VIII. THE TALE OF A KING

1. Once upon a time there was a certain King, and my Master tells me that every day he used to go out to take the air in the roof summer-house of his palace. Now some birds had built their nests in its thatch, and each day the King and Queen used to listen to the chirping of the chicks, and much joy did the two derive there from. One day they heard none, and said the Queen to the King, "Why is there today no chirping?" And my Master tells me that they looked into the nest, and that they found therein only two dead chicks. They took them out and full of grief brought them down into the palace. There they summoned all their wise Viziers, and commanded them to inspect the dead chicks, and to say what had happened to them. So the Viziers inspected them, and found that a thorn had been stuck into the throat of each. Then said a very sage among the Viziers, "It is evident that the mother of these chicks died, and that the cock sought another mate and wedded her. She has been giving each of them a thorn to eat for food, and that is why they are dead." Said the King to the Queen, "If I die, thou must not wed again," and said the Queen to the King, "If I die, thou must not wed again." And so they mutually made vow and oath. Now, why was it that they made this vow and oath? "Because," said they, "we have two sons, and who knoweth but a stepmother or a stepfather may do this very thing to them."

2. In the course of time the Queen died, and the King wedded not again, because of the mutual vow and oath that the Queen and he had made. A long time passed, and at length his Viziers came to him and said, "Verily, your Majesty should once more make espousal, "but for a long time he paid no heed to them. Then at last his Viziers became urgent, and he took to himself a new Queen.

3. Now, as we have heard, there were two young princes, and they were occupied in their lessons. One day the two brethren took advice of each other and decided to bring a complimentary present to their stepmother. So they filled a tray with rubies and other jewels and offered it to her. She accepted the tray, and as she did so her glance fell upon them. The princes then went off to their lessons, and after that, day by day, they brought her a similar offering. One day, there arose in the heart of the Queen a passionate desire for the two youths, and she made proposals to them for an unlawful intrigue; but they replied, "Thou art our mother! We are thy children! Between thee and us such may not be," and went off again to their lessons. In the evening the King came to the harem, but the Queen locked the door of her room and refused to allow him to enter. Said he, "Why hast thou shut the door?" and she replied to him, "Is it of thee that I am the wife, or am I the wife of thy two sons?" Said the King, "What is it that hath happened?" Replied she, "They came to me and asked of me indecent thing. Nor will I open the door to thee till thou give me their two hearts."

4. And my Master saith :-
He gave an order to his Viziers while the boys were studying their lessons in the school. Said he to the Viziers, "Make the princes over to the executioners, and let the executioners kill them." And my Master tells me that a Vizier went to the princes, and became filled with pity for them. Said he to them, "Come ye down from the school." Then he said, "Flee ye from this city." So they fled, and then the Vizier did a deed. He told the executioners to kill two dogs. So they killed two dogs, and tore out their hearts. These they put upon a charger and took to the, Queen. Said they to her, "Here are the two hearts of those princes. Open thou the door and take them." So she opened the door and took the two hearts, as they said to her, "Here are they for thee straight front the bodies of the two princes." And thereafter the King lived on with her to sway the sceptre.

5. The two brothers sought refuge with another king, and he said to them, "Ye appear unto me to be princes. Prithee tell ye me how are ye come hither, and what is the cause thereof." So they told him all their happenings, and he thereupon took them into his service. And my Master tells me that they were entered into the King's bodyguard. The King had already two old servants in his bodyguard, and with these two princes they made four. Each had to guard the king during one of the four watches of the night. Now the first watch of the night fell to the elder of the two princes, and my master tells me that at this time the King and Queen went to their bed.

6. Furthermore, my Master tells me:-
The guard stood by, watching and warding the royal pair, and straight in front of them he saw a great python begin to lower itself from the ceiling. He fixed his eyes upon it, and as it approached the body of the Queen he ran up and struck at it with his sword. He hacked it into little pieces and thrust them under the bed. He then wrapped the blade of his sword in cotton-wool and some of this he used to wipe the body of the Queen, "For," said he to himself, " haply some of the python's poison may have touched her." This, you must understand, was his sole and only reason for wiping her. But just then the King awoke, and he saw that his guard had come near him with a naked sword in his hand. By this time the period of his-watch had passed, and the watch
of the second guard was due. He approached, and the King said to him, " 0 guard, what should be done to the man who is traitor to his lord?" Replied the guard, "Sire, his head should be cut off, and he should be flayed alive. But, your Majesty, I would tell to thee a story. Prithee, lend thou the thine ear."

7. Said the guardsman :-
"Once upon a time there was a King. One day he went a-hunting all alone. He took with him his falcon, and when he had come to a certain spot he fell athirst, but could find no means of alleviation. A length he saw in one place a little moisture (on the face of a cliff). He thrust in his spear to make a hole, and pulled forth a cup front his pocket, which he filled with the water as it trickled forth. As he began to take it up to drink his falcon flew at him and upset it. So he filled the cup again, and was about to drink when again the falcon upset it. Poisonous anger rose in the heart of the King. The third time he filled the cup, holding it with his right hand, leaving his left arm free. Just as he began to drink, again came the falcon and upset it. The King grasped the bird, and holding it under his feet tore off both its wings. As soon as he had killed it he was filled with regret, and could not drink the water. He went to look for the source of the spring, and when he had found it he saw there a huge python lying asleep, and from its mouth spittle was dripping into the streamlet. The water was poisonous." And, added the guard to His Majesty, "If that King had drunk that water he would have died, and if he had only inquired into the matter beforehand he would not have killed the falcon. Sire, that is my story. Thou shouldst scrutinize before deciding."

