THE THREE WISHES.

New Zealand Graphic, Volume VIII, Issue 36, 5 September 1891, Page 354

THE THREE WISHES.

Many years ago there was 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 fish to the bone on one side, 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 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, provided 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 fish from one side, he turned it over ; 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’s young son besought the emperor to allow him to die instead of his father, a favour which the monarch waa pleased to accord him. The count was accordingly released from prison, and his son was thrown into his cell in his stead. As socn as this had been done, the young man said to his gaolers—- ‘ You know I have the right to make three demands before I die ; go tell the emperor to send me his daughter and a priest to marry me.’ The first demand was not much to the emperor’s taste, nevertheless he felt bound to keep his word, and he, therefore, complied with the request, to which the princess had no objection. This occurred in the times when kings kept their treasures in a cave, or in a 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 king’s treasures. If his first demand was a bold one, the second was not less so; still, an emperor’s word is sacred, and having made the promise he was forced to keep it; and the treasures of gold and silver and jewels were placed at the prisoner’s disposal. On getting possession of them, he distributed tnem profusely among the courtiers, and he soon made a host of friends by his liberality. The emperor began now to feel exceedingly uncomfortable. U nable 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 of his troublesome prisoner. ‘Now,’ said he to his prisoner, * tell me what your third demand is, that it may be granted at once, and you may be promptly hung, for I am tired of your demands.’ * Sire,' answered the prisoner, ‘ I have but one more favour to request of your majesty, which, when you have granted, I shall die content. It is merely that you will cause to be put out the eyes of those who saw my father turn the fish over.’ * Very good,’ replied the emperor; ‘ your demand is but natural, and springs from a good heart. Let the chamberlain be seized,' he continued, turning to bis guards. ‘I, sir !’ cried the chamberlain ; ‘ 1 did not see anything —it was the steward.’ ‘ Let the steward be seized, then,’ said the emperor. 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, and that it must have been one of the valets ; but they protested that they were utterly ignorant of 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: — * I appeal to you, my father, as to another Solomon. If nobody saw the offence committed, the count cannot be guilty ; and my husband is innocent.’ The emperor frowned, and forthwith the courtiers began to murmur ; then he smiled and immediately their visages became radiant. ‘ Let it be so,’ said the emperor ; * let him live, though I have put many a man to death for a lighter oflence than his. But although he has not been hung, he is married. Justice has been done.*