The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1903-12-23

during the present year.
Three tales. allegories. or legends, have
been contributed by Tolstoy for the bene-
1T OF the sufferers. They were intended,
in the first place for publication in q
MisceIlany-the publication OF which was
projected for the benefit Of the Jewish
sufferers oy a talented Jewish writer.
S. " Rabinnovitch. better known in Rus
STA under his pseudonym of Schalen
Meichem. l norder. however, TO obtain
as much money as possible. it was sub
sequently arranged to publish them sim
uI.aneously III several languages
PREFACE
The idea of the tale King AsSark-
hadcn'' is not my OWE. but was bo-rowe ed
By me from a tale b. an anonymous au-
thor, printed in the German magazine
''Theosophischer Wegweiser,' No. 8, 1903,
and entitled -'Das Dist Du."
With reference TO the tale Three Cues
tons al explanation OF an opposite kind
IS needful There is story by Leskof on
the same theme. and it might be supposed
that / borrowed the fundamental thought
from him. In reality. however, it is one
which was expressed and published by
me in The Flower Garden" published
by the Mediator fifteen years ago. It
pleased Leskof, and he, with nay consent
made use of it LEO TOLSTOY.
Yasnaya Polyana, . August, 1903.
ASSARKHADON, KING OF ASSYRIA-
The Assyrian Kink Assarkhadcn con-
quered the kingdom of King Laile, de-
stroyed and burnt all the towns. took all
the inhabitants captive to his own coun-
try, slaughtered all the warriors. and
kept King Lailie himself in a cage.
Lying on his bed at night King Assar-
khadon thought how best 10 execute Lai
lie. when suddenly he heard rEsttiag
near his bed. and opening his eyes, saw
an old man with long gray beard and
mild eyes.
You wish TO execute Lailie?" asked the
old man.
Yes" said the King. But / cannot
beside how TO execute him.
But Lailie is yourself. said the old
man
That's not true. replied the King. 4
an I. and Lailis is Laiiie."
You and Lailie not one" said the old
man. 1T only seams to you that you are
not LaEie. and that Lailie is 20, you.
What do you mean by it only seems p
said the King. Here am l, lying on a
soft bed; around NE are obedient men
slaves and women slaves, and tomorrow
shall feast with my friends. as l did
today. while Lailie will sit Ike bid in
a cage, and tomorrow he viii be i'm
paled. and. with his tongue hanging out.
will wriggle till he dies. and his body VIII
be torn 10 pieces by dogs
You cannot destroy his life" said the
old man.
And how about the 1900 warriors l
killed, and with whose bodies I built
nound?" said the King. Il am alive. but
they no longer exist; that shows that l
can destroy life.
How do you know they no longer ex-
ist?"
Because 1 do not see them. And the
chief thing is. that they were torn ente1.
but was not II was bad for them, but
well for ne"
THAT. also. only seems so to YOU. You
tortured yourself. but not them"
7 do not understand - said the King.
DO you wish to understand
yes. I wish to
Then come here SAID the old man,
pointing TO a large font full OF water.
The King arose and approached the font
=. strip and enter the font"
ASsarkhadon did as the Old man babe
him.
Now. as soon as I begin . pour this
water over you said the old man, scoop
ing up water into a jug. dip Your head
under water.
The old man tilted the jug over the
Kings head. and the King dipped his
head under water
And as soon as King AsSarkhadOn dip
red under water he felt that he was no
longer Assarkahadon. but 5 me ore else
And feeling himself to be that other
man, he saw himself lying on a rich bed
beside handsome woman. He had neve-
seen her before. but he knew she was
his wife. The woman rfted herself. ard
said to him:
Dear husband Lailie YOU were bred
b. yesterdays work and have slept long
than usual. and ! have guarded your
rest and have not reused YOU. Bet now
the Princes await you in the great hall
Dress and go out 70 them
Ard Assarkhadon, understanding from
these words that he Is LaiIie. and not
feeling at all surprised at this. but only
wondering that he DID not know il be
fore. rises. dresses. ana goes into the
great hall. where the Princes await him
The Princes greet their King. Lailie.
bowling TO the ground, and then they rise
and at his word sit Gown Defo-e him:
and the eldest eff the Princes begin 10
speak. and says that il is impossible long
e. 70 endure all the insults OF the wicked
King Assassination. and that It is neces- +
sary TO make war on him But Lailie dis
agrees with him, and gives orders that
ENJOYS shall be sent 10 Assarkhadon u
demonstrate with n. and dismisscS the
Princes from the audience Afterwards
he appoints men Of note 70 act rs am
hassadors. and impresses on them what
they are 20 say to King AsSarkhadoa.
Having finished tn. business Assar- +
khadon, feeling that he is Lailie. rides cut
70 hunt Wild asses. The hunt Is sue
csssfuL He k,us two weld asses hirns II. (
and having returned home. feas;s with
his friends and watches a dance OF slave +
girls. The next cay he goes i=5o the T.
ourtyard. where he Is awaited BY peti-
tioaers, sUitors, and PRS sners h-o-gh.
for trial. and there he decides the ccsss
submitted 10 him. Having finished tbs
business. he again rides out for his favor
fte nUseu1ent-huntlaS Ana a<aiu De
Is successful: this tine personally xiii .
fng al old uoaeSs AMI taking her two
cubs. After the hunt he again feasts with .
his friends. and i entertsiled with mus.c
and dances. and the night he spends with f
the wife Re loves.
s. ~ lives Tsz-