The Cadiz sentinel. [volume] (Cadiz, Ohio) 1864-1911, 1866-03-21
The Three Wishes.


There was once a wise emperor who made
a law that to every stranger who came to
his court a fried fish should be served. The
servants were directed TO take notice if.
when the stranger had eaten the tish to the
bone on one side, he turned it over and be-
gan on the other side. If he did, be was
TO be Immediately seized. and on the third
| day thereafter he was TO he put 10 death. -
But, by great stretch of imperial clenlency
the culprlt was permitted to utter one wish
each day, which the emperor pledged him
| self to grant, provided it was not to spare
bis life, Many had already persisted in con.
sequence Of this edict. when, niic day, a
count and his young son presented them
selves at court. The fish was served a.
usual, and when the count had removed all
the fish from one side, he turned it ovef,
and was about to commence on the other,
when he was suddenly seized and thrown
into prison, and was told Of his approaching
doom. Sorrow stricken, the count young
son besougtt the emperor to allow him to
die in the room of his father; favor which
the monarch was pleased to accord 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
Iou know have the right to make three
| demands before | die; 60 and tell the en-
peror to send me his daughter, and priest
to marry us. The first demand was not
much to the emperors taste, nevertheless
he felt bound to keep his word, and he there
! fore compiled with the request, to which
the princess had no kind Of objection -
This occurred in the times when kings kept
their treasures in cave, or in tower set
apart for the purpose, and on the second
day of his imprisonment, the young man de-
manded the kings treasures. If his first
demand was bold one; the second was not
less so; still an emreror's word is sacred,
and, having made the promise, he was fore
ed to keep it; and the treasures of gold and
silver and jewels were placed at the prison
cr's disposal. On getting possession of
them. he distributed them profusey among
the courtiers, and soon he made host OF
friends by his liberality.
The emperor hegan now TO feel exceeding
ly uncomfortable Unable to sleep, be
rose early on she 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 the prisoner, "tcll me
what your third demand is, that it may be
granted at once, and you may be hung of
hand, for am tired of your demands "
Sire, answered the prisoner. II have
but one 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 he put out. y
Very good, replied the emperor '''your
demand is but natural, and springs from
good heart Let the chamberlain be seiz-
ed, - he continued, turning to his guards.
Il sire! cried the chamberlain; did not
see anything-it was the steward. ;"
Let the steward be seized," 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, that it must
have been one Oft Wallets. But they pro
tested That they were utterly ignorant cf
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: u.
II appeal to you, my father, as to anoth-
er Solomon. If nobody saw the oifense
committed, the count can not be guilty, and
my husband is innocent.
The emperor frowned, and forthwith the
counters began to murmui; and then he
smiled. and Immediately their visages be-
came radiant. ....
"I4ct it be so" said his majesty; ''let him
live, though ! have put many man to
death for . lighter ofiense than his. But if
he is not hung, he is married. Juctice has
been done. -.. ..-. .r