The Wheeling daily register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1864-1878, 1865-05-01
The Three Wishes.

A wise Emperor made a law, that 10
every stranger who came to his court,
fried fish should be served. The SER
wants were directed to notice if, when
the stranger had eaten the fish to the
bone on one side. he turned it over and
began on the other side. If he did, he
was to be Immediately seized, and on the
third day thereafter he was to be put to
death. But by great stretch Of impe-
rial clemency, the culprit was permitted
to utter one wish each day, which the
Emperor pledged himself to grant, pro-
viding it was not to spare his life. Many
had already persisted in consequence of
this edict, whom one day, q count and
his young son presented themselves at
court. The fish was served as usual, and
when the count had removed the fish
from one side, he turned it over, and was
about to commence on the other when
he was seized and thrown into prison,
and was told Of his approaching doom.
Sorrow-stricken, the counts young son
besought the Emperor to allow him
to die in the room Of his father; a
favor which the monarch was pleased
to accord him. The count was &C
cordingly released from prison, and his
son was thrown into his cell in his stead
As soon as this had been done, the young
man said to the jsilors-"You know /
have right Q to make three demands be-
fore die; 20 and tell the emperor to send
me his daughter, and q priest to marry
u.s." This first demand was not much to
the smperor's taste, nevertheless he felt
bound to keep his word, and he therefore
complied with the request, to which the
princess had no objection. This occurred
in the times when kings kept their treas
ures in q cave. or in tower set apart for
the purpose, like the Emperor of Mos
COW in these days; and on the second day
of his imprisonment the young man de-
manded the Emperor's Treasures.
IF his first demand was bold one, the
second was no lesser 80; still an emper
or's word 10 sacred. and having made
the promise, he was forced to keep it; and
placed at the disposal Of the prisoner.
On getting possession of them, he distri-
butsd them profusely among the cour-
tiers, and soon he had made host of
friends by his liberality. evi g. q
The emperor began now to feel exceed
ingly uncomfortable. Unable to sleep.
he rose early on the third morning and
went with fear in his heart to the prison
to hear what the third wish was to be.
"Now," said he to his prisoner, tell
me what your third demand is. that it
may be granted at once, and that you
may be ont Of hand, for / am tired of your
demands"
"sire," answered the prisoner, " have
but one more favor to request of your
majesty, which when you have granted
] shall die content. 1t is merely that
you will cause, the eyes OF those who saw
my father turn the fish over to be put
out" ..... .,..s...
VERY good" replied the emperor,
your demand is but natural and springs
from q good heart Let the chamberlain
be seized" he continued, turning to his
guards
II SIRE" continued the chamberlain;
Il did not see anything-It was the
steward"
But the steward protested with tears
in his eyes that he had not witnessed
anything of what had been reported, and
said it was the butler The butler de-
clared that be had seen nothing of the
matter, and that it must. be one of the
Wallets. =
But they protested that they were ut.
terly ignorant of what had been charged
against the count; in short it turned out
that nobody could be found who had seen
the count commit the offence, upon which
the princess said: --.t.sf,g-.t =. 3 ~,
II appeal to you, my father, as to an.
other Solomon. If nobody saw the Of
fence COMMITTED, the count cannot be
guilty, and my husband is innocent"
The Emperor frowned and forthwith,
the courtiers began to murmur; then he
smiled, and immediately their visages
became radiant -isSsb lC' 'sgs -
LIST itbe So" said his majesty. ! LET
him live, though ! have ,i r.. many ny g man
But If he is: not hung, he is married.
Justice 10 done
4 oingulss IPsd1sts9.J