"When the Greek king," said the fisherman to the genius,
"had finished the story of the parrot, he added to the vizir,
"And so, vizir, I shall not listen to you, and I shall take
care of the physician, in case I repent as the husband did
when he had killed the parrot." But the vizir was determined.
"Sire," he replied, "the death of the parrot was nothing.
But when it is a question of the life of a king it is better to
sacrifice the innocent than save the guilty. It is no uncertain
thing, however. The physician, Douban, wishes to assassinate you.
My zeal prompts me to disclose this to your Majesty. If I am wrong,
I deserve to be punished as a vizir was once punished." "What had
the vizir done," said the Greek king, "to merit the punishment?"
"I will tell your Majesty, if you will do me the honour to listen,"
answered the vizir."



The Story of the Vizir Who Was Punished


There was once upon a time a king who had a son who was very fond
of hunting. He often allowed him to indulge in this pastime,
but he had ordered his grand-vizir always to go with him,
and never to lose sight of him. One day the huntsman roused a stag,
and the prince, thinking that the vizir was behind, gave chase,
and rode so hard that he found himself alone. He stopped,
and having lost sight of it, he turned to rejoin the vizir,
who had not been careful enough to follow him. But he lost his way.
Whilst he was trying to find it, he saw on the side of the road