The Periwig

"'The Periwig, joined in the acting!' said a Traveller to another Traveller, when they were together upon a journey, of very different humours,' The Moon began to tell a story, after saying Basmalah and Salaam, as usual. Then she proceed, "One commented, 'Yes, he hold a meeting with that young thugs!' The first Traveller said, 'Listen ...

A certain Knight, who wore a wig to conceal his baldness, was out hunting one day. A sudden gust of wind carried away his wig, and showed his bald pate. His friends all laughed heartily at the odd figure he made, but the old fellow, so far from being put out, laughed as heartily as any of them. 'Is it any wonder,' said he, 'that another man’s hair shouldn’t keep on my head when my own wouldn’t stay there?' One of his friend said, 'Yea ... yea ... it’s good to be able to laugh at yourself!'

'Apart from yours,' said the one, 'I have another story,

A Viper enter a smith’s shop, and looked up and down for something to eat. He settled at last upon a File, and began to gnaw it greedily. “Bite away,” said the File gruffly, “you’ll get little form me. It is my business to take from all and give to none. Those frightened people, who are very pleased with his ruse, will not feel and understand, that they are only deceiving themselves.'

Then the one went despondingly on, with a thousand cares and troubles in his head, exclaiming every now and then, 'Whatever shall I do to live!' The other jogged merrily along, determined to keep a good heart, to do his best, and leave the issue to Fate. 'How can you be so merry?' said the Sorrowful wight. 'As I am a sinner, my heart is ready to break, for fear I should want bread.'

And then, shortly after, said he, 'What a dreadful thing it would be, if I were struck blind!' and he must needs walk on ahead with his eyes shut, to try how it would seem if that misfortune should befal him.

His Fellow-traveller, coming after him, picked up a purse of gold which he, having his eyes shut, had not perceived; and thus, was he punished for his mistrust, for the purse had been his, if he had not first willingly put it out of his power to see it.

'My dear fellow,' says the one with the purse, 'Smiled, cos this purse belong to me and you.' The one who was sad, then smiled.

Afterwards, the two went on in their traveling, while singing, 

While my heart is a shield

and I won't let it down

While I am so afraid to fail

so I won't even try

Well, how can I say

I'm alive?

If my life is for rent

and I don't learn to buy

Well, I deserve nothing more than I get

'Cause nothing I have is truly mine *)

And the Moon wrapped up with, "Allah knows best."

Citations & References:
- J.B. Rundell, Aesop's Fables, Cassell, Petter and Galpin
*) "Life for Rent" written by Florian Cloud de Bounevialle O'Malley Armstrong & Rowland Constantine O'Malley Armstrong

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