compound; the discovery that you have made is yours."
The buyer replied: "I bought the premises alone, I did not buy gold; so it is
yours." As each refused to take the treasure, they went to the King Nouchirvau
and recounted the affair to him, saying, "This gold should be the property of the
King." But King Nouchirvau would not take the gold. He asked the two men if
they had children. They replied, "Yes, my lord, we have each a child, a boy and
a girl."
"Well," said the King, "marry the girl to the boy, and give them the gold you
found."
In ancient times a King of China fell ill and as a result of his malady he lost his
hearing. He wept in sorrow over this affliction and grew very thin and pale. His
ministers came one day and asked him to tell them in writing his condition. He
answered: "I am not ill, but so weakened by my inquietude and distress that I can
no longer hear the words of my subjects when they come to make their
complaints. I know not how to act not to be guilty of negligence in the
government of my kingdom."
The ministers then said: "If the ears of your Majesty do not hear, our ears shall
replace those of the King, and we can carry to his Majesty the complaints and
regrets of his subjects. Why, then, should his Majesty be so much disturbed over
the weakening of his physical forces?"
The King of China answered: "At the day of judgment it is I, and not my
ministers, who will have to render account of the affairs of my subjects. I must
therefore myself examine into their complaints and troubles. I am sure that the
burden of ruling would be lighter for me if I could have tranquillity of spirit. But
my eyes can see, although my ears are deaf."
And he commanded them to publish this edict: "All who are victims of injustice
must reduce their complaints to writing, and bring them to the King so that he
may look into their troubles."
They tell also the following story: There was formerly in the city of Ispahan, a
king whose power and glory had filled him with pride. He commanded his
ministers to build him a palace in a certain place. The ministers, with the
architects, ordered the slaves to level the ground so as to form a vast esplanade
and cause to disappear all the houses of the neighborhood. Among these houses,