The laughable stories collected by Mâr Gregory John Bar Hebræ

PROFITABLE SAYINGS OF MUHAMMEDAN KINGS.
6 I
CCXXIX. One of the kings used to hate a certain
member of his bodyguard, and he said to one of his
nobles, "Hast thou not with thee someone who could
"slay such and such an one?" And he replied, "I will
"straightway slay him." And the king said to him, "I
"do not require the matter performed thus, for I want,
"when he is killed, to be able to pass judgment upon
"him that slew him and to kill him according to
"justice."
CCXXX. The handmaiden of a certain
prince died,
and he was so sorely grieved about her that he used
to go out to the cemetery at night and weep. When
his father heard this he wrote to him, saying, "How canst
"thou expect me to give thee dominion over a nation when
"thou sufferest thus for the sake of a handmaiden?" The
son answered, "It is not about her price that I grieve,
"but because of the manner of woman that she was."
CCXXXI. Another king said, "Do not praise the
"kings who were before us, for this will lead the sold-
"iers of our army to despise us."
CCXXXII. When another king was dying he ordered
that after his eldest son the younger should be king,
and when the son heard these words he said, "Thy
"will shall be fulfilled, my lord. But give orders that my
"young brother reign before me and I after him, so
"that the kingdom shall remain for my seed after my
"death, and thus the universal custom shall not be ab-
"rogated."
CCXXXIII. Another king said to his wise man,
"We
"are much more intelligent than thou art, but thou art
"much more learned than we are. Therefore do not
"attempt to teach us in public, and do not say anything
"whatsoever to us unless we ask thee. When thou