Year: 1866




There was once a wise emperor who made
a law that to every stranger who came to his
court friedish should be served The ser
wants were directed to take notice if, when
the stranger had eaten the fish to the bone
on one side. IL he turned it over and began
on the other side If he did, he was to be
immediately seized, and on the third day
thereafter he was to be put to death But
by a great stretch Of imperial clemency, the
culprit was permitted to utter one wish each
day, which the emperor pledged himself to
grant, providsd it was not to spare his life.
Many had already perished in consequence
OF this edict, when, one day, a count and his
young son presented themselves at court.
The fish was served as usual, and when the
count had removed all the flesh from one
side, he turned it over, and was about to
commence on the other, when he was sud
denly seized and throwninto prison and was
told of his approaching doom. Sorrow strl-
ken, the count young son besought the EN-
peror to allow him to die in tho room of his
father: a favor which the monarch was pleas
ed to accord him. The count was accor-
dinghy released from prison and his son was
thrown into his cell in his stead As soon
as this had been done, the young man said
to his gaolerS-''Y on know have the right
to make three demands before | die; go and
tell the emperor to send me his daughter
aud priest to marry us. The first de-
mand was not much to the emperor taste;
nevertheless he felt bound to keep his word.
and he therefore complied with the request
to which the princess had no kind of obiec-
ton. This occurred in times when kings
kept their treasures in cave, or in a tower
set apart for the purpose, and on the second
day of his Imprisonment the young man de-
manded the king S treasurers. If his first
demand was bold one, the second was not
less so, stillan emperor word is sacred, aud
having made the promise he was forced to
keep it; and the treasures of gold and silver
and Jewels were placed at the prisoner dis
Fosal On getting possession Of them he
distributed them prefusely among the cour-
tiers, and soon he made host of friends by
his liberality.


The emperor began now to feel exceedingly
uncomfortable Unable 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 the prisoner, tell me
what your third demand Is, that II may be
granted at once, and you may be hung out
of hand. for / am tired of your demands


Sire, answered his prisoner, / have
but one more favor to request Of your ma,
iesty, 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 be put out


Very good, y replied the emperor, 'youI
demand is but natural and springs from q
good heart Lctthe chamberlin be seized,
he continued, turning to his guards.


II. sire?' cried the chamberlain did not
see anything-it was the steward.


LET the steward be seized, then, saiC
the king


But tho steward prnfASted 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 ht
had seen nothing of the matter, and that II
must have been one ofthe yalets But they
protested that they were utterly ignorant o
what had been charged againstthe count; IN
short it turned out that nobody could bt
found who had seen the count commit tht
offence, upon which the princess said: Il
appeal to you my father, as to another Solo
mon. If nobody saw the offence committee
the count cannot be guilty, and my husband
is innocent.


The emperor frowned, and forthwith tht
courtiers began to murmur, and then ht
smiled, and Immediately their vIsages be
came radiant.


.'I1et it be so, said his majesty. Let
| him live, though / have put many to death
| for a lighter oifense than his. But If he Il
not hung, he is married Justice has beer
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