ead my Creator and my Redeemer,
our Lord Jesus Christ? Go, dearest brother, and be careful that you do
not again ask such questions."

The brother rose from his unpleasant seat, and rendering thanks to the
king for the lesson he had given him, firmly resolved to amend his life.
All who were present commended the ingenuity of the royal reproof.

XXIV.--ALEXANDER AND THE PIRATE.

Augustine tells us in his book, "De Civitate Dei," that Diomedes, in a
piratical galley, for a long time infested the sea, plundering and
sinking many ships. Being captured by command of Alexander, before whom
he was brought, the king inquired how he dared to molest the seas. "How
darest _thou_," replied he, "molest the earth? Because I am master only
of a single galley, I am termed a robber; but you, who oppress the world
with huge squadrons, are called a king and a conqueror. Would my fortune
change I might become better; but as you are the more fortunate, so
much are you the worse." "I will change thy fortune," said Alexander,
"lest fortune should be blamed by thy malignity." Thus he became rich;
and from a robber was made a prince and a dispenser of justice.

XXV.--A TALE OF A PENNY.

There was an emperor whose porter was very shrewd. He earnestly besought
his master that he might have the custody of a city for a single month,
and receive, by way of tax, one penny from every crook-backed, one-eyed,
scabby, leprous, or ruptured person. The emperor admitted his request,
and confirmed the gift under his own seal.

Accordingly, the porter was installed in his office; and as the people
entered the city he took note of their defects, and charged them in
accordance with the grant. It happened that a hunch-backed fellow one
day entered, and the porter made his demand. Hunch-back protested that
he would pay nothing.

The porter immediately laid hands upon him, and accidentally raising his
cap, discovered that he was _one-eyed_ also. He demanded two pennies
forthwith.

The other still more vehemently opposed, and would have fled; but the
porter catching hold of his head, the cap came off, and disclosed a bald
_scab_; whereupon he required three pennies.

Hunch-back, very much enraged, persisted in his refusal, and began to
struggle with the porter. This caused an exposure of his arms, by which
it became manifest that he was _leprous_. The fourth penny was therefore
laid claim to; and the scuffle continuing, revealed a _rupture