"Though he is still youthful, the young prince bids fair to become the king of men," said Rustem; "your son is already fitted to rule both man and beast."
Never was a vizier so untruthful; never had a tutor so corrupted a young prince. He had implanted in his pupil's mind the vices which were his own. He had made him greedy, unjust, and impatient at the least contradiction. The Vizier had made the young prince believe that the people whom he was one day to govern were a lot of miserable cattle who were to be imposed on at the King's will.
It happened in those days that a merchant came to the King's palace, having for sale a collection of rich jewels. He had them of all kinds and all prices—diamonds, pearls, rubies, and emeralds—all heaped together in a beautiful casket of carved cedarwood. The Prince remained for hours admiring this marvellous collection of treasures.
"Ah," he exclaimed, "how I wish I had money enough to buy all that I see!"
"Prince," said the Vizier, "are you not the master? Command, and these treasures are yours."
"Well, then," said the Prince, "so be it;" and with that his slaves took possession of the casket and drove the poor merchant away from the palace.
The merchant, however, was not willing to submit to such an injustice. He went about making his charges and his complaints in the public places, until at last the matter became a scandal that could not be overlooked. So the powerful young Prince had him whipped with such severity that he expired not far from the palace.
The news of this terrible crime came speedily to the ears of the King, who became enraged with his son and with the perfidious Rustem. He drove them both from the palace. The tutor was banished from the court, and the young Prince was placed in a castle at some distance from his father's palace. Forgetting the irreparable injury he had caused, the Vizier one day went to see his former pupil. He fancied he would be received with open arms, as in the past; but what was his surprise to find himself loaded with reproaches. With a significant gesture the young Prince ordered his old tutor from his presence. The Vizier retired in confusion. It was night, and for a long time he wandered in the forest.
Vaguely walking about he fell in a pit that had been set as a trap for wild animals. What was his terror to find himself in the company of a Lion, a Monkey, and a Serpent, each of whom had fallen into the pit. When morning came the ex-vizier found himself in the midst of sad reflection. He was fearful that he would lose by hunger the life these beasts had left him, when, all of a sudden, he saw a man peering over the edge of the pitfall. Then the Vizier set up a terrible cry, and the traveller, touched with pity, threw him a rope so that he could escape from his perilous position.
The Monkey, nimbler than the Vizier, seized the rope and ran up it, much to the surprise of the traveller, who had expected a different visitor.