8. His watch also came to an end, and there came the third watch. The first two sat down to rest themselves, but the King was still wakeful, and he spoke to his third guard, saying, "0 guard, what should be done to him who showeth faithlessness to his lord?" Said he in answer, "He should be stoned to death, but first, sire, investigation should be made. I would tell to thee a story. Lend thou me, sire, thine ear."

9. Said the third guardsman:-
"There was once upon a time a merchant blessed with all prosperity. But evil times befell him, so that he had naught left of his possessions but a dog. Another merchant asked him if he would sell it, and thereto did he agree. 'What is the price?' and they fixed it at-a hundred rupees. So the second merchant paid the price and took away the dog. Shortly afterwards he went on a journey with some goods to do merchanting, and halted for the night at a certain place. In the night-time there came thieves and took away all his property. The dog watched them, but made no sound. When the morn blossomed forth the merchant awoke, and could not find his goods. While he was wondering what had befallen him, the dog came up and caught hold of his coat and pulled it. The dog led him out, going in front, while the merchant followed along behind. He brought him to a certain plain, and there he saw the spot where the thieves had stored his goods. He recognized them, and brought back to his lodging not only what had betaken from him, but all that these thieves had stolen from other merchants. He was filled with joy, and said to himself, 'That merchant was not able to put the true value on his dog. Hard times had fallen on him, and he had to take what he could get."

10. Moreover my Master said:
"He put the value of the dog at five hundred rupees, and wrote a note of hand to that amount. This he tied to the dog's neck, and told him to go home with it to his old master. The dog set forth and arrived at his old master's house. The latter saw him and recognized him. He said to his people, 'Here is this dog come back. No doubt he hath done some fault. Moreover, there is an invoice to that effect tied to his neck.' So he became filled with anxiety. 'What,' cried he, 'am I to do? For I have spent the hundred rupees.' So he went and got a gun, fired it at the dog, and killed it. When he had killed it, he felt sorry and went up to look at the paper that was tied to its neck. When he took it off and opened it he saw written on it an order for five hundred rupees. Then, indeed, he felt very sorry. Your Majesty, that is my story. One should always scrutinize. If that merchant had first looked to see what was tied to the dog's neck he would not have killed it."
With that the term of his watch expired.

11. Now came the watch of the fourth guard, and this is his story. The King said to the fourth guard, "0 guard, what should be done to the man who is a traitor to his lord?" Replied the guard, "Your Majesty, his head should be cut off, and he should be banished from the city. But, sire, I would tell thee a story. Lend thou me thine ear."

And the fourth guardsman said :
Once upon a time there was a King who had two sons. Their mother died, and the King made a second marriage, and thus gave the two princes a stepmother. While they were still at their lessons they brought her a tray filled with rubies and other jewels as a complimentary present. They laid it before her, and then went back to their lessons. They passed each day in this manner, and at length a design was aroused in the Queen. And this was her design. She said to herself, 'I would do sin with these young princes.' One day she said to them, ' Come ye and do sin with me'; but they replied, 'Thou art our mother, between thee and us such may not be,' and then went off to their lessons. After this the King came home, when he had dismissed his court, and went to the harem; but the Queen locked the door against him and refused to open it. Said he, 'What meaneth this ?' Then up and answered she,' Is it of thee that I am the wife, or am I the wife of thy two sons?' Said the King, 'What is it that hath happened?' Said she, 'They came to me and asked of me indecent things.' Said he, 'What wouldest thou have me to do?' and she replied, 'I must have their two hearts, that I may eat them. Then, and then only, will I open for thee the door.' So the King gave the command to his Vizier, and said to him, 'Make these two princes over to the executioners, that they may tear out both their hearts.' So the Vizier took his leave-and came to the school where the princes were doing their lessons. He took one look at them and saw that they were both exceeding fair to behold, and pity filled his soul. He said to them, 'Flee ye far from this city.' So they fled."

12. And moreover my Master said:-
" The Vizier told the executioners to kill two dogs. They did so, and tore out their hearts, which they placed upon a charger and carried to the Queen. Then she opened the door, and the King went in, and there did he away his sceptre.

13. "The two princes in their flight came to another King, who appointed them to be his bodyguards. The first watch of the night falls to the elder prince. A lamp is burning, and shows the King and Queen asleep upon their bed. Straight in front of them is descending a huge python. The guard draws his sword, and hacks it into little pieces. After this he wraps up the blade of his sword in cotton-wool, and some of this he uses to wipe off the python's poison from the body of the Queen. 'For,' said he to himself, 'haply some of the python's poison maybe on her.' While be was still wiping her the King awoke. Said the King to himself,' he hath come to kill me.' Sire, that is my story. If that King had made
inquiry he would not have ordered the executioners to kill his own sons, nor would those dogs have gone to death. Sire, if you believe not my story, then know that that King was our father, and this King wast thou. So, here is the sword, and there under the bed is the python cut to pieces."

14. The King became mightily pleased on hearing this explanation. And one brother he made his Vizier, while the other he made a Pasha.

Hatim's Tales