A Moslem king fell passionately in love with a slave girl and had her transferred from the slave quarters to the palace. He planned to marry her and make her his favorite wife, but, mysteriously, the girl fell seriously ill on the very day she entered the palace.
She grew steadily worse. Every known remedy was given her, but to no avail. The poor girl now hovered between life and death.
In despair the king made an offer of half his kingdom to anyone who would cure her. But who would attempt to cure an illness that had baffled the best physicians of the realm?
Finally a hakim appeared who asked to be allowed to see the girl alone. After he had spoken with her for an hour he appeared before the throne of the king who anxiously awaited his verdict.
"Your Majesty," said the hakim. "I do indeed have an infallible cure for the girl. And so sure am I of its effectiveness that, were it not to succeed, I should willingly offer myself to be beheaded. The medicine I propose however, will prove to be an extremely painful one - not for the girl, but for Your Majesty."
"Mention the medicine," shouted the king, "And it shall be given her, no matter the cost."
The hakim looked at the king with a compassionate eye and said, "The girl is in love with one of your servants. Give her permission to marry him and she will be instantly cured."
Poor king! He wanted the girl too much to let her go. He loved her too much to let her die.
Anthony de Mello
She grew steadily worse. Every known remedy was given her, but to no avail. The poor girl now hovered between life and death.
In despair the king made an offer of half his kingdom to anyone who would cure her. But who would attempt to cure an illness that had baffled the best physicians of the realm?
Finally a hakim appeared who asked to be allowed to see the girl alone. After he had spoken with her for an hour he appeared before the throne of the king who anxiously awaited his verdict.
"Your Majesty," said the hakim. "I do indeed have an infallible cure for the girl. And so sure am I of its effectiveness that, were it not to succeed, I should willingly offer myself to be beheaded. The medicine I propose however, will prove to be an extremely painful one - not for the girl, but for Your Majesty."
"Mention the medicine," shouted the king, "And it shall be given her, no matter the cost."
The hakim looked at the king with a compassionate eye and said, "The girl is in love with one of your servants. Give her permission to marry him and she will be instantly cured."
Poor king! He wanted the girl too much to let her go. He loved her too much to let her die.
Anthony de Mello
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