Mediaeval Tales Part 21

"Then," answered the elder, "the kingdom must be mine; for I am so lazy, that sitting once by the fire, I burnt my legs, because I was too slothful to withdraw them."

The second son said, "The kingdom should properly be mine, for if I had a rope round my neck, and held a sword in my hand, my idleness is such, that I should not put forth my hand to cut the rope."

"But I," said the third son, "ought to be preferred to you both; for I outdo both in sloth. While I lay upon my bed, water dropped from above upon my eyes; and though, from the nature of the water, I was in danger of becoming blind, I neither could nor would turn my head ever so little to the right hand or to the left." The emperor, hearing this, bequeathed the kingdom to him, thinking him the laziest of the three.

XVI.--THE THREE MAXIMS.

Domitian was a very wise and just prince, and suffered no offender to escape. It happened that as he once sat at table, a certain merchant knocked at the gate. The porter opened it, and asked what he pleased to want.

"I have brought some useful things for sale," answered the merchant. The porter introduced him, and he very humbly made obeisance to the emperor.

"My friend," said the emperor, "what merchandise have you to dispose of?"

"Three maxims of especial wisdom and excellence, my lord."

"And how much will you take for your maxims?"

"A thousand florins."

"And so," said the king, "if they are of no use to me I lose my money?"

"My lord," answered the merchant, "if the maxims do not stand you in stead, I will return the money."

"Very well," said the emperor. "Let us hear your maxims."

"The first, my lord, is this: 'Whatever you do, do wisely; and think of the consequences.' The second is: 'Never leave the _highway_ for a _byway_.' And, thirdly: 'Never stay all night as a guest in that house where you find the master an old man and his wife a young woman.' These three maxims, if you attend to them, will be extremely serviceable."

The emperor, being of the same opinion, ordered him to be paid a thousand florins; and so pleased was he with the first, that he commanded it to be inscribed in his court, in his bed-chamber, and in every place where he was accustomed to walk, and even upon the table-cloths from which he ate.

Now the rigid justice of the emperor occasioned a conspiracy among the vicious and refractory of his subjects; and finding the means of accomplishing their purposes somewhat difficult, they engaged a barber, by large promises, to cut his throat as he shaved him.

When the emperor, therefore, was to be shaved, the barber lathered his beard, and began to operate upon it; but casting his eyes over the towel which he had fastened round the royal neck, he perceived woven thereon, "Whatever you do, do wisely, and think of the consequences." The inscription startled the tonsor, and he said to himself, "I am to-day hired to destroy this man. If I do it, my end will be ignominious; I shall be condemned to the most shameful death. Therefore, whatsoever I do, it is good to consider the end, as the writing testifies." These cogitations disturbed the barber so much that his hand trembled, and the razor fell to the ground. The emperor, seeing this, inquired the cause.

"Oh, my lord," said the barber, "have mercy upon me: I was hired this day to destroy you; but accidentally, or rather by the will of G.o.d, I read the inscription on the towel, 'Whatever you do, do wisely, and think of the consequences.' Whereby, considering that, of a surety, the consequence would be my own destruction, my hand trembled so much, that I lost all command over it."

"Well," thought the emperor, "this first maxim hath a.s.suredly saved my life: in a good hour was it purchased. My friend," said he to the barber, "on condition that you be faithful hereafter, I pardon you."

The n.o.blemen who had conspired against the emperor, finding that their project had failed, consulted with one another what they were to do next.

"On such a day," said one, "he journeys to a particular city; we will hide ourselves in a bypath, through which, in all probability, he will pa.s.s, and so kill him."

The counsel was approved.

The king, as had been expected, prepared to set out; and riding on till he came to a cross-way, much less circuitous than the high road, his knights said, "My lord, it will be better for you to go this way, than to pa.s.s along the broad road; it is considerably nearer."

The king pondered the matter within himself. "The second maxim," thought he, "admonishes me never to forsake the highway for a byway. I will adhere to that maxim."

Then turning to his soldiers, "I shall not quit the public road; but you, if it please you, may proceed by that path, and prepare for my approach." Accordingly a number of them went; and the ambush, imagining that the king rode in their company, fell upon them and put the greater part to the sword. When the news reached the king, he secretly exclaimed, "My second maxim hath also saved my life."

Seeing, therefore, that by cunning they were unable to slay their lord, the conspirators again took counsel, and it was observed, that on a certain day he would lodge in a particular house, "because," said they, "there is no other fit for his reception. Let us then agree with the master of that house, and his wife, for a sum of money to kill the emperor as he lies in bed."

This was agreed to.

But when the emperor had come into the city, and had been lodged in the house to which the conspirators referred, he commanded his host to be called into his presence. Observing that he was an old man, the emperor said, "Have you not a wife?"

"Yes, my lord."

"I wish to see her."

The lady came; and when it appeared that she was very young--not eighteen years of age--the king said hastily to his chamberlain, "Away, prepare me a bed in another house. I will remain here no longer."

"My lord," replied he, "be it as you please. But they have made everything ready for you: were it not better to lie where you are, for in the whole city there is not so commodious a place."

"I tell you," answered the emperor, "I will sleep elsewhere."

The chamberlain, therefore, removed; and the king went privately to another residence, saying to the soldiers about him, "Remain here, if you like; but join me early in the morning."

Now while they slept, the old man and his wife arose, and not finding the king, put to death all the soldiers who had remained. In the morning, when the murder was discovered, the emperor gave thanks to G.o.d for his escape. "Oh," cried he, "if I had continued here, I should have been destroyed. So the third maxim hath also preserved me."

But the old man and his wife, with the whole of their family, were crucified. The emperor retained the three maxims in memory during life, and ended his days in peace.

XVII.--A LOAF FOR A DREAM.

There were once three friends who agreed to make a pilgrimage together.

It happened that their provisions fell short, and having but one loaf between them, they were nearly famished.

"Should this loaf," they said to each other, "be divided amongst us, there will not be enough for any one. Let us then take counsel together, and consider how the bread is to be disposed of."

"Suppose we sleep upon the way," replied one of them; "and whosoever hath the most wonderful dream shall possess the loaf."

The other two acquiesced, and settled themselves to sleep.

But he who gave the advice, arose while they were sleeping, and ate up the bread, not leaving a single crumb for his companions. When he had finished he awoke them.

"Get up quickly," said he, "and tell us your dreams."

"My friends," answered the first, "I have had a very marvellous vision.

A golden ladder reached up to heaven, by which angels ascended and descended. They took my soul from my body, and conveyed it to that blessed place where I beheld the Holy Trinity; and where I felt such an overflow of joy, as eye hath not seen, nor ear heard. This is my dream."

"And I," said the second, "beheld the devils with iron instruments, by which they dragged my soul from the body, and plunging it into h.e.l.l flames, most grievously tormented me, saying, 'As long as G.o.d reigns in heaven this will be your portion.'"