he who steals, but the one who instigates the theft.' If my wish had
been to steal, I should have done it long ago. I should have stolen
thy treasures and thy judges would not have objected to take a small
share of them, and I could have built a white-walled stone palace and
have been rich. But, mark this: I am a stupid peasant of low origin. I
know well enough how to steal, but will not. If thy wish were to learn
my trade, how could I keep it from thee? And if thou, for this sincere
acknowledgment, wilt have me put to death, then what is the value of
thy royal word?"

The Tsar thought a moment. "For this time," he said, "I will not let
thee die, for it pleases me to grant thee my grace. But from this very
day, this very hour, thou never shalt see God's light nor the bright
sunshine nor the silvery moon. Thou shalt never walk at liberty
through the wide fields, but thou, my dear guest, shalt dwell in a
palace where no sunny ray ever penetrates. You, my servants, take him,
chain his hands and his feet and lead him to my chief jailor. And you
six Simeons follow me. You have my grace and reward. To-morrow every
one of you will begin to work for me according to his gifts and
capacities."

The six Simeons followed the Tsar Archidei, and the seventh brother,
the youngest, the beloved one, was fallen upon by the servants, taken
away to the dark prison and heavily chained.

The Tsar Archidei ordered carpenters to be sent to the first Simeon,
as well as masons and blacksmiths and all sorts of workingmen. He also
ordered a supply of bricks, stones, iron, clay, and cement. Without
any delay, Simeon, the first brother, began to build a column, and
according to his simple peasant's habits his work progressed rapidly,