. St. Nicholas [serial]. eeming streets of Agra. Eirst of all went they to the bazaar where, asat that hour was little of buying and selling, themerchants lounged in groups, telling over thegossip of the day. Now, as Akbar and Birbalin their foreign dress came near, the fat Vire-setti, the wealthiest and craftiest of traders andever a leader in the sport and tricks of thebazaar, hailed them, crying, Salaam! Peace beupon ye, friends from Iranistan ! Will ye notcome hither and share in our pleasant pastime? Upon ye all be peace ! responded the what is your sport, O merchants of Ind ? Th
. St. Nicholas [serial]. eeming streets of Agra. Eirst of all went they to the bazaar where, asat that hour was little of buying and selling, themerchants lounged in groups, telling over thegossip of the day. Now, as Akbar and Birbalin their foreign dress came near, the fat Vire-setti, the wealthiest and craftiest of traders andever a leader in the sport and tricks of thebazaar, hailed them, crying, Salaam! Peace beupon ye, friends from Iranistan ! Will ye notcome hither and share in our pleasant pastime? Upon ye all be peace ! responded the what is your sport, O merchants of Ind ? Thus it is, began Viresetti; each of us inturn recounts a marvelous tale, as marvelous atale as may be, and yet ever a new one; andshould any deny the truth of a tale that is told,then is he bound to pay to the teller thereof ahundred silver rupees as a forfeit. I like this well, said Birbal; gladly wouldwe join in the game, for, of a truth, there bemarvels in Iran as well as in the land of Ind. I9I5 J AKBAR AND BIRBAL 123. So was it agreed; and wonderful and strange however strange and wonderful, no one deniedwere the tales that were told in that circle; yet, their truth, for fear of the penalty. But when it 124 AKBAR AND BIRBAL IDec, came the turn of the Rajah Birbal he faced thefat Viresetti, saying: Dost thou not remember how, three years ago,thou and I were in partnership? Yea, answered the fat Viresetti, for he dareddeny nothing that was told. Aye, went on Birbal; and it was agreedthat I should send thee rich silks from under a large and l:)eautiful banyan-tree,hard by a tank^in the town of Jangula, thou didstsell those silks at a goodly profit. Rememberestthou? Yea, truly, answered the fat Viresetti, asneeds he must, for fear of the forfeit. Aye, so it was, repeated Birbal. And thouwilt likewise remember that when we cast ouraccounts thou wert indebted to me in the one hundred rupees of silver, which thou hastnever paid. Long have I sought thee, and now I
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