Family Traits

The following story is about a man who long ago became lost during a journey. In the middle of a wide area in the desert, he unexpectedly came across a house and decided to stop there for help, but mainly for nourishment.

When he reached the house, a woman came out, greeted him and said, "Who are you?" He said, "A guest." She said, "Welcome indeed, our guest! Stay here and be comfortable." She did not lose much time before serving him food and drink, and while he was eating, the man of the house approached and asked, "Who is this?" His wife said, "He is a guest." He said, "He is not welcome, for what do we have to do with a guest!" Of course feeling insulted and unwelcome, the lost traveler had to leave, fearing that the miserly host would hold him accountable for the food that he had already eaten.

On the following day, he saw another house in the open desert. Hungry and hopeless, he decided to test the hospitality of its inhabitants. Again a woman met him first, and she asked him, "Who are you?" He said, "A guest." She said, "A guest is not welcome over here, for what do we have to do with a guest!" As she was speaking to him in that vulgar manner, the man of the house approached and asked, "Who is this?" His wife said, "He is a guest." He said, "Welcome indeed, our guest!" He then came out with delicious food and served it to his guest. While the traveler was eating and drinking, he contemplated over the events of the last two days and smiled. The host asked, "Why are you smiling?"

The traveler told him about the husband and wife that he encountered the day before and expressed his amazement over how opposite the members of the two households were. The host said, "Do not be amazed, for the woman you met yesterday is my sister, and her husband is the brother of my wife. Each has been stamped by the predominant characteristics of his or her family."