Chapter XVIII

1 _Food is measured out unto the people_. 4 _A certain woman hath an appetite_. 12 _She retaineth it_. 13 _The ways of a young man_. 15 _The rulers lay hands on the people's pleasures_. 23 _Concerning certain amongst the makers of munitions for the war_.

Now the chief larderer of the land of En did send unto the people, and he spake unto them concerning _the things_ that they should eat, and concerning _how_ much.

2 And he commanded them that they should partake of meat according to a _certain_ measure, and of other things also, a weekly rate _for_ every week, all the weeks of the war.

3 And he cautioned all them that were given _over_ to the pursuit of food, and he forbade them to eat of certain viands save only according to the measure. And he gave all the people cards; yea, unto every man, _he did_ give a card.

4 ¶ Now there was a certain woman, _being_ a woman of an appetite, and she lived in an house where four people were. And she went unto the bazaar, and she did buy _her_ meat.

5 And she did pay for it in five pieces of silver _and_ in four new stamps. And the meat, it was to provide sustenance during all _that_ week for them that were in the house.

6 And when she was come home, she did put it in a safe _place_, saying, Because it is a little meat, _therefore_ let us preserve it until the Sabbath be come.

7 Now it came to pass that two of them that did live in that house, _they were_ called away; and the Sabbath was not yet come.

8 And the woman, she was left alone with her husband; and the meat, it did _also_ remain. And she lifted up her voice on high, singing songs of jubilation _because_ the meat, it was grown double.

9 And she said unto her husband, Let us therefore make us a festival, and let us eat our fill, _and_ more also. And let us buy wine _of a_ rare vintage for to cheer us on the day.

10 And she went out and she did get her wine _of a_ rare vintage that was very old. And her Sabbath eve was passed in joyful expectation.

11 And _when_ the morrow was come, she made her preparations for the festival. And she made her sauces of a choice flavour, and a _little_ gravy also. And when the mixing of them, it was done, she betook herself unto the safe _place_ where the meat, it was hid.

12 ¶ And, behold, it was gone, being eaten _up_ of the cat. And the anguish of that woman, _it was_ terrible. Neither did the sauces of a choice flavour, nor the gravy, nor the wine of a rare vintage suffice for to console her in _the time_ of her tribulation.

13 ¶ Now whensoever it happened that a young man, being devoured of love for a damsel, did seek for to pave _the way_, then would he wait upon the damsel's mother.

14 And he would bring with him seven small pieces of sugar and a little butter, for _it was_ a sure means, nor ever failed of _its_ purpose.

15 ¶ Now the rulers made them a decree, and they ordained that a measure of water, it should be added unto all the strong drink that _was_ sold throughout the land.

16 And the publicans made haste with a good heart for to fulfil the rulers' behest; yea, wonderful _was_ their zeal in the doing of it.

17 Wherefore that which was erstwhile strong, behold, _it was_ grown very weak; nevertheless, there were some who contended that a little _of it_, sprinkled upon ground where seeds were, it hastened _the time_ of the harvest.

18 And the rulers of the land did also make them a new ale, _being_ of the colour of drink, but not otherwise.

19 And all the blowers of froth, they came _together_ for to seek enlivenment of it. Nevertheless, after that they had drunk all that which the publicans did _have_, yet gat they not enlivenment.

20 But they remained a miserable _lot_ and sober; verily, there was not one amongst them that could say unto his friend on the morrow,

21 Assuredly, _it was_ a goodly night and very pleasing, _for_ I did get me rarely oiled, being bailed out _by_ my brother.

22 Wherefore many did murmur against the rulers _because_ they stretched forth their hands for to touch the pleasures of the people.

23 ¶ Now it came to pass on occasions that _certain_ of the makers of munitions for the war, being the foolish and the ill-advised amongst them, they did cease from their labours because they were displeased.

24 Peradventure they were dissatisfied on account of their hire, seeking that _it should_ be added to by the matter of one farthing _for_ every hour of their labour.

25 And after they had rested them for a time, withholding their help from their brothers that _were_ gone into battle, then that which they asked, it would be given unto them.

26 And they would take it as the fitting reward of _their_ persistence, nor recked the farthing, that it was paid for in the blood of valiant men.

27 Nevertheless, there _were_ also others amongst the makers of munitions that ceased not from their labours, nor rested them either by day or by night, but _were_ for ever at it.

28 And all the people honoured them, being thankful that such _as these_, both the men and the women _of them_, they were left for to prove the land of En _before_ the eyes of the world.