“It is meet that the race be to the swift, to those who have proven their faith and their swords; who have the gift for ruling, and the talent of the sword to sustain it. For me, if ye will hear me, I will go another way. I will not rule. My father hath passed on this honour to me, but I yield it up to one who hath saved ye from a double death, even to the great Cumner’s Son. He rode, as ye know, through peril to Pango Dooni, bearing the call for help, and he hath helped to save the whole land from the Red Plague. But for him Mandakan would be only a place of graves. Speak, children of heavenly Mandakan, whom will ye choose?” When Cumner’s Son stood forth he was pale and astounded before the cries of greeting that were carried out through the Palace yard, through the highways, and even to the banyan tree where sat the beggar of Nangoon.
“I have done nothing, I have done nothing,” said he sincerely. “It was Pango Dooni, it was the beggar of Nangoon. I am not fit to rule.”
He turned to his father, but saw no help in his eyes for refusal. The lad read the whole story of his father’s face, and he turned again to the people.
“If ye will have it so, then, by the grace of God, I will do right by this our land,” said he.
A half-hour later he stood before them, wearing the costly robe of yellow feathers and gold and perfect silk of the Dakoon of Mandakan.
“The beggar of Nangoon who saved our city, bid him come near,” he said; but the orderly stepped forward and told his story of how the beggar had returned to his banyan tree.
“Then tell the beggar of Nangoon,” said he, “that if he will not visit me, I will visit him; and all that I promised for the Dakoon of Mandakan I will fulfil. Let Cushnan Di stand forth,” he added, and the old man came near. “The city which was yours is yours, again, and all that was taken from it shall be restored,” said he.
Then he called him by his real name, and the people were amazed.
Cushnan Di, as he had been known to them, said quietly:
“If my Lord will give me place near him as general of his armies and keeper of the gates, I will not ask that my city be restored, and I will live near to the Palace—”