have
been watching were asleep. Where are their _dahs_? Let every man who has
no sword be impaled before I eat my morning rice."

Then were the hearts of the king's _amats_ full of joy when they heard
that the thief whom they all feared was a prisoner in the palace, and
they praised the wondrous bravery and subtlety of their royal master,
saying that without doubt he was the bravest and wisest king who ever
sat under a white umbrella.

The king was very proud as he listened to their praises and gave orders
that the robber chief should be brought before him.

When Boh Lek Byah was led to the Golden Foot he prostrated himself, and
the king said:

"If a man be found in the royal palace at night what hath custom decreed
should be the punishment for his presumption?"

Then the prisoner said: "King above all kings, it is death."

"Hast thou anything to say why thou shouldst not be impaled or given to
the tigers to eat?" demanded the king in a terrible voice.

"Lord of the world," replied the unfortunate man, "last night thou didst
ask to become disciple to our lord's slave. Will the disciple order his
teacher to be executed? When our lord's slave was beneath the royal
astrologer's house he discovered that his new disciple was the Eater of
the Country and so when our lord of the Golden Palace ordered his slave
to enter, he would have been worthy of death had he not obeyed. Will the
Son of the Sun execute his slave for following his words?"

Then when the king heard that the robber had known who he really was, he
marveled much at his wisdom, and said:

"Assuredly thou art too wise a man for the tigers to eat. Take thou
yonder sword, it belonged to him who yesterday was captain of the royal
guard. Follow me and thou shalt later become my chief _amat_."

[6] Literally, "The counselor who fell from his rank," _i. e._, was
degraded.

GLOSSARY OF TERMS

PUC. Curry.

ZAYAT. A place built for the accommodation of travelers, also used as an
assembly place for worship, especially during religious feasts; they are
usually built near monasteries.

PARAH. (Burmese, _payah_) a god; an image of Gautama Buddha.

KAM. Luck.

MAU. To be skillful.

AMAT LOeNG. The chief amat or chief counselor of a prince.

SOIE. The Indian "_viss_"; a weight equal to about three and a half
pounds avoirdupois.

CHATTIE. A cooking pot, usually made of earthenware.

HUeK. A deep rent in the earth with steep sides; a ravine; a torr