Chapter IX

1 _Concerning food_. 4 _The people do wait in a line_. 11 _And seek the truth_. 13 _An old man lacketh butter_. 17 _He getteth all else_. 18 _Concerning the cards_. 24 _Certain of the people do hoard_. 26 _They pay the penalty_. 27 _The prudent man and the woman that had no sugar_.

Now there came a time when there was no more food in En save _only_ enough for to feed the people.

2 And the gluttons of the land cried out in their vexation, _because_ they glutted them no more.

3 And it became a custom _amongst_ the people that they should hie them unto the bazaar for to wait _without_ the portal of it.

4 ¶ And they would gather themselves together _in a_ line hoping that, perchance, a little meat would be vouchsafed unto them.

5 And they did complain loudly amongst themselves and did make their faces _of a length_; and they cursed the rulers shamefully.

6 Yea, there were many that forgot _it was_ a time of war, for their minds were not on it, being gone _down_ into their stomachs.

7 Now it fell out on a night that I pursued my way along an highway in the city of Lon.

8 And, behold, there was a multitude of people, being _in a_ line, and it reached unto a long _way_ off.

9 And I perceived that they were a merry lot _and_ full of mirth. Yea, they were _like_ unto none of them that I had seen before.

10 And I drew nigh unto them, for I was amazed. And I sought to inquire what manner of victuals it was that _did put_ them in the humour.

11 ¶ And when I was come near _enough_, then did I see the name of it and _what_ it was, and behold, that _which_ they waited for, it was Nothing but the Truth.

12 And so _it was_ in the land, that to buy of laughter, they grudged them not the waiting; but to get them a morsel of food, that was _a matter_ in other wise.

13 ¶ Now there was a certain man, and he was an old man and full of cunning; and his stomach, it did trouble him for _a little_ butter.

14 Wherefore he writ him a list, and he did put down all the things that he needed not; and in the midmost part of it, he put down also _a little_ butter.

15 And after it was writ, he sent it unto the bazaar, hoping by this means to get him that for _which_ his soul did crave; and he prayed without ceasing all that night.

16 And when it was morning, there came one from the bazaar unto his habitation; and he did bring with him all those things that the old man, which was full of cunning, he had put down.

17 ¶ Yea, all _of them_ did he bring save only _a little_ butter for to fortify the old man's faith in prayer.

18 ¶ Now these were the days of cards, and the number of them, it increased continually.

19 And there were food cards, and fuel cards, and cards of registration, and sugar cards, and cards of insurance, and cards of exemption also.

20 And whosoever did lose his cards, verily, the state of that man, it _was_ terrible.

21 For he could get him no sustenance for to live. And a man that is not insured, to die were the last of his follies.

22 Moreover, because the card of his exemption, it was lost, therefore, in _either_ case, he was become of the fighters of En.

23 Yea, even though he were possessed of the joker, nevertheless, it availed him nothing; for it was a new game, and the joker was not in the pack.

24 ¶ And certain of the people did gather them victuals secretly and in great abundance, and they did put them on one side and _they did_ hoard.

25 Neither did they consider the needs of the poor, being satisfied with their own bellies, that they should be full up.

26 ¶ And they did pay for their selfishness in the penalty; yea, for the mighty atom that they did hide away, they paid for it in the penalty.

27 ¶ Now there was a certain man of the land of En, and he was the father of many children; wherefore he was become prudent, and he was for ever looking _in front_ of him.

28 And it came to pass that he did go unto an inn. And he commanded the servant that was there, saying unto him, Bring me a measure of tea, that _I may_ drink.

29 And the servant did bring him the measure of tea, and he did set it down _before_ him. And he that would drink, he did take from his pocket a little _white_ sugar.

30 And after he had used _of it_, he did put upon the table that sugar _which_ was remaining over.

31 Now there was a certain woman sitting nigh unto him. And her husband, _that_ was a great man, he did sit _beside her_. And she was garbed in new purple.

32 And there was a great weight of precious jewels _upon her_, yea, even unto the fastenings of her sandals _was_ she bright with precious gems.

33 And she did look _at_ the sugar greedily, for she coveted it. And _because_ she was too proud to steal, therefore did she approach unto the man.

34 And she threw herself _down_ at his feet and she buried her face in the dust, crying out, My lord, my lord, see _how_ thine handmaiden prostrateth herself before thee.

35 And he said unto her, Woman, arise. And she rose up. And he spake unto her again, _saying_, Tell me, I beseech thee, _the reason_ of thy supplication; for he was full of prudence, and, because she was a woman, therefore did he trust her not.

36 And after she had kissed his hand, she said unto him, Behold, my lord, thine handmaiden hath got her a measure of tea, _and_ it lacketh sweetness.

37 Therefore, I pray thee that thou givest _unto me_ a morsel of sugar, for thy servant, she thirsteth mightily.

38 And when he saw how _it was_ with her, he gave her a morsel of sugar, being the sugar that _he had_ brought with him.

39 And after she had blessed his name, _and_ the name of his father, _and_ all his seed also, she returned unto her husband being well content.

40 And this was a thing that _did_ happen because there was war in the land.