THE WISE KING智慧王

以前有一位很威武和有智慧的國王，統治著那偏遠的烏蘭尼城 Wirani。人們懼怕他的威武也敬愛他的智慧。

在那偏遠城市的中心有一口井，它的水質清涼晶透，全城的居民甚至國王和他的臣子都飲用這井水，因為沒有其他的井了。

有一個晚上當大家都睡著的時候，一個巫婆進到城裡來，滴了七滴奇怪的液體到井裡，並且說：「從這個時辰起，喝了這井水的，會變成瘋子。」

第二天早晨，所有的居民，除了國王和他的總管，都從井裡喝水，都變成瘋子，正如巫婆所預告的。

當天，老百姓在狹窄的街上，在市集裡，不幹什麼，只是交頭接耳：「我們的國王和他的總管失掉了他們的理性；我們確切不能讓一個瘋王統治，我們必須推翻他。」

那個傍晚，國王下令，從井裡打水裝滿一個金的高腳杯；杯子拿給他時，他喝了一大口，再傳給他的總管喝。

這偏遠的烏蘭尼城裡充滿了大大的歡欣，因為它的國王和總管恢復了他們的理性。

Once there ruled in the distant city of Wirani a king who was both mighty and wise. And he was feared for his might and loved for his wisdom.

Now, in the heart of that city was a well, whose water was cool and crystalline, from which all the inhabitants drank, even the king and his courtiers; for there was no other well.

One night when all were asleep, a witch entered the city, and poured seven drops of strange liquid into the well, and said, “From this hour he who drinks this water shall become mad.”

Next morning all the inhabitants, save the king and his lord chamberlain, drank from the well and became mad, even as the witch had foretold.

And during that day the people in the narrow streets and in the market places did naught but whisper to one another, “The king is mad. Our king and his lord chamberlain have lost their reason. Surely we cannot be ruled by a mad king. We must dethrone him.”

That evening the king ordered a golden goblet to be filled from the well. And when it was brought to him he drank deeply, and gave it to his lord chamberlain to drink.

And there was great rejoicing in that distant city of Wirani, because its king and its lord chamberlain had regained their reason.

Kahlil Gibran紀伯倫

1918

From "The Madman"