A criminal went to a restaurant. He had money in his pocket, but he thought, “I will not pay! What can they do to me? They certainly will not kill me…”
He sat down and a waiter approached him.
“What would you like?”
“Something to eat.”
“Something to drink?”
“Of course!”
The waiter brought him his food and the man ate until he was full. Then they brought him the bill.
“Here.”
“I have no money,” the man said.
They went to the owner. He thought the man must be crazy and ordered him thrown out. But every day the man returned.
The owner told the waiters, “We cannot let this man take advantage of us. Put something spoiled on his plate so he will have an upset stomach and not come back.”
The next day the man came and asked for his usual meal. They brought it to him with something spoiled in it. He became sick and had diarrhea. He ran out of the restaurant, shouting as he raced down the street.
People asked, “Where are you running from?”
“From there,” he said. “Go where I came from and you will find a restaurant where they eat for free!”
Thanks to the Tavor (Cherkian) family.
The story was told by Baruch Tavor and recorded by Liora Behar.
The story is also recorded in the Israel Folktales Archives (IFA), named for Dov Noy at the University of Haifa, serial no. 10221.