se sorrow, and sighs and groans rose from his heart. The
courtiers were all amazed; but none dared ask the cause of his sadness.
At last, the king's brother whispered to him the surprise of his guests,
and intreated that he might understand the cause of his grief. "Go home
now," answered the king; "to-morrow you shall know." This was done.

Early in the morning the king caused the trumpets to sound before his
brother's house, and the guards to bring him to the court. The brother,
greatly alarmed at the sounding of the trumpets, arose, and put on
black. When he came before the king, the king commanded a deep pit to
be dug, and a rotten chair, with four decayed feet, to be slightly
suspended over it. In this chair he made his brother sit; above his head
he caused a sword to hang, attached to one silk thread; and four men,
each armed with a very sharp sword, to stand near him, one before and
one behind; a third on the right hand, and the fourth on the left. When
they were thus placed, the king said, "The moment I give the word,
strike him to the heart."

Trumpets, and all other kind of musical instruments, were brought; and a
table, covered with various dishes, was set before him. "My dear
brother," said the king, "what is the cause of your sorrow? Here are the
greatest delicacies, the most enrapturing harmony; why do you not
rejoice?"

"How can I rejoice?" answered he. "In the morning, trumpets sounded for
my death; and I am now placed upon a frail chair, in which, if I move
ever so little, I shall probably be thrown upon the pointed sword
beneath. If I raise my head, the weapon above will pierce to my brain.
Besides this, the four torturers around stand ready to kill me at your
bidding. These things considered, were I lord of the universe I could
not rejoice."

"Now, then," answered the king, "I will reply to your question of
yesterday. I am, on my throne, as you on that frail chair. For my body
is its emblem, supported by four decayed feet, that is, by the four
elements. The pit below me is hell. Above my head is the sword of divine
justice, ready to take life from my body. Before me is the sword of
death; behind, the sword of sin, ready to accuse me at the tribunal of
God. The weapon on the right hand is the devil; and that on the left, is
the worms which after death shall gnaw my body. And, considering all
these circumstances, how can _I_ rejoice? If you to-day feared me, who
am mortal, how much more ought I to dr