Story of the thief who was asked, “What are you doing at the bottom of this wall at midnight?” and replied, “I am beating a drum.”

Hear this parable—how a wicked thief was cutting a hole at the bottom of a wall.

Some one half-awake, who was ill, heard the soft tapping of his (pick),

And went on the roof and hung his head down and said to him, “What are you about, O father?

All is well, I hope. What are you doing (here) at midnight? Who are you?” He said, “A drummer, O honourable sir.”

“What are you about?” He said, “I am beating the drum.” He (the sick man) said, “Where is the noise of the drum, O artful one?”

He said, “You will hear this noise to-morrow, (namely) cries of ‘Oh, alas!’ and ‘Oh, woe is me!’”

That (story of the hare and the elephant) is a lie and false and made up; moreover, thou hast not perceived the secret (the esoteric meaning) of that falsehood.