A CUNNING EXPEDIENT.

Nelson Evening Mail, Volume X, Issue 55, 5 March 1875, Page 4

A CUNNING EXPEDIENT.

There is a fable among the Hindoos that a thief, having been detected and condemned to die, happily hit upoa an expedient which gave him hope of life. He eeat for his gaoler, and told him /he -had a secret of great importance winch he^ desijed to impart to the King, /and when this had been done he would be prepared to die. After receiving this piece of intelligence the King at >nee ordered the culprit to be conduct e I to his presence, and demanded of hint to know his secret. The thief replied that ]tie knew the secret of causing a tree to grow which would bear fruiAof pure gold. The experiment might oe easily tried, and bis Majesty would not lose the opportunity; so, accompanied by his prime ministers, his courtiers, and his chief priests, he went with the thief to a spot selected near the city wall, where the latter performed a series of solemn incantation*. This done, the condemned man produced a piece of gold, and declared that if it should be planted, it would produce a tree every branch of which would bear gold. "But," headJed, " this must be put into the ground by a hand that has never been stained by a dishonest act. My hand is not clean, therefore I pass it to your Majesty. The King tcp'i the piece of gold, but hesitated. Finally he said, "I remember in my younger days that I often filched money from my father's treasury/ which was cot mine. I have repented the sin, but yet I hardly dare say my hand is clean. I pass it to my Pririie Minister." f The latter, after a brief consideration, answered: — "It were a pity] to break the charm through a possible blunder. I receive taxes from /the people, and as lam exposed to mjany temptations, how can I be sure thi t I have remained perfectly honest? I give it to the Governor of the Citat el." "No, no cried the Governor, diawing back. Remember that I have the serving out of pay and provision i to the soldiers. Let the high priest dlant it." I And the priest said, " You forgit; I have the collecting of tithes, and] the disbursements for sacrifice." At length the thief exclaimed, " Your Majesty, I think it were bfetter for society that all five of us should be hanged, since it appears that not »n honest man can be found amongst us." In spite of the lamentable exposure the King laughed, and so pleased Was he with the thief's cunning expedient that he granted him a pardon. \