A king was returning to his capital, and the inhabitants adorned the city to welcome Him. Each used what he had for this purpose, and succeeded admirably. As for the prisoners, who possessed absolutely nothing but bonds and fetters, they used severed heads and torn-out hearts as decorations, and also set out feet and hands for the same purpose. When the king entered the capital, He saw that it was like a painting, because of the things with which it had been adorned. When He reached the place where the prison stood, He promptly dismounted and alighted. He allowed the prisoners to approach Him; He promised them their pardon and gave them much gold and silver. A courtier wished to know the reason for this kindness and said to the king: “Sire, reveal to me the secret of this matter. Thou hast seen thousands of magnificent hangings; Thou hast seen the city covered with brocade and satin. Gold and precious stones have been scattered upon the ground, and musk and amber have been sifted through the air. Thou hast seen all this and disdained it; Thou didst not even turn Thine eyes towards these things. Why, on the contrary, didst Thou stop at the prison gate to look upon severed heads? There is nothing especially pleasing in seeing heads, feet, and hands.”
“severed. These mutilated limbs belong to assassins; why stop for such people?” The king replied: “The adornments displayed by the other townspeople are no more than a players’ game. Each of them presented himself and, according to his manner and skill, offered what was his own, whereas all these prisoners paid me on this occasion a tribute far more deserving. Had it not been for my command, would their heads have been severed from their bodies, and their bodies from their heads? I found my command carried out, and that is why I turned my horse’s bridle. All the other townspeople passionately gave themselves over to this sumptuous display of ornamentation, and rested in their vanity; but the prisoners were cast into confusion and astonishment, both by reason of my command and through the awe I inspired in them. They played now their hands, now their heads, now the dry, now the wet. They were held there in idleness until the moment came to go from the prison or the well to the gallows. Necessarily, this prison was a garden to me; at times I was there for the prisoners, at times they were there for me. The curious could move about to obey orders: but it was the king’s duty to come and visit the prison.”