The Emperor and the Sage

Night reigned in the palace and all save the
sentinels and night servants were tucked away in
slumber. All save the emperor, he the king of all
he surveyed, he the ruler of the many souls that
dwelt in his land, he the owner of countless
wealth, the lord and master of queen, prince, and
subjects.

He walked the broad lengUi of his luxurious
halls and corridors, because he could not close his
eyes in slumber and rest his weary brain f rcnn the
problems of politics that filled it. He alone of all
his palace was denied the balm that came to the
lowliest and meanest of his people. Again and
again he had thrown himself upon the rich soft-
ness of his canopied bed; he had counted the birds
embroidered in his coverlet, had gazed at the
jewels that studded the draperies which curtained
his sleeping place. Tet sleep came not to his eyes,
nor rest to his mind, nor peace to his heart.

Thus with wearied impatience he saw the break-
ing dawn spreading her broad hands in the east,
and as he watched her push aside the heavy
clouds of night, he spied just below his casement,
the figure of a man lying on a heap of ashes in
heavy sleep. "What!" thought he, "this poor
wretch sleepeth in perfect soundness with naught
'neath his body but the refuse of the earth and
naught for a coverlet but the canopy of night.
Would I could rest thus even on my bed of down
and with my cloth of gold to cover me/'

For a while he watched the sleeping man and
the breaking day, then in impatience threw open
the casement and shouted to the sleeper: ."Tell
me, thou, how canst thou sleep thus without bed
or house?" But the sleeper, wrapped in peaceful
slumber, heeded not nor heard.

Then the emperor summoned his servant and
ordered him to arouse the sleeper and bring him
to his imperial presence.

Hie servant departed, but nearing the sleeper
he saw in him one of the wandering hermits, who
were known as ascetics or holy men, who gave
great wisdom and carry with their wisdom bless-
ings wherever they go. So the servant dreaded
to arouse the holy man from his slumber, but
having the command of the king to fulfill, he
stooped over him, saying thus : ' ' Oh holy sir, my
master the emperor calls to thee from the casement
of his palace. Much hath he been disturbed of
late and little rest hath he found either by day or
in the night, because of the weighty state matters.
I pray thee, forgive me my rude awakening of
thee and do thou answer make to his majesty the
emperor, who calleth to thee from yonder win-
dow."

The ascetic arose, went to the emperor, and with
a frown said; "Why didst thou have me disturbed thus from my slumber, thou imperial
dog?"

The emperor smiled at this show of temper
which, however, he knew was feigned, though
rarely seen in the holy men of India, and said:
''Because, holy one, there is that which I would
ask thee and which I know thou in thy wisdom
and kindness will answer. I have seen thy bed
and envied it not, but when I looked upon thy
sleep, deep and peaceful, I envied thee much, and
I want to ask thee, how didst thou feel, when
sleeping on thy hard bed of ashes?"

The hermit looked into the tired, selfish face of
the emperor, then at the luxurious sleeping apart-
ment with its settings of gold and jewels, with its
bed of down and cloth of gold, and replied: ''In
some respects equal to thee, in others better than
thou."

"In which way?" asked the emperor.

"Why," replied the hermit, "as soon as I fell
into sleep I forgot my body and knew not what
it rested upon. I forgot my bed of ashes and this
oblivion made my bed as good as thy bed of down.
But I felt better than thou after that, because my
mind, being innocent of all cares, enjoyed all rest-
ful slumber, which was denied thee, thou imperial
dog, thinking upon things which does not concern
thy real self, but makes thy body to groan wearily,
because of thy earth-filled mind."

''Oh, holy man/' said the emperor, ''tell me,
how can I, who am tired and wearied because of
these warring elements in my heart gain this same
sweet peace and sotmd sleep that is thine, thou
who standest before me, clothed in rags and hav-
ing no home thou canst call thy own, yet whose
face bespeaks the calmness of untroubled waters,
and whose body gives forth the glow of perfect
health. Tell me, thou bearer of wisdom, that I
may learn from thee/'

The ascetic made answer: "By cultivating
peace of mind, by giving up fighting another dog
over a poor, fleshless bone."