“If you wish to know others, sleep. If you wish to see, go and look,” said a wise man. “These words are of untold value, but, for only two puns of gold will I give them unto you,” he added.
The widow’s son knew he had heard without [117 ] price the wisdom for which his two friends would each have to pay two puns of gold, so he quietly turned the elephant and returned home.
“I will buy your words of wisdom, if you will sell them,” said the judge to the widow’s son.
“For two puns of gold I will sell them,” answered the widow’s son.
“Two puns of gold will I give thee,” said the judge.
“‘If you wish to know others, sleep. If you wish to see, go and look,’” said the widow’s son, when he had in his possession the two puns of gold.
The judge, desiring to test the truth of the words, as he understood them, called unto him his four wives, and said, “I am not well. Give me water to drink, and fan me.” Soon he seemed to be asleep, and his wives talked thus together in low voices:
“It is not pleasant to be the wife of this foolish man,” said the first.
“I like another man better,” said the second.
“I wish I could steal his goods and flee while he sleeps,” said the third.