the Cogia had an old ox, which, saddling immediately, he mounted, and
rode to the place where they played at the jerreed. No sooner did the
people see him than they fell to laughing, and the Bey said, 'O Cogia,
why did you mount that ox, for it can't run?' 'Can't it?' said the
Cogia. 'I have seen it when it was a calf running so fast that no horse
could overtake it.'

One day Tamerlank invited the Cogia to dine with him. The Cogia accepted
the invitation, and mounting his ass, taking the groom along with him,
set out, saying, 'Now, Tamerlank, where may you be?' When he came to the
Emperor, Timour Shah, pointing to a place, bade him sit down. The Cogia,
seeing that Timour Shah sat with one foot supported on a cushion, when he
sat down, stretched out his own leg, and placed it upon a corner of the
cushion. Timour Shah being very much offended that the Cogia stretched
out his leg as he did, said to himself, 'If I do so I have an excuse, and
I am also a king'; and then said to the Cogia, 'When you mount your ass,
what is the difference between you and him?' The Cogia replied, 'My
Emperor, only this cushion divides us which is placed upon his back.' The
Shah, perceiving the taunt, was very much incensed, and determined to
mortify the Cogia. The food being brought, they began to eat, and
presently Timour, without any cause, sneezed in the Cogia's face. The
Cogia, when he saw Tamerlank do this, said, 'My Emperor, is it not ill
manners to do so?' 'It is not in our country,' said Tamerlank. Forthwith
the Cogia let a ---; and when Tamerlank said, 'Is not that ill manners?'
he replied, 'It is not reckoned so in our country.' The repast being
over, the sherbet was brought; and then the Cogia, getting up, set off on
his way home. 'Why did you break wind in the presence of Timour?' said
the groom. Answered the Cogia, 'When the Imam --- the assembly breaks
up.'