"Thou shalt have it; thou shalt have more than thy demand!" cried the Prince, as he beheld the glittering jewel, and embraced the treasurer, called him friend and brother, and commanded his secretary to draw up the documents giving the treasurer the half of his kingdom.
The treasurer went joyfully home, dreaming of princely honours, for had he not still a greater part of the stone in his possession?
Meanwhile the Prince called his favourite courtiers, and showed them the stone. No one spoke for astonishment. At last one of the surveyors of the mines remarked how wonderful it was that many pebbles possessed such brilliant colours, and it was to be regretted that they faded in a few days.
"What? a pebble?" cried the Prince.
"Yes, your Highness, only a pebble."
"A pebble? Not a precious stone? Then I have been deceived."
"Has your Highness bought it at a high price? Such stones are found in the earth, but the sunlight soon fades the colours."
"I have promised the treasurer half my kingdom for the stone."
Command was given to arrest the treasurer, but a friend had given him warning, and he had fled. They pursued him, the Prince at their head, found the unhappy man, deceived as well as deceiving, in a tree, and shot him dead on the spot.