The False Friend[1]
In the meantime, it had come to pass that one of Ardschi-Bordschi’s subjects had gone out over the sea to search for precious stones. Being detained on his journey beyond the allotted time, he was desirous of making provision for his wife and children whom he had left behind, and, finding that a friend of his company purposed to return home, he trusted to him one of the jewels of which he had become possessed, saying, “When thou comest to the place, deliver this jewel into the hands of my wife, that she may be provided withal until the time of my return. The man, however, sold the jewel and spent the proceeds on his own purposes. When, therefore, the jewel-merchant came home, he inquired of his wife, saying, “By a man named Dsük I sent unto you a jewel so-and-so;” and when he learnt of his wife that the man had brought no jewel, he took the matter before the King. The King commanded the man called Dsük to be brought before him. But the man having got wind that he would have to appear before the King to be judged for the matter, he gave presents to two chief men of the court, and agreed with them, saying, “You will stand witness for me that in presence of you two I delivered the jewel to the man’s wife[2].”
When, therefore, they were all before the King, the King spoke to the man named Dsük, saying, “Did you, or did you not, give the jewel to the man’s wife?” And he boldly made answer, “In presence of these two witnesses I delivered the jewel to her;” while the two great men of the court stood forward and deposed, they also, “Yea, O King! even in our presence he delivered over the jewel.”
As the King could not gainsay the word of the witnesses, he decided the case according to their testimony, and the man named Dsük was released and went away to his home rejoicing at having been so successful in his stratagem to deceive the King, and the two great men of the court and the jewel-merchant went down every one to his home.
It so happened, however, that their way home lay past the hill where the Boy-king sat enthroned. Now as they passed by, the four together, the Boy-king sent and called them into his presence, nor could they fail of compliance with his word.
When they had paid him their obeisance, bowing themselves many times before him, the Boy-king, rising in his majesty, thus spoke,—
“The decision of your King is hasty, and can never stand. I will judge your cause. Do you promise to abide by my decision?”
But the majesty of the Boy-king was upon him, and they could not choose but accept.
The Boy-king therefore set the four men apart in four several places, and to each one of them he gave a lump of clay, saying, “Fashion this lump of clay like to the form of the jewel which was sent.”