🧚 Opening, part 3

Seeing these two men about to die for a crime which he had committed, he was filled with remorse.1 He said to himself: “I will not permit innocent blood to be shed; if I do, the vengeance of God will sooner or later overtake me, and it is better to suffer a short pain in this world than to be in everlasting torment in the next.”2

So he cried out, “Slay not the guiltless, for neither of these men has done murder.3 I only am the criminal; let them go.”4

The people were filled with amazement, and the three men were at once taken to the judge, who was much astonished at this unusual occurrence.5 The matter was explained to him, and then, addressing the Egyptian, he said:6

“Friend, why did you confess yourself the murderer?”7

“My lord,” answered he, “I will tell you the reason.8 In my own land I was, until recently, a man of wealth, and had all that riches could buy, but through no fault of mine I lost all this, and am now destitute.9 I was ashamed at my condition, and saw, in this confession, an end to my misfortunes.10 I am willing to die, and beseech you to order my death.”11

The judge then turned to the merchant of Bagdad and said: “And you, my friend; why did you acknowledge yourself to be the murderer?”12

The merchant replied: “My lord, this man is my benefactor.13 I have enjoyed his hospitality, and while at his home he bestowed upon me a wife, whom he had educated for his own, and who possessed great wealth.14 When, therefore, I saw my friend being led to his death, I proclaimed myself the murderer, hoping thus to take his place.15 For his love I would willingly perish.”16

It was now the turn of the third man, who was the real criminal.17 The judge asked him what he had to say for himself, and he answered:18

“When I confessed, I told the truth.19 The burden which would have been mine had I allowed these two innocent men to suffer death for a crime that was my own would have been too heavy for me to bear, and I preferred to pay the penalty.”20

For some time the judge considered the stories of the three men, then he said to the last one to speak:21

“As you have declared the truth and thereby saved the lives of two innocent men, I pardon you.22 Study to amend your future life, and go in peace.”23

The decision of the judge was praised by all the people, who were quick to acknowledge the generosity of the merchant who would have given his life to save his friend, and the honorable manner in which the guilty person had rescued from death the two who were innocent.24

PUNCHKIN25

Once upon a time there was a Rajah who had seven daughters.26 They were all good, beautiful and clever girls, but especially so was the youngest, whose name was Balna.27 The Rajah’s wife died when they were very little children, so these seven Princesses grew up without having a loving mother to watch over and care for them.28

As soon as they were old enough, the Rajah’s daughters took turns every day to cook their father’s dinner, while he was busily engaged with his ministers in directing the affairs of his country.29

About this time the Prime Minister died, leaving a widow and one daughter, and every day, when the Princesses were getting the Rajah’s dinner ready, the widow and her daughter would come and beg for some fire from the hearth.30 Balna would say to her sisters: “Let us send that woman away; why does she want our fire, when she has her own house?31 If we continue to allow her to come here, we shall some day be sorry for it.”32

But the other sisters rebuked her, and so the widow continued to take some fire from the hearth, but while no one was looking, she would throw some mud into the dishes which were being prepared for the Rajah’s dinner.33

One of the reasons that the daughters always prepared the food for their father was that there should be no danger of his being poisoned by his enemies, so when he found the mud mixed with his dinner he thought it was because they were careless; he knew they would not do such a thing on purpose.34 He loved them all very much, and hadn’t the heart to reprove them, even though his meals were spoiled for several days.35

This happened so often that it puzzled him, and so he made up his mind one day to hide, and watch his daughters cooking; so, going into the room next to the kitchen, he saw everything through a hole in the wall.36

His daughters carefully washed the rice and prepared the curry, and when these were ready, they put each dish on the fire.37 Very soon the widow came to the door, and begged for a few sticks from the fire with which to cook her own dinner.38 Balna was angry with her, as usual, and said: “Why don’t you keep fuel in your own house, instead of coming here every day and taking ours?39 Sisters, don’t give her any more wood; let her use her own.”40

But the others said: “The poor woman is doing us no harm, so let her take a little wood and fire.”41 Balna replied, “Perhaps some day she will do us harm, and then we shall all be sorry for it.”42

Then the Rajah saw the Prime Minister’s widow go to the hearth, and as she took the wood, throw some mud into each of the dishes.43

This made him very angry, and he ordered that the woman be brought before him.44

This was done, but the widow spoke to him so very cleverly, saying that she had done this thing only that she might gain an audience with him, and so cunningly did she speak that she actually pleased him well with her words, and instead of punishing her, the Rajah married her; so she and her daughter came to the palace to live.45

The new Ranee hated the seven poor Princesses, and wanted to get rid of them, so that her daughter might have all their riches.46 She was very unkind to them, and made them as miserable as she could, giving them only bread to eat and water to drink, and very little of either.47 This was very hard for the seven poor Princesses, who had always been used to the best of everything, and each day they would sit by their dead mother’s tomb, and say:48

“Oh, mother, cannot you see how unhappy and miserable your poor children are, and how our cruel stepmother is starving us?”49

One day, while they were thus engaged, a beautiful pomelo tree grew up out of the grave, covered with fresh ripe pomelos, and the children certainly enjoyed the delicious fruit.50 And each day after this, instead of eating the poor food their stepmother provided for them, they would go to their mother’s grave and eat the pomelos which grew there on the tree.51

The stepmother was astonished that the seven girls should eat nothing and yet be well, so she told her daughter to watch them.52

Next day the Prime Minister’s daughter followed them, and saw the Princesses gather and eat the pomelos.53

Balna saw the girl watching them, and said to her sisters: “Let us drive that girl away, or else she will tell her mother all about it, and then we shall be worse off than ever.”54