"
One of them stole a mule and the other stole a rug. They passed the night
in the forest. Now, as the snow was falling, Ali said to Ou Ali:
"Give me a little of your rug to cover me."
Ou Ali refused. "You remember," he added, "that I asked you to put my rug
on your mule, and you would not do it." An instant afterward Ali cut off a
piece of the rug, for he was dying of cold. Ou Ali got up and cut the lips
of the mule. The next morning, when they awaked, Ou Ali said to Ali:
"O my dear friend, your mule is grinning."
"O my dear friend," replied Ali, "the rats have gnawed your rug."
And they separated. Some time afterward they met anew. Ali said to Ou Ali:
"Let us go and steal."
They saw a peasant, who was working. One of them went to the brook to wash
his cloak there, and found it dry. He laid the blade of his sabre so that
it would reflect the rays of the sun, and began to beat his cloak with his
hands as if to wash it. The laborer came to the brook also, and found the
man who was washing his cloak without water.
"May God exterminate you," said he, "who wash without water.
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