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The King's Fool
When dinner was over, the poets read their poems, the musicians played,
and the dancing girls began their beautiful dances.
"Now the king is watching the dancing girls," thought Mahboul. "I shall eat
my piece of bread."
But the king was watching Mahboul all the time. He asked the musicians
to stop, called Mahboul to come to him and asked: "I hear the you have a
donkey. Where did you get it?"
"I bought it in Tipoli, my King!" answered Mahboul.
"Oh, I see," said the king.
So the musicians were playing and the girls were dancing. Then Mahboul
wanted to eat his piece of bread. But the king asked him to come nearer
and said: "How much did you pay for your donkey in Tripoli?"
Mahboul put the bread in his pocket quickly and answered: "Sixteen gold
coins, my King."
The king went on like this all the afternoon. When Mahboul tried to eat his
piece of bread, the king always asked him a question.
At last evening came. Mahboul could not stand, he was so hungry and
tired. When the feast was over, Mahboul ran to the kitchen, but the
kitchen was locked, and Mahboul had only his small piece of bread to eat.
He ate it up and went to his room, but he could not sleep. He was very
hungry.
Then he went to the king's room. He knocked at the door.
The king asked angrily: "Who is knocking at my door so late?"
"Oh, my King," said Mahboul. "I am sorry, but I must tell you that I did not
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