But as soon as he asked them to fulfil his will he found it a most tedious task. Igemon's palace was falling to pieces; it was overrun with rats, which ate up the deeds, and died of the resultant poisoning. Igemon himself was sinking deeper and deeper into inaction. He lay on the sofa daydreaming about the past. How good life was in those days! The inhabitants tried to resist his orders in all kinds of ways. Some of them had to be executed, which meant obituary feasts with pancakes and free drinks. Or a citizen would embark upon some new enterprise; it was necessary to go and stop him, which meant travelling expenses. When he reported to the proper quarter that in the district entrusted to him all the inhabitants had been exterminated he used to receive a special bonus and a fresh batch was sent into the district.
Igemon was daydreaming about the past, but his neighbours, the Igemons of other tribes, lived as they had lived before, on the old basis. The inhabitants opposed them on every occasion, and as vigorously as they could. All was noise and disorder. The Igemons rushed hither and thither, without any special object. They found it profitable and, in a general way, interesting.
And the thought struck Igemon:
"By Jove! the citizen has fooled me."
He jumped up, rushed through the whole district, shaking people, pummelling them, and shouting:
"Get up! Wake up! Arise!"
It was no good. He seized them by their collars, but the collars were rotten and broke away.
"The devils," shouted Igemon, greatly agitated. "What are you doing? Look at your neighbours—even China——"
The inhabitants were silent as they clung to the soil.
"O Lord!" said Igemon in disgust, "what is to be done?"