Parables

I.
It is like the king who found a wonderful book, which promised illumination and splendor. The king awoke at midnight and carried the book to a secret chamber in his castle and, when he opened the cover, a giant wind flew from the book and blew out the candles. Then the room was illuminated with an overwhelming light, which blinded the king for several minutes. When he was able to distinguish the cracks in the wall from the fissures in the universe, he bent his face very close to the book to read the ancient script, and fell asleep. He dreamed he was a book and had many sleeping readers reposed in his chest.

II.
It is like the king who married his daughter to the prince of a neighboring land. The king allowed them to spend three nights together, then he hung the prince in a public square and sent his jester to lay with the princess.

III.
It is like the king who left a gold piece with a certain peasant when he was a mere prince. Now, as king, he returned to her hut in regal pomp and with much ceremony. The king discovered, however, that the woman had died and had hid the gold piece where no one could find it. So the king returned to his castle, which he found had been plundered and sacked in his absence.

IV.
It is like the king who was so bored and lonely that one day, when a ship came to his harbor, the king saw a sailor and told his ministers to bring him to him. So the sailor was brought to the palace. After feasting with the sailor and questioning him about his duties on the ship, and hearing several lies he did not recognize, the king paid the sailor handsomely for his sailors outfit and boarded the ship on the day it left port. The first day at sea, the king demanded to be taken to the captains' quarters because he, the king, he said, was the captain. Instead, the king was thrown in the brig and charged with mutiny. The charge carried the death sentence. But the captain was a charitable man and decided the king was, in fact, insane. So the king stayed beneath the ship's deck for the remainder of the twelve-year trip, bored and lonely.

V.
It is like the king who ordered his carpenters to build him the greatest throne on earth. For seven days the carpenters melted gold and silver, and for forty days they carved diamonds and rubies and jade. When finally their work was finished, the king viewed his throne with a tremendous smile, felt the splendor and wonder of kingship, and divorced his wife.

VI.
It is like the king who, tired of litigation, arose from his throne and walked to the window of his castle. Upon seeing the sun, the king uttered a mild oath and drew his sword. Three ministers paid with their lives before the king was made to understand the significance of their wisdom.

VII.
It is like the king who had a very beautiful mistress. When he died, he willed his mistress to his eldest son, the king. The king had a lovely mistress. When he died, he willed his mistress to his eldest son, the king. The king had a stately mistress. When he died, he willed his mistress to his eldest son, the king, who abandoned the throne and lead a life of debauchery.

VIII.
It is like the king who had nothing but water for days. Then his masters of sorcery explained to him the mysteries of magic, and the king ate and drank wine like a sow.

IX.
It is like the king who had a servant who obeyed his every wish. The king tested his faithful servant with every imaginable trial. When the servant proved loyal, the king said to himself, "What honor can I bestow upon my obedient servant. So the king led the servant into the dungeon where his soldiers were torturing captured enemies with terrible imagination. Then he led him out again.

X.
There once was a man who had no hair on his chest. One day he saw a man astonishingly hairy. Curious, he walked up the strange gentlemen and opened a book


-G David Schwartz

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