TRIPS TO TOWN

Among the most interesting events in the lives of the shepherds were
their trips to town, when they sold some of their wool and bought
grain, and linen cloth, and trinkets for the babies, and the things
they could not find nor make on the grassy plains. The raw wool was
packed in bags and slung over the backs of donkeys. On other donkeys
rode two or more of the men of the tribe. Sometimes, perhaps, a small
boy was taken along on the donkey's back behind his father to see the
sights. And for him the sights must have been rather wonderful--the
great thick walls of the town, the massive gates, the houses, row on
row, and the people, more of them in one street than in the whole
tribe to which he belonged!

=The market.=--They took their wool, of course, to the open square
where all the merchants sold their goods. Soon buyers appeared who
wanted wool. It was a long process then, as now, to strike a bargain
in an Oriental town. It is very impolite to seem to be in a hurry. You
must each ask after one another's health, and the health of your
respective fathers, and all your ancestors. By and by, you cautiously
come around to the subject of wool. How much do you want for your
wool? At first you don't name a price. You aren't even sure that you
want to sell it. Finally you mention a sum about five times as large
as you expect to get. The buyer in turn offers to pay about a fifth of
what it is worth. After a time you come down a bit on your price. The
buyer comes up a bit on his. After an hour or two, or perhaps a half
a day, you compromise and the wool is sold.