FullReads

[Footnote 236] Syn. flourishing.

[Footnote 237] Syn. depopulated.

[Footnote 238] Lit. an oppressor.

[Footnote 239] i.e. a man of commanding presence.

[Footnote 240] Syn. cause flourish.

[Footnote 241] Syn. depopulateth.

Now the king was leaning back; so he sat up and said, ‘Tell me of this.’ ‘It is well,’ answered the tither. ‘I go to the man whom I purpose to tithe and circumvent him and feign to be occupied with certain business, so that I seclude myself therewith from the folk; and meanwhile the man is squeezed after the foulest fashion, till nothing is left him. Then I appear and they come in to me and questions befall concerning him and I say, “Indeed, I was ordered worse than this, for some one (may God curse him!) hath slandered him to the king.” Then I take half of his good and return him the rest publicly before the folk and send him away to his house, in all honour and worship, and he causeth the money returned to be carried before him, whilst he and all who are with him call down blessings on me. So is it published in the city that I have returned him his money and he himself saith the like, so he may have a claim on me for the favour due to whoso praiseth me. Then I feign to forget him till some time[242] hath passed over him, when I send for him and recall to him somewhat of that which hath befallen aforetime and demand [of him] somewhat privily. So he doth this and hasteneth to his dwelling and sendeth what I bid him, with a glad heart. Then I send to another man, between whom and the other is enmity, and lay hands upon him and feign to the first man that it is he who hath traduced him to the king and taken the half of his good; and the people praise me.'[243]

[Footnote 242] Lit. the year.

[Footnote 243] The whole of the tither’s account of himself is terribly obscure and so corrupt that it is hardly possible to make sense of it. The same remark applies to much of the rest of the story.

The king marvelled at this and at his dealing and contrivance and invested him with [the control of] all his affairs and of his kingdom and the land abode [under his governance] and he said to him, ‘Take and people.'[244] One day, the tither went out and saw an old man, a woodcutter, and with him wood; so he said to him, ‘Pay a dirhem tithe for thy load.’ Quoth the old man, ‘Behold, thou killest me and killest my family.’ ‘What [meanest thou]?’ said the tither. ‘Who killeth the folk?’ And the other answered, ‘If thou suffer me enter the city, I shall sell the wood there for three dirhems, whereof I will give thee one and buy with the other two what will support my family; but, if thou press me for the tithe without the city, the load will sell but for one dirhem and thou wilt take it and I shall abide without food, I and my family. Indeed, thou and I in this circumstance are like unto David and Solomon, on whom be peace!’ [‘How so?’ asked the tither, and the woodcutter said], ‘Know that

[Footnote 244] Or “cause flourish.”

STORY OF DAVID AND SOLOMON.

Certain husbandmen once made complaint to David (on whom be peace!) against certain owners of sheep, whose flocks had fallen upon their crops by night and devoured them, and he bade value the crops [and that the shepherds should make good the amount]. But Solomon (on whom be peace!) rose and said, “Nay, but let the sheep be delivered to the husbandmen, so they may take their milk and wool, till they have repaid themselves the value of their crops; then let the sheep return to their owners.” So David withdrew his own ordinance and caused execute that of Solomon; yet was David no oppressor; but Solomon’s judgment was more pertinent and he showed himself therein better versed in jurisprudence.'[245]