writers, as Omar and Sadi, we feel convinced there was an early literature but we can find none to quote. India shows the oldest and most definite signs of early folk lore and retold tales. Buddha's Jatakas produced the stories that later proved the germs of merry tales by Boccaccio and Chaucer. That' these later writers put in all the fun is not entirely probable. Some antiquarians claim to find humor in the hymns of the Rig Vedas, whose date is indefinitely put at between 2,000 and 1,500 B.C. while others of different temperament deny it. From this example the reader may judge for himself. THE HYMN OF THE FROGS "When the first shower of the rainy season Has fallen on them, parched with thirst and longing, "They shout aloud like Brahmans drunk with soma, "The frogs that bleat like goats, that low like cattle, The Jatakas of Buddha, though religious writings, and teachings by parables, are not without humor. The one about the silly son who killed the mosquito on his father's bald head with a heavy blow of an ax, has its funny side. Or the old monarch who had reigned 252,000 years and still had 84,000 years more ahead of him, and went into solitary retirement because he discovered a gray hair in his head. Another shrewd fellow made an enormous fortune out of the sale of a dead mouse. Of course, the animals figure largely. There is the tale of the monkeys who watered a garden and then pulled up the plants to see if their roots were wet, and the angry crows who tried to drink up the sea. Riddles, too, must be remembered. Though not many specimens have been preserved, yet we remember Samson's riddle, so disastrous to the Philistines. "Out of the eater came forth meat; and out of the strong came forth sweetness." And when his susceptibility to cajolery led him to tell his wife the answer, and she tattled, his comment was the pithy; "If ye had not plowed with my heifer, ye had not found out my riddle. The Sphinx's riddle is well known. "What animal goes on four legs in the morning, on two at noon, and on three at night?" The answer being: Man, who goes on all-fours in infancy, walks upright in middle life, and adds a staff in old age. An ancient riddle is ascribed to the problematical personality of Homer, though it was doubtless originated before his time,-if he had a time. Homer, the tale goes, met some boys coming home from a fishing trip. On his asking them of their luck, they replied, "What we caught we threw away; what we didn't catch, we have." It seems they referred to fleas, not fish, and his inability to guess this so enraged Homer, that he killed himself. And here is a free translation of an ancient Arabian riddle. "The loftiest cedars I can eat, Yet neither paunch nor mouth have I. The answer is Fire, and as may be seen, the type of riddle is precisely such as are found in the puzzle columns of today's papers. Riddles are frequently mentioned in Ancient Literature, every country or race indulging in them. Josephus tells us that Solomon and Hiram of Tyre were in the habit of exchanging riddles. So we find that a love of fun or playfulness was inherent in our early ancestors, yet it did not reach a height to be called genuine creative humor. But there is always the feeling that if more of the translators themselves possessed more humor, they might find more in the originals. As a rule, translators and antiquarian researchers are so engaged in serious seeking that they would probably pass over humor if they ran across it. When a man is prospecting for iron or coal, he may easily be blind to indications of wells of natural oil. More wit and humor of Ancient India has come down to us through the caricatures and grotesque drawings than in words. The innumerable pictures of the God Krishna are the most humorous of these. Krishna appears to have been a veritable Don Juan, and his multitude of lady friends numbered up to many thousands. It is narrated that a friend of his, who had no wife, begged for just one from Krishna's multiplicity. "Court any one you wish," said the light-hearted god, pleasantly. So the friend went from house to house of Krishna's various wives, but one and all, they declared themselves quite satisfied with husband, Krishna, and moreover each one was convinced that he was hers alone. The seeker visited sixteen thousand and eight houses, and then gave it up. The endless pictures of Krishna represent him surrounded by lovely ladies, and a curious detail of these drawings is that in many instances the group of girls is wreathed and twisted into the shape or semblance of a bird or a horse or an elephant, presenting an interesting and not unpleasing effect. Now, all we have given so far, seems indeed a meager grist for the first division of our Outline. But one may not find what does not exist. There is no doubt that humor was known and loved from the dawning of independent thought, but as it was not recorded, save for a few drawings, on the enduring rocks, it died with its originators. Humor was the last need of a self-providing race, and even when found it was a luxury rather than a necessity. As a fair example of the earliest tales that have lived in various forms ever since their first recital, is appended the bit of ancient Hindoo folk-lore, called THE GOOD WIFE AND THE BAD HUSBAND In a secluded village there lived a rich man, who was very miserly, and his wife, who was very kind-hearted and charitable, but a stupid little woman that believed everything she heard. And there lived in the same village a clever rogue, who had for some time watched for an opportunity for getting something from this simple woman during her husband's absence. So one day, when he had seen the old miser ride out to inspect his lands, this rogue of the first water came to the house, and fell down at the threshold as if overcome by fatigue. The woman ran up to him at once and inquired whence he came. "I am come from Kailása," said he; "having been sent down by an old couple living there, for news of their son and his wife." "Who are those fortunate dwellers in Siva's mountain?" she asked. And the rogue gave the names of her husband's deceased parents, which he had taken good care, of course, to learn from the neighbours. "Do you really come from them?" said the simple woman. "Are they doing well there? Dear old people! How glad my husband would be to see you, were he here! Sit down, please, and rest until he returns. How do they live there? Have they enough to eat and dress themselves withal?" These and a hundred other questions she put to the rogue, who, for his part, wished to get away as soon as possible, knowing full well how he would be treated if the miser should return while he was there. So he replied, "Mother, language has no words to describe the miseries they are undergoing in the other world. They have not a rag of clothing, and for the last six days they have eaten nothing, and have lived on water only. It would break your heart to see them." The rogue's pathetic words deceived the good woman, who firmly believed that he had come down from Kailása, a messenger from the old couple to herself. "Why should they so suffer," said she, "when their son has plenty to eat and clothe himself withal, and when their daughter-in-law wears all sorts of costly garments?" So saying, she went into the house, and soon came out again with two boxes containing all her own and her husband's clothes, which she handed to the rogue, desiring him to deliver them to the poor old couple in Kailása. She also gave him her jewel-box, to be presented to her mother-in-law. "But dress and jewels will not fill their hungry stomachs," said the rogue. "Very true; I had forgot: wait a moment," said the simple woman, going into the house once more. Presently returning with her husband's cash chest, she emptied its glittering contents into the rogue's skirt, who now took his leave in haste, promising to give everything to the good old couple in Kailása; and having secured all the booty in his upper garment, he made off at the top of his speed as soon as the silly woman had gone indoors. Shortly after this the husband returned home, and his wife's pleasure at what she had done was so great that she ran to meet him at the door, and told him all about the arrival of the messenger from Kailása, how his parents were without clothes and food, and how she had sent them clothes and jewels and store of money. On hearing this, the anger of the husband was great; but he checked himself, and inquired which road the messenger from Kailása had taken, saying that he wished to follow him with a further message for his parents. So she very readily pointed out the direction in which the rogue had gone. With rage in his heart at the trick played upon his stupid wife, he rode off in hot haste, and after having proceeded a considerable distance, he caught |