The Birmingham age-herald., 1908-08-02
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I Muk found that digging for treasure was the spade was heavy. He worked for two hours before he struck metal. It was l the iron lid of great chest. 1 He climbed into the hole and lifted the l cover. The chest was full of gold pieces. As he could not move it he contented | himself with filling his brooches and his sash, as well as his little cloak. Had 1t not been for the slippers he could never have stirred under the weight. As 1t was, he was nearly dead when he reached i his room and had hidden the treasure under his cushions. 1 He began to bestow his gold with both | hands. Instead of gaining favor, how | ever, poor little Muk only succeeded in l making them more envious than ever. | The chief cook Ahuli said: He Is a coiner." The overseer of slaves, Achmet said: He has swindled the King out of it." But the treasurer, who reached rather deeply himself into the King s money chest at times, said He has stolen it.
 They conspired more than ever to de- stroy the favorite. The chief of the cup bearers appeared before the King with such sorrow and grief that the ruler observed 1t and asked him what was the trouble
 Alas" said the hypocrite, q am woe- full that I have lost the favor of my royal master"
 What are you dreaming. Korchuz? replied the King. Since when did cease to let the sun of my considera- tion shine upon you?"
 The chief of the cup bearers an- swered that he was loading his dwarf runner with gold, but giving nothing to his other servants.
 The King was nightly surprised and asked for partiulars. The conspirators found 1t an easy task to instill in the Kings mind the suspicion that Muk had stolen the money from the royal treas ure chamber. He commanded them to watch the dwarf.
 That very night Muk crept into the garden with his spade to get a new supply as he had given away all that he had taken the first time. The coz spirators followed him and just as he was putting the gold into his garments they fell upon him, tied him and carried him before the King.
 The monarch was gruff, because he had been startled from his slumbers. Angrily he held court at once. The chest had been brought in and set be- fore the King. and the treasurer de- clared that he had come upon Muk just as the dwarf was burying the gold.
 Grimly the King asked Muk what he had to say.
 Little Muk answered that he had not buried the chest, but had found 1t tn ere. Everybody except the King laughed at this excuse. The monarch. infuriated- at Muk's impudence, cried: "Miserable one! Would you have sport with your master after having robbed him? Treas urer! declare if you recognize this gold as being missing from my treasure!'
 The treasurer offered to swear that 1t was the very gold that was missing from the chamber. The King ordered Muk to be chained and imprisoned in a tower. The treasurer took the gold, ostensibly to put it into the treasure chamber, but in reality to take 1t home There he took it out to count it. At the bottom of the chest he found note. It read
 '"The enemy has entered my land. I hide here part of my treasure. The curse of his King shall fall on him who finds 1t and fails to deliver 1t to my son.
 'SADI, King"
 Little Muk engaged in sorrowful reflec- tions in his cell. He knew that death was the punishment for stealing royal property Still he did not like to confess the secret of the cane, as he feared that he might be deprived not only of it. but also of his slippers. Unhappily the latter could not help him now, because he was