🧚 The Eighth Key.

Once upon a time there ruled over Sind a king, who throughout his reign had been distinguished for wisdom and justice; but he had grown old and had only one son, born to him by one of his queens, when he was in the evening of his life.1 His darling wish was to see his son of an age to succeed him before he died.2 But as kings even are only pawns in the hands of the great chessplayer, his hope was never fulfilled.3 Feeling death approach, he sent for his chief minister and gave him the eight keys of his eight treasure chambers.4 “Guard the throne for my son,” said the dying man, “and when he is of an age to rule by himself, give him seven of the eight keys; but do not give him the eighth until he has ruled for five years.”5 The chief minister promised faithfully to do his master’s bidding and the old king died in his arms.6

The young prince was duly raised to the throne and the chief minister watched over him as if he had been his own son.7 When the prince came of age, he succeeded to a rich and prosperous kingdom and the minister handed over to him, just as the old king had desired, seven out of the eight keys.8 With the seven keys the prince opened seven treasure vaults and found them chock full of silver and gold pieces and precious stones of every description.9 He was pleased beyond measure; and he felt deeply grateful to the faithful minister, who had discharged his trust so well and while keeping the people happy had made their king rich beyond the dreams of avarice.10 For a time all went well; then some evilminded old man, who envied the chief minister, told the king that there were really eight treasure vaults and that the minister had not handed over the eighth key, so that he might keep for himself the contents of the eighth treasure vault.11 In a great rage the young king sent for the chief minister and demanded on pain of instant death the eighth key.12 The old statesman fell at his young master’s feet and telling him with many tears the whole story handed him the eighth key.13 The king was so excited at the tale, that he snatched away the key and running as fast as he could to the eighth treasure vault, turned the key in the lock and flung open the door.14 To his amazement the room was absolutely bare, save for the portrait of a beautiful girl, that hung on one of the walls.15 The king’s eyes ran round the empty room and then they rested on the face in the picture.16 There they stayed until the youth fell so deeply in love with the beautiful girl, that he grew gradually fainter and at last swooned away.17 The minister and the courtiers sprinkled rosewater over their prostrate master and at last revived him; but he vowed that unless the minister promised to bring him the lovely picture maiden, he would not only refuse to reign, but would starve himself to death.18

The old minister was dismayed at the state of the king and soothed him by telling him that he would at once set out to fetch the beautiful girl.19 He loaded a vessel full of merchandise of all descriptions and with some chosen companions weighed anchor and set sail for the open sea.20 They touched at various ports, but although they shewed the chief men there the portrait found in the eighth chamber, none recognised it.21 At last after the voyage had lasted a whole year, they reached a distant haven and there they shewed their picture.22 The people standing by clapped their hands and cried out “Why, it’s our own princess!”23 The minister was taken to the king and queen who shewed them their daughter and all agreed that she was the original of the portrait.24 The minister told the king that he was a merchant and after giving the king splendid gifts stayed in the country until he had sold all his merchandise.25 He then turned his prow homewards and many months later he was able to tell his king that the lovely picture maiden had been found.26 Without a moment’s delay the king vowed that he would seek her himself.27 Again filling the vessel with merchandise, the king, the minister and the some band of trusty companions went on board and weighing anchor, they set sail for the distant land wherein the princess dwelt.28 After a voyage of several months and many hardships, they reached it and the minister again presented himself in the guise of a merchant before the princess’ father.29 On his earlier visit the minister had learnt that the princess was very fond of toys; so he had brought for her a number of toys, in the making of which the people of his country were very skilled.30 There were toy dogs that ran for miles, toy lions and tigers that roared horribly, toy partridges that rose with a whirr just like live ones, toy pheasants that flew up slantwise into the air and toymen who walked about and talked just as if they had been real.31 The princess gave a cry of delight on seeing all these wonderful play-things; but the minister said “These are nothing to what you will see, if you will visit our ship.32 My master the merchant who is on board would only let me bring the commonest toys ashore.”33 The princess was wild to see the other toys and taking six maid-servants with her went with the minister to the seashore and aboard the ship.34 There the young king received her with the greatest courtesy and respect and began to shew her other toys.35 But as she was looking at them and clapping her hands at each fresh one, the crew quietly cut the anchor cable and were out to sea, before the princess or her friends on shore had any idea what was happening.36

When the poor princess found that she had been taken captive, she wept bitterly, but the king soothed her and told her how he had fallen in love with her picture and had sailed across half the world to win her.37 At last she dried her eyes and promised to be his queen directly the ship brought them to his country.38 The journey took many weary months, but at last they were only three days sail off and the king and betrothed, as happy as possible, together were walking up and down the deck, hand in hand.39 The chief minister was sitting in the bows straining his eyes trying to get a glimpse of the land.40 Now among the old man’s many accomplishments was the power to understand the speech of birds.41 As he looked landwards, he saw a parrot and a maina fly to the ship and perch in the rigging.42 After a little while the maina felt dull and begged the parrot to tell her a story.43 At first the parrot demurred, then he said: “There is a story going on before your very eyes.44 You see how happy the king and queen seem to be?45 Well, the king has only three more days to live!46 When he lands three days hence, he will be met by his officers and his troops, his elephants, his horses and his chariots.47 He will be given the most beautiful horse of all to ride; but that horse is not really a horse at all, but a demon.48 Directly the king is on its back, it will fly away with him into the air and will then drown him by flinging him into the sea.”49 The maina was affected to tears by this story; for she loved the parrot dearly and knew how the princess would grieve at the loss of her betrothed.50 “Is there no way,” cried the maina, “by which the king can be saved?”51 “Yes, my beloved,” answered the parrot, “there is one way.52 If someone goes up to the horse just before the king mounts it and cuts its head off, the king will be saved.53 But do not repeat what I have told you; for if anyone repeats it, one third of his or her body will be turned into stone.”54 The parrot and the maina then flew away, leaving the minister, who had understood all that they had said, a prey to the cruelest anxiety.55