In this one thing, my scholar, thou errest always; to gain thine ends
thou usest violence and roughness, where good and gentle words would more
surely prevail. A kind word hath far more power than an angry one, and
much may depend on the way in which a man ordereth his speech. Hearken
to that which I will now relate. In former years there was a king in
Egypt named Snefru, who ruled in Memphis. And it came to pass that he
dreamed, and in his dream his teeth fell out of his mouth. And he sent
for the soothsayers and told them the dream. The first interpreter
answered: 'Woe unto thee, O king, all thy kinsmen shall die before thee!'
Then was Snefru wroth, caused this messenger of evil to be scourged, and
sent for a second interpreter. He answered: 'O king, live for ever, thy
life shall be longer than the life of thy kinsmen and the men of thy
house!' Then the king smiled and gave presents unto this interpreter,
for though the interpretations were one, yet he had understood to clothe
his message in a web of fair and pleasant words. Apprehendest thou?
then hearken to my voice, and refrain from harsh words, remembering that
to the ear of a ruler the manner of a man's speech is weightier than its
matter."

"Oh my father, how often hast thou thus admonished me! how often have I
been convinced of the evil consequences of my rough words and angry
gestures! but I cannot change my nature, I cannot . . ."

"Say rather: I will not; for he that is indeed a man, dare never again
commit those sins of which he has once repented. But I have admonished
sufficiently. Tell me now how thou didst calm the wrath of Amasis."

"Thou knowest my father. When he saw that he had wounded me in the
depths of my soul by his awful words, he repented him of his anger. He