Some of them, indeed, said that they would go to solicit on his behalf; and others observed that they would do as much, and, moreover, would not desert him even till after his execution, and that they would then give him honorable interment.
“And after the youth had thus tried the sincerity of all his friends, without finding any to receive him, he returned to his father, and related what had happened. And when the father saw that it so fell out, he said to his son, that he might now very well see how those who had lived long, and seen and experienced much in such a matter, knew more than their sons. He then added, that he himself had only one friend and a half, and that he might go and try them.
“The young man went accordingly to prove what his father had meant by half a friend, and he took the dead pig along with him. He called at the door of his father`s half friend, and recounted to him first the unlucky adventure which had befallen him; that he had spoken with all his friends in vain, and beseeched him, by the regard he bore his father, to assist him now in this his utter need.
Weeds and vegetables to conceal
“And when his father`s half friend saw this, he said that he had a regard for the father, but had no sort of love for or acquaintance with the son; but that for his father`s sake, he was willing to assist him, and to conceal the affair. He then took the sack with the pig, and carried it into his orchard, where he deposited it in a deep furrow, and covered the spot with weeds and vegetables to conceal it from every eye.
“The youth then returned and acquainted his father with what had occurred in regard to this his half friend. He next ordered his son, on a certain day, when they should all be engaged in council, to start some question, and discuss it with this same friend very warmly, till at length he should deal him a hard blow in the face, which, when the opportunity served, was accordingly done.
But the good man, on being smitten, only said, `By my faith, young man, thou hast done ill; yet thou may`st be assured, that neither for this or other injury thou canst do, will I reveal what happened in the garden.` The son afterwards reported this to his father, who then told him to go to the house of his other friend, and he did so.
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