The Story of the Little Hunch-Back.
THere was in former Times at
Caſgar, upon the utmoſt Skirts of
Tartary, a Taylor that had a pretty Wife, whom he loved entirely, and was reciprocally loved by her. One Day, as he ſat at work, a little Hunch-back’d my Lord came and ſat him down at his Shop Door, and fell a ſinging, and at the ſame time play’d upon a Taber. The Taylor took Pleaſure to hear him, and a ſtrong Mind to take him into his Houſe to make his Wife merry: This little Fellow (ſays he to his Wife) will divert us both very agreeably. In fine, he invited my Lord in, and he readily accepted of the Invitation, ſo the Taylor ſhut up his Shop and carried him Home. The little Gentleman being carried in, the Taylor’s Wife covered the Table, they ſat down to Supper, and had a good large Diſh of Fiſh ſet before ’em; but as they eat heartily, unluckily the the crooked Gentleman ſwallowed a large Bone, of which he died in a few Minutes, notwithſtanding all that the Taylor and his Wife could do to prevent it. Both the one and the other were mightily frightned at the Accident, eſpecially ſince it fell in their Houſe, and there was ground to fear that if the Juditiary Magiſtrates came to hear of it, they would be puniſh’d as Aſſaſſins. However the Husband found an Expedient to get rid of the Corps; he conſider’d there was a
Jewiſh Doctor that lived juſt by, and ſo formed a Project; in the Execution of which his Wife and he took the Corps, the one by the Feet and the other by the Head, and carried it to the Phyſician’s Houſe. They knocked at the Door, from which aſcended a ſteep Pair of Stairs to his Chamber. As ſoon as they had knocked, the Servant Maid came down, without any Light, and opening the Door asked what they wanted. Prithee go up again
ſays the Taylor, and tell your Maſter we have brought him a Man that’s very fick, and wants his Advice. Here,
ſays he, putting a Piece of Money into her Hand, give him that before hand, to convince him that we have no mind to make him loſe his Labour. While the Servant was gone up to acquaint her Maſter with the welcome News, the Taylor and his Wife nimbly convey’d the Hunch-back’d