The Gardener and His Son
“In the by-gone time an old gardener had mounted his son upon an ass and was proceeding to the garden, himself on foot. They met some men who said, ‘See this old pederast, how he has mounted the boy upon the ass; and is himself running alongside.’ Whenever the old man heard this he made the boy alight and mounted himself. Again they met some other folk, these likewise said, ‘Look at this heartless old man, he rides the ass himself and makes the poor child go on foot.’ Whenever the old man heard this he took his son up in front of him. Then some people saw them and said, ‘See this old pederast, how he has taken the boy up in front of him.’ The old man heard this, and he put his son up behind him. Again certain folks saw them and said, ‘See this old catamite, how he has taken the boy up behind him.’ The old man knew not what to do, so he put his son down and alighted himself and drove the ass before them. The garden was near, and both of them were on foot, and they reached the garden before meeting with any others.
“Now, O king, I have told this story that thou mayst know that no one in the world can escape the tongue of the folk. Each one says a different thing. It is even as when a boil came out on the foot of a certain king who showed it to someone and said, ‘Come, look at this boil; is it ripe or unripe?’ He looked and said, ‘It is ripe.’ Then he showed it to another person, and he said, ‘It is unripe.’ Then the king said, ‘We cannot get sure information concerning even one foot.’ Do thou too, O king, go by no one’s word, lose not the opportunity; no good will come to thee from this youth.” When the king heard this story from the lady he said, “To-morrow will I kill him.”
When it was morning the king came and sat upon his throne, and he caused the youth to be brought and ordered the executioner, “Smite off his head.” The twentieth vezir came forward and said, “O king of the world, I will speak a good word to thee: all these vezirs who have spoken these many words are well-wishers to thee. The holy Apostle of God hath said, ‘Whoso hath believed in God and the last day; when he witnesseth to aught, let him speak with good or let him be silent,’ Now, what is best for thee in this thy affair is this, as all thy vezirs say, ‘Slay not the prince,’ I too say, have patience, else the end of this will be care and sorrow. Mayhap the king has not heard the story of a certain king.” The king said, “Tell on, let us hear.” Quoth the vezir: