This choice: Flip to another part of the book • Go Back...Chapter #21The Story of the Rich Man in Rags by: Seuzz   You flip to another section of the book and find yellowed pages that seem to have been cut from an old book. It is headed "Chapter LXVII: The Story of the Rich Man in Rags"
* * * * *
To the house of a powerful and wealthy merchant an old rag-picker was summoned, bringing his wagon of cast-off clothes, that the merchant might look over them in the cool of his own courtyard. This he did, in the company of his chief servant, speaking freely and laughing the whole time. But the old rag-picker, who was blind, only stood by and said nothing, adding the impression of deafness and dumbness to his infirmities.
Said the merchant, Goods from Africa and Asia have I seen pass through my warehouses, but never before did I suspect rags could come in such an abundance of styles—There are only so many ways to make a tunic, replied his servant, but there are many ways to tear one—True words, I now see, said the merchant; how wonderfully adorned our friend's wardrobe looks now that my eyes are open; how shall we find what we seek?—We shall find what is close enough to his, and mend the difference, rejoined his servant—What? We are not tailors!—My lord shall not be a tailor but the very opposite—Curb thy wit, laughed his master; open thy eyes instead; what, ho! Hast thou found a thing?—Verily, the very thing, said the chief servant; oft have I seen our friend in a robe this very color, and likewise ill-used—Indeed, laughed the merchant, but the odor is not displeasing enough; rag-picker, thou hast laundered thy wares before coming.
The rag-picker stirred at this, saying, I am thy servant. What wouldst thou have of me?
Said the merchant, I would have rags, a cloak, hat and tunic like those of a wretched carpenter I see every day in the market, though thou would not know him to see him.—Indeed I would not, said the rag-picker, and I fear you mock me and my wares; rags are rags, even to one such as me—But not to me, said the merchant, for my rags must be as much alike to this carpenter's as can be, lest my business miscarry.—Thy business is not my business, said the rag-picker, who would listen no more, but the merchant was free in his talk, saying, 'Twill be quite the jest at his expense, and I fear not to share it with thee. I covet his wife, and would lie with her by making pretense of being him.
What is this thou speakest, cried the rag-picker. This is not a jest!—But it is! said the merchant, laughing the more, and saying, Upon them both it shall be a wonderful jest! His wife is a comely creature, and I desired her from afar, but she is obstinate, and when I declared myself to her she would not heed my sweet words, but cleaves the more tightly to her penurious husband. So I will call him away on business, and when it is dark go to his house in rags very like his and be with her until morning. For they are too poor for candles, and she shall not see it is not him.
With such wickedness let no man consort! cried the rag-picker, and in great indignation departed with his wagon.
And the merchant was dumbfounded, and then turned in anger on his chief servant, for it had been the servant's suggestion to seek out the rag-picker and take him into confidence. Have mercy! cried the servant; for all I have done hast been and will be to thy even greater profit!—Fie! cried the merchant, saying, I am shamed by a vendor of rags!—Not so, said the servant, for he will help thee greatly, now that my master sees he must not be approached with a light heart, as I knew my master would.—What! exclaimed the merchant. Am I to abase myself to a man little better than a beggar?—No indeed, my lord, said the servant. But if I had told his story first thou wouldst not have seen how he must be cradled by thee. Now I will tell his story, which I have heard from one other who knows it but is now dead, and when I have told it thee, thou will gladly take up my plan, which will win thee far more than a single night with the woman you covet.—Come then, said the merchant more softly. If this tale have merit great reward shalt thou have from me.
And so the merchant's chief servant proceeded to tell him—
[You turn the page.]
The Story of the Rag-Picker
When the King of Yunan died, his wife the queen rent her garments and would not be consoled, for all was dark in her eyes. This was not for the sake of her husband the king, who in truth she had not loved. But while he had reigned she had by her skill and cunning dominated him and ruled the kingdom through him. But her son the new king was of sterner stuff made, and in him she saw the twilight of her influence.
But when her time of grief had passed she took counsel with herself, for she was skilled in dark arts, and steeped within her own thoughts she surmised how she might again make the throne of Yunan her own.
So it passed that she invited the king's guard, his fifty loyal soldiers, to a banquet where she also invited fifty maidens her servants to entertain. And in their presence she prepared by her own hand a dish, cutting up the meat of many animals and the flesh of many fruits, and mixing them and over them throwing divers spices and medicines, and setting them on bronze plates over coals in a brazier. And over this dish as she served it she uttered words—
The strength of men is in the arms of women, yet cunning of woman deserteth her not.
Cleave, womanish tongues inside mouths newly made beardless; yield virtue to those who thy vices they'd learn.
by which were changed the king's soldiers into her maidens and her maidens into the king's soldiers, and these led them back to the queen's apartments, for they were the queen's creatures and knew her heart; and the next morning the maidens she had changed to soldiers took up station about the king, and he knew not of the imposture.
Then the next night the queen invited the Wezir to sup in her apartments, and in the presence of him and the chief slave of her own household she again cut up the flesh of many animals and fruits, and mixed them with spices and medicines and set them over flame, saying—
The slavish mind to rule's no stranger, but graspeth the scepter by its other end:
To pull down, consume; to expel; to tramp o'er; high office perfumeth the foulest ordure.
And she changed the chief slave of her household, who was her creature, into the Wezir, and changed the Wezir into the chief slave, and put him into the harem with the changed soldiers, and then the changed slave as the Wezir returned to stand beside the king, who knew not of the imposture.
And on the next night she invited the chief general and the chief eunuch to sup, and she changed the one into the other by means such as she had done before and the words—
When this man is not this man then not a man he'll surely be;
Let the is-not man become man; now is virility quench'd.
And she sent them back each into the other's place, the chief eunuch her creature to command the king's army—an imposture the king detected not.
And then, the king being surrounded all about by her creatures, she invited he himself to sup. And the king was loath to go, for he abhorred and suspected the queen though she was his mother, but those he thought his loyal advisers and protectors urged him on, for their spirits were affixed to hers like a compass on the star. Then the king dined with the queen. And for him she cut up and mixed the flesh of many animals and fruits, and mixed in them spices and medicines, and set them to flame over charcoal.
From mother's flesh the child is torn; he sucks her milk and will betime consume her needy self.
But Nature turns backwards; return O my flesh; for over thee now do I make myself king.
And she was changed into the king and he into her. Then she rose and in the guise of the king summoned the king's guard, saying, Imprison this wretch for plotting to take the crown. And the soldiers, who were her own servants in changed form, roughly seized and with much abuse took to a high tower their prisoner.
And the queen, now having the throne and all about her changed into those she held and worked as with her own hand, rejoiced greatly.
* * * * *
To put aside the book and keep investigating the room: "Disposing of Lucy"  | Members who added to this interactive
story also contributed to these: |
View Portfolio
Visit Notebook
Send Gift Points
Awards
Badges
Send Email
Get MORE!
Shop Memberships
Community Newsfeed
General Discussion
Sponsored Items
Book of Trinkets
Static Items
Books
Groups
Interactive Stories
Audio
Campfire Creatives
Community Notes
Crossword Puzzles
Documents
Folders
Images
In & Outs
Madlibs
Photo Albums
Polls
Product Reviews
Quizzes
Survey Forms
Web Pages
Word Searches
