what I like with what is mine.”

Keeping a promise

     One day a merchant’s wife fell ill and he went to get a doctor.The doctor willingly came to see the woman and to do what he could for her,but before he went into the house he paused.He knew that the merchant was famous for not paying his bills when they were due.He therefore said to the man,”but if I do cure your wife I am afraid you may not pay me”

     “sir,”replied the merchant,”here I have a thousand pieces of silver.Whether you cure my wife or whether you kill her I will give you all of this”

     The doctor satisfied and went into the house.When he reached the woman’s beside it was soon clear to him that he could do little.She was very ill,and,thought he gave her medicine,she soon died.He told the merchant that he was very sorry and asked for the money which he had been promised.

“did you kill my wife?”asked the man

“certainly not,”said the doctor

“Did you cure my wife?”asked the man

“I am afraid that impossible,”replied the doctor

“well,since you have neither killed her nor cured her I have nothing to pay you”