Bestowing hypocritical kisses

In expiation of what had happened, they fell at his feet, and after bestowing hypocritical kisses on his hands and face, brought him into the boat and carried him over, until they came to a pillar of Grecian building that stood in the river, when the boatman called out, “The boat is in danger; let one of you, who is the strongest and most courageous, get upon this pillar and lay hold of the boat’s rope, that we may save the vessel.” The young man, in the vanity of his strength, of which he bad boasted, thoughtless of the offended heart of his enemy, paid no attention to this maxim of the sages, ‘ If you have committed an offence towards another, and should afterwards confer a hundred kindnesses, think not that he will forget to retaliate upon thee that single offence; for the arrow may be extracted from the wound, but the sense of injury still rankles in the heart.’ What excellent advise Yuktash gave to Khiltash!

‘ If you have scratched your enemy, do not consider yourself safe. When from your hand the heart of another hath suffered injury, expect not to be free from affliction thyself. Fling not a stone against the wall of a castle, lest perchance a stone may be thrown at you from the castle.’ As soon as he gathered the rope round his arm and had reached the top of the pillar, the boatman snatched the rope out of his hand and drove forward the vessel. The helpless young man remained astonished.

For two days he suffered much distress and underwent great hardship; the third day sleep overpowered him, and flung him into the river. After a day and a night, he reached shore with some small remains of life. He fed on leaves of trees and roots of grass, until he had somewhat recruited his strength, when he bent his course to the desert, and arrived thirsty and hungry, and faint, at a well. He saw a number of people gathered round it, who were drinking a draught of water for a small piece of money.