BAZA ZNANJA

 

 

  A Turk and his wife halted in the shadow of a tree. The Turk went to the river to water his horse, and his wife remained to await his return. Just then an Ero passed by and saluted the Turkish woman: “Allah help you, noble lady.” “May God aid you,” she returned; “whence do you come?” “I come from the Other World, noble lady.” “As you have been in the Other World, have you not, perchance, seen there my son Muyo, who died a few months ago?” “Oh, how could I help seeing him? He is my immediate neighbour.” “Happy me! How is he, then?” “He is well, may God be praised! But he has just a little more tobacco and some more pocket-money to pay for black coffee.” “Are you going back again? And if so, would you be so kind as to deliver to him this purse with his parents’ greetings?” Ero took the money protesting that he would be only too glad to convey so pleasant a surprise to the youth, and hurried away. 
Soon the Turk came back, and his wife told him what had occurred. He perceived at once that she had been victimized and without stopping to reproach her, he mounted his horse and galloped after Ero, who, observing the pursuit, and guessing at once that the horseman was the husband of the gullible woman, made all the speed that he could. 
There was a mill near by and making for it, Ero rushed in and addressed the miller with: “For Goodness’ sake, brother, fly! There is a Turkish horseman coming with drawn sword; he will kill you. I heard him say so and have hurried to warn you in time.” The miller had no time to ask for particulars; he knew how cruel the Turks were, and without a word he dashed out of the mill and fled up the adjacent rocks.
In the meantime, Ero placed the miller’s hat upon his own head and sprinkled flour abundantly over his clothes so that he might look like a miller. No sooner was this done than the Turk came up. Alighting from his horse, he rushed into the mill and hurriedly asked the Ero where he had hidden the thief. The Ero pointed indifferently to the flying miller on the rock, whereupon the Turk requested him to take care of his horse while he ran and caught the swindler. When the Turk was gone some distance up the hill our Ero brushed his clothes, swiftly mounted the horse and galloped away. The Turk caught the real miller, and demanded: “Where is the money you took from my wife, swindler?” The poor miller trembled with fear; “God forbid! I never saw your noble lady, still less did I take her money.” After about half an hour of futile discussion, the Turk was convinced of the miller’s innocence, and returned to where he had left his horse. But alas! There was no sign of a horse! He walked sadly back to his wife, and she, seeing that her husband had no horse, asked in surprise: “Where did you go, and what became of your horse?” The Turk replied: “You sent money to our darling son; so I thought I had better send him the horse that he need not go on foot in the Other World!”