The kind-hearted teacher

The kind-hearted teacher answered them

thus: “ Dear pupils ! I must admit that you are perfectly tight in all that you

say. I am truly beholden to all of you for your loyalty and untiring devotion

to me in my misfortune, sharing with me all the stress of poverty and bad luck.

I cannot for one moment blame you for desiring to return home. Yet let me beg

of you to have a little more patience, and to stay with me but one more week.

If, at the end of the coming seven days, the good God. whose Holy Name be

praised from now to all eternity, deem it beat to help us. well and good, and

we will all return home together. If. on the other hand, our Heavenly Father in

His abounding mercy desire to try us, His will be done, and you shall all

return home without any further let or hindranee on my part.”’

The disciples consented to this proposal

with-out any discussion. Next day the Rabbi re-quested them to leave him for a

while, whilst he proceeded to the woods near by. “ 1 will try,” said he, “ to

think out some plan to help us all in our dire plight.” “ God be with you,”

they replied, and he went of! alone. Barely had he reached the woods vvhen he

saw a little weasel with a golden ring in its mouth. “ Now I wonder,” says he

to himself, “ what’s the use of a golden ring to a little weasel ? If I had it

I could sell it and have enough money to feed my hungry friends and myself. It

would be sufficient to keep us going for at least a week.” He began to run

after the weasel. This frightened the little thing, and in its haste to escape

it dropped the ring The Rabbi picked it up and looked at it very attentively.

On the surface it was quite smooth, but inside the following words were very

beautifully engraved :

“ For small price was I sold, My worth is untold gold! ”

The lucky finder recognised at once that

this was no ordinary ring. “ What sort of ring is it ? ” he mused. “ I fancy it

is a magic ring, and the one who wears it has only to wish for something and

the wish is sure to be fulfilled there and then. Now,” said he aloud, “ let me

just try and see if this be the case. What shall I desire ? Dear God, please

help me in my poverty and just give me a small purse full of money.” The words

were barely uttered when he saw in front of him at hit* feet a purse full of

coin. “ Now, indeed,” he exclaimed, with great joy in hi** heart and a happy

smile on his face, “ has God helped us! ”