Truth and Falsehood

One day Truth started for the city to find some work. On his

way he overtook Falsehood, who was going to the city for the same

purpose. Falsehood asked permission to ride on the horse with Truth,

and his request was granted.

On the way they questioned each other as to the sort of work they

wanted. Truth stated that he intended to be a secretary, so that he

might always be clean and white. Falsehood declared that he would be

a cook, because then he would always have plenty of fine things to eat.

As they were riding along, they met a man carrying a corpse to the

cemetery. He had no one to help him, and Truth, in his great pity for

the man, jumped off his horse and helped him. After the corpse was

buried, Truth asked: "Did you pray for the repose of the soul of the

dead?" "No," was the reply, "I do not know how to pray, and I have

no money to pay the priest for candles." Then Truth gave the man all

the money he had, that he might have prayers said for the dead man,

and went back to his companion.

When dinner time came, Falsehood was very angry at finding out that

Truth had given all his money away, but finally proposed that they

should go to the river and catch some fish for dinner. When they

arrived at the river, they found some fish which had been caught

in a shallow pool near the bank, and caught all they wanted. But

Truth was very sorry for the fish, and threw his half back into the

river. Falsehood murmured at him and said: "It would have been better

for you to give them to me. If I had known that you would throw them

into the river, I would not have given you any of them." Then they

rode on. As they were going through a thick wood in the heart of the

mountain they heard a noise as of crying, far away. Truth went forward

to find what it was, but Falsehood, trembling with fear, hid himself

close behind his comrade. At last they saw seven little eagles in a

nest high in a tree. They were crying with hunger, and their mother was

nowhere to be seen. Truth was sorry for them, and killed his horse,

giving some of the meat to the young eagles, and spreading the rest

on the ground beneath the tree, so that the mother-bird might find it.

Falsehood hated his comrade for having killed the horse, because now

they were obliged to travel on foot. They went down the mountain,

and entering the city, presented themselves before the king, desiring

to be taken into his service, the one as secretary and the other as

cook. The king granted both requests.

When Falsehood saw that his former companion sat at the table with

the king and was always clean and dressed in good clothes, while he

himself was dirty and had to eat in the kitchen, he was very angry

and determined to do something to ruin the one whom now he hated

so bitterly.

One day the king and queen went to sail on the sea. As they were far

from land, the queen dropped her ring overboard. When Falsehood heard

of the accident, he went to the king and said: "My Lord, the King,

my friend--your secretary--has told me that he was endowed with magic

powers and is able to find the queen's ring. He says if he does not

find it he is willing for you to hang him."

The king immediately sent for Truth, and said to him: "Find the queen's

ring without delay, or I will have you hanged early to-morrow morning."

Truth went down to the shore, but seeing how impossible it would be

to find the ring, began to weep. A fish came near, and floating on

top of the water, asked, "Why are you weeping?"

"I weep," Truth replied, "because the king will hang me early to-morrow

morning unless I find the queen's ring, which has fallen into the sea."

The fish swam out and got the ring and gave it to Truth. Then he said:

"I am one of the fishes which you found on the bank of the river and

threw back into the water. As you helped me when I was in trouble,

I am very glad that I have been able to help you now."

On another day, Falsehood went to the king and said: "My Lord King,

do you remember what I told you the other day?"

"Yes," replied the king, "and I believe you told me the truth, as

the ring has been found."

"Well," replied Falsehood, "my friend told me last night that he is

a great magician and that he is willing for you to hang him in the

sight of all the people, since it will not hurt him."

The king sent for Truth and told him: "I know what you have said to

your friend. To-morrow I will have you hanged in the sight of all

the people, and we will see whether you are the great magician you

claim to be."

That night Truth could not sleep. About midnight, as he was in great

distress, a spirit suddenly appeared to him and asked what was the

cause of his grief. Truth related his trouble, and the spirit said:

"Do not weep. To-morrow morning I will take your form and wear your

clothes, and let them hang me."

The next morning, just at dawn, the spirit put on Truth's clothes and

went out to be hanged. Many people came to see the hanging, and after

it was over, returned to their homes. What was the astonishment of

the king and those with him when, upon their return to the palace,

they found Truth there before them, alive and well!

That night the spirit appeared to Truth and said: "I am the spirit

of the dead man for whom you gave your money that prayers might be

said for the repose of his soul." Then it disappeared.

On another day Falsehood appeared before the king and said: "My Lord

the King, my friend the secretary told me last night that if you would

let him marry your daughter, in one night his wife should bring forth

three children." The king sent for Truth and said: "I will give you

my daughter to be your wife and if to-night she does not bear three

children, I will have you buried alive to-morrow morning."

So they were married. But at midnight, as Truth lay awake thinking

of the fate that was in store for him in the morning, an eagle

flew through the window, and asked the cause of his sorrow. Truth

related his tale, and the eagle said: "Do not worry; I will take

care of that." Then he flew away, but just before the break of day

three eagles came, each bearing a new-born babe. Truth awakened the

princess and said to her: "My dear wife, these are our children. We

must love them and take good care of them."

Then the king, who had been awakened by the noise of children crying,

sent to ask what it was all about. When he heard the news he came

into the tower where the princess was, and when he saw the children

he was overcome with joy; for he had no sons, and greatly desired to

have an heir to his throne. So the king made a great feast and gave

over his crown and sceptre to his son-in-law, to be king in his stead.

Thus we see that those who help others when in trouble shall themselves

be aided when they are in difficulty.