"It becomes you ill, that are
a restless man and a runagate, to doubt my justice or the King my
father's, that are sedentary folk and known in the land."
"Nay," said the elder brother; "you have all else, have patience also,
and suffer me to say the world is full of touchstones, and it appears
not easily which is true."
"I have no shame of mine," said the younger brother. "There it is, and
look in it."
So the elder brother looked in the mirror, and he was sore amazed; for
he was an old man, and his hair was white upon his head; and he sat
down in the hall and wept aloud.
"Now," said the younger brother, "see what a fool's part you have
played, that ran over all the world to seek what was lying in our
father's treasury, and came back an old carle for the dogs to bark at,
and without chick or child. And I that was dutiful and wise sit here
crowned with virtues and pleasures, and happy in the light of my
hearth."
"Methinks you have a cruel tongue," said the elder brother; and he
pulled out the clear pebble, and turned its light on his brother; and
behold, the man was lying; his soul was shrunk into the smallness of a
pea, and his heart was a bag of little fears like scorpions, and love
was dead in his bosom.
Pages:
269
270
271
272
273
274
275
276
277
278
279
280
281
282
283
284
285
286
287
288
289
290
291
292
293