And the younger one said, "If the bowl be broken, of what use would
it be to thee or to me? If it be thy pleasure let us rather cast
a lot."

But the older hermit said again, "I will have but justice and mine
own, and I will not trust justice and mine own to vain chance. The
bowl must be divided."

Then the younger hermit could reason no further and he said, "If
it be indeed thy will, and if even so thou wouldst have it let us
now break the bowl."

But the face of the older hermit grew exceedingly dark, and he
cried, "O thou cursed coward, thou wouldst not fight."





On Giving and Taking




Once there lived a man who had a valley-full of needles. And one
day the mother of Jesus came to him and said: "Friend, my son's
garment is torn and I must needs mend it before he goeth to the
temple. Wouldst thou not give me a needle?"