THE SMALL FAVOUR

The soldiers pushed the youth through the crowded streets to the
Square of Execution. People filled doors and windows and jostled
for places on the roof tops.

'What's happening?' asked poor dervish.

'They've caught that young rascal at last,' someone answered.
'Now he'll pay for it.'

The dervish struggled through the crowds, and gasped in horror
when he saw who it was they were forcing on to the execution block.
That same youth, only the day before, had passed by where he had
been begging. He had thrown into the dervish's cupped hand the smallest
of copper coins, a dang. But it had been enough to save the old man
from starvation.

Now the youth was about to meet his death. What could he, the dervish,
possibly do for him now, as the executioner's sword rose into the air?

Suddenly the old man gave a yell:

'The Sultan is dead! We have lost our beloved ruler: Alas! Alas!' He wept
and wrung his hands in distress.

Cries of consternation went up on every side. People sobbed, beating their
heads and breasts.The soldeirs ran to the palace. The crowd followed-everyone,
that is, except the youth.They forgot about him and he slipped from their midst
and made off.

The soldiers burst into the palace and into the throne room. There, on the throne,
very much alive, sat the puzzled sultan.

They soon caught the old man and dragged him before the throne.

'What did you mean by this?' demanded the sultan. 'Am I not a good and upright ruler?
What possessed you then to desire my death and cause all this distress?'

'Great and powerful king,' replied the dervish, 'it was, I admit, a false word that I uttered,
but not only are you not dead, to our obvious delight, but a helpless one escaped death
as well.'

When the sultan heard the full story, he was amused and delighted with the cleverness
of the dervish. He gave him gift and said no more.

As for the youth, stumbling his way out of the city, he was hailed by someone who asked:

'How did you escaped death?'

'Through an old man's courage-oh, and a dang!' he replied.

                                                                                                 SAA'DI