A certain king once fell ill and doctors declared that only a sudden fright would restore him to health but the king was not a man for anyone to play tricks on, except his fool.
One day, when the fool was with him in his boat, he cleverly pushed the king into the water. Help had already been arranged and the king was drawn ashore and put to bed. The fright, the bath and the rest in bed cured the diseased king; but he was so angry with the fool that he turned him out of the country. The fool returned, however, and the king ordered him to be put to death. Saying privately that he would only repay fright with fright, he directed the executioner not to use the axe but to let, fall a single drop of water on the fool’s neck.
The fool was led to the gallows. The executioner dropped a drop of water on the fool’s neck, and amids shouts and laughter, the fool was asked to rise and thank the king for his kindness. But the fool never moved. He was dead killed by his master’s joke.
Moral of the story
- Vindictive jokes end up in Tragedy.
- Not everyone who pushes you off, is an enemy.
- Learn to be grateful to people.
- Over use of Power may lead to loss of loved ones.
- As a nib is mightier than sword,
- A drop of water can be deadlier than an axe.
Vocabulary Help
- angry – nervoso, com raiva
- axe – machado
- bath – banho
- dead – morto
- diseased – doente
- drop of water – gota de água
- fell ill – ficou doente
- fool – bobo da corte
- fright – mêdo
- gallows – forca
- health – saúde
- joke – piada
- kindness – gentileza
- king – rei
- laughter – risos
- neck – pescoço
- play tricks on – pregar peças
- push – empurrar
- repay – retribuir
- rest in bed – repouso na cama
- restore – restaurar
- shout – grito
- sudden fright – susto súbito
- to be put to death – sentenciou-o à morte
- turned him out of the country – expulsou-o do país
- water – água
