The Carolina Spartan. [volume] (Spartanburg, S.C.) 1852-1896, 1866-03-08
The Three Wishes.

There was once wise emperor who
made law, that, to every stranger who
came to his court, tried fish should be
served. Ihe servants were directed to
take notice if, when the stranger had eaten
the fish to the bone on one side, he turned
1t over and began on the other side. If he
did, lac was to be immediately seized
and, on the third day thereafter, he was
to be put to death. Bat, by great stretch
OF imperial clemency, the culprit was per.
mitted to utter one wish each cay, which
| the emperor pledged himself to grant. pro
vided 1t was not to spare his life. Many
had already perished in consequence Of
this edlct, when, one day. n count and his
young son presented themselves at court
The tsh was served as usual, aad when
The count had removed all the 6sb from
one side, he turned it over, and was about
10 commence on the other, when he was
suddenly seized aud thrown into prison.
and was told of his approaching doom.
Sorrow stricken, the counts younr son
besought the emperor to allow him to die
In the place of his fither; favor which
the monarch pleased to accord him. The
count was accordingly released from prison
aud his son was, thrown into his cell in his
stead. AS soon as this had been done. the
young man said to his jaiors :. GU know
nave the right to make three demands
before die; so and tell the emperor to
send me his daughter, and priest to mar
ry us. The first demand was not so much
to the cmpcror's taste; nevertheless, he
felt bound to keep his word. and, therefore.
complied with the request, to which the
princess had no kind of objection. This
occurred In The times when KINGS kent
their treasures IN q cave, or IN tower set
apart Tor the purpose, like the Emperor of
Morocco in these days; and, on the second
day OF his imprisonment, the Young man
demanded the kings treasures Ii his
hrs. demand was a bold one, the second
was not less 50; still, an cmpcror's word is
sacred, and, having made the promise, he
was forced to keep II and the treasures of
gold and silver were placed at the prison
er's disposal. On getting possession of
them, hc distributed them profuSely among
the courtiers, and soon he Fad made host
Of friends by his li5erality,
The emperor began now to feel exceed.
lngly uncomfortable. Unable to sleep, he
rose early on the third morning, and went,
with fear in his heart, to the prison 70 hear
what the third wish was to be.
Now said he TO the prisoner, "tcll
me hat your third demand is, that it may
be granted at once, and you may be hung
out of hand, tor | am tired of Your dc
mands."
Sire" answered his prisoner, q" have
but one more favor TO request oil your ma.
Jesty, which, when You have granted,
shall die content. 1t is merely that YOU
will cause the eyes of those who saw nv
father turn the fish over to be put out"
every good" replied the emperor,
" your demand is but natural, and springs
from good heart. Let the chamberlain
be seizcd,' he continued, turning to his
guards.
a., sire" !" cried the chamberlain &" I
did not sec anything-it was the steward. F."
Let the steward bo seized, then" said
the king
But the steward protested, with tears in
his eyes, that he had not Witnessed any
thing 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 protested that they were
utterly ;gnorant OF what had been charged
against the count ; il short, it turned out
that nobody could be found who had seen
the count commit the ottucc, upon which
the princess said
=" | appeal to you, my father, as to m.
other Solomon Ii nobody saw the nlTcnc..