“But the captain of the guard said, ‘For observing the King’s decree am I to be put to death? Before I die, however, let this justice be done. Let Naran Gerel be summoned hither, and let her say on the trial of barley-corns whether it was not she whom I arrested in the King’s garden.’
“So the King sent and called Naran Gerel and bid her say on the trial of barley-corns whether it were not she whom the captain of the guard had arrested in the King’s garden.
“But Naran Gerel answered, ‘Am I not then the King’s daughter? How should I, then, make the trial of barley-corns like one of the common herd of the people? But call me an assembly, and before the assembly I will swear. Shall not that suffice for the King’s daughter?’ But this she said because in the trial of barley-corns if one speak falsely the barley-corns will surely spring into the air and burst with a loud noise; but if truth, then only they remain quiet. Naran Gerel therefore feared to make the trial of barley-corns.
“But the King said, ‘The words that Naran Gerel hath spoken are words of justice. Let an assembly be called.’ So they called together an assembly, Naran Gerel having exchanged glances with the minister’s wife agreeing how they should proceed.
“Meantime the minister and his wife went home. The wife therefore stained her husband all over with a black stain so that he looked quite black, and she said to him, ‘When the time comes that the Princess has to take the oath in the assembly, do thou find thyself there doubled up and making unmeaning grimaces and uncouth antics with an empty water-pitcher. Perhaps the Princess will find the means to escape hereby out of the judgment that threatens her.’
“The assembly was now gathered. The King was on his throne, and Naran Gerel stood at its foot; and the minister, under the form of a crippled beggar, black and loathsome to behold, was there also.
“Then the King called upon Naran Gerel to take the oath. And first espying the pretended cripple, he commanded, saying, ‘Let that revolting object be removed;’ and all the people loathed him. But the minister, who acted the part of a cripple, only mouthed and wriggled the more, and would not be removed, and as he threatened to make a disturbance the King bid them unhand him again.
“But Naran Gerel stood forward, saying, ‘Whereon shall I take this oath? On the barley-corns it beseemeth not the King’s daughter to swear even as a common wench. And if I swear on any well-looking man in this assembly, I shall run danger of having the former accusation brought against me again. I will therefore swear by this cripple whom all have loathed. Those who would accuse me to the utmost cannot see any offence if I swear by an object so ungainly and revolting.’
“By this means, as she had sworn by a cripple who was no cripple, she counted that it was no oath, while the King and all the people were satisfied she had spoken the truth. The captain of the guard was handed over to the minister’s pleasure, who let him go free, and the minister and Naran Gerel were pronounced innocent.”