The Shasta courier., 1865-07-15
The Three Wishes.

There was once a wise Emperor who made
law, that to every stranger who came to
his conrt fried fish shoud be served. The
servants were directed to take notice it, 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 i'm
mediately seized, and on the third day there
after he was to be put to death. But, by a
great stretch of imperial clemenency, the
culprit was permitted to utter one wish
each day, which the Emperor pledged
himsslf to grant, provided it was not to spare
his life. Many had already perished in con,
sequence of this edict when, one day the
Count and his young son presented them
selves at the court. The fish was served as
usual, and when the Count had removed all
the fish from one side, he turned it over, and
was about to commence on the other, when
he was SUDDENLY seized and thrown.in prison,
and was told Of his approaching DOOM
Sorrow stricken, the Counts young son be-
sought the Emperrr to allow him to die in
the place of his father; favor which the
monarch was pleased to accord to him.
The Count was accordingly released from
prison, and his son was thrown into his cell
in his stead. As soon as this had been done,
know have the right to make three demands
before die: 60 and tell the Emperor to send
me his daughter and priest to marry US"
This first demand was not much to the
Emperors taste, nevertheless he felt bound
to keep his word, and he therefore complied
with the request, to which the Princess had
no kind of objection. This occurred in the
times when kings kept their treasures in a
cave, or in a tower set apart for the purpose,
like the Emperor Of Morocco in these days;
and on the second day of his imprisonment
the young man demanded his treasures. If
his first demand was a bold one, the second
was not less so; still, an Emperor's word is
sacred, and having made the promise, he
was forced to keep it; and the treasures of
gold and silver jewels were placed at the
prisoners disposal. on getting possession
of them he distributed them profusely among
the courtiers, and soon he made host OF
friends by his liberality.
The Emperor began now to feel exceed
ingly uncomfortable. Uuable 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 you may be hung out
of hand, for l am tired Of your demands"
Sire, " answered his prisoner, Il have
but one more favor to request Of your majes-
ty; when you have granted, shall die con-
tent. 1t is merely to cause the eyes of those
who saw my father turu the fish over to be
put out"
Very good" replied the Emperor, your
demand is but natural, and springs from
good heart. Let the chamberlain be seized,
he continued turning to hfs guards.
Il, sire p cried the chamberlain I did
not see anything-it was the steward
Let the steward be seized, then," said
the King.
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 declared that he had
seen nothing OF the matter, and that it must
have been one of the Wallets. But they all
protested that they were utterly ignorant of
what had been charged against the Count;
in short, it turned oht that nobody could be
found who had seen the Count commit the
ofense upon which the Princess said:
81 appeal to you, my father, as to another
Solomon. If nobody saw the offense COM
mitted, 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 ra
diant.
'.Let it be so," said his majesty let
him live, though | have put many man to
death for lighter offense than his. But if
he is not hung, be is married. Justice has
been done.-Once Week.