THE KING. That is not my business.

THE SERVANT. Should I not perhaps fling him a crust from the
window?

THE KING. No! To feed a beggar is always foolish. Every crumb
that is given to a beggar is an evil seed from which springs
another fellow like him.

THE BEGGAR (_outside_). Bread. Bread. Give me some bread.

THE SERVANT. He seems very hungry, O king.

THE KING. Yes. So I should judge.

THE SERVANT. If thou wilt not let me fling, him a piece of bread
thine ears must pay the debts of thy hand.

THE KING. A king can have no debts.

THE SERVANT. That is true, O king. Even so, the noise of this
fellow's begging must annoy thee greatly.

THE KING. It does.

THE SERVANT. Doubtless he craves only a small crust from thy
table and he would be content.

THE KING. Yea, doubtless he craves only to be a king and he would
be very happy indeed.

THE SERVANT. Do not be hard, O king. Thou art ever wise and just.
This fellow is exceedingly hungry. Dost thou not command me to
fling him just one small crust from the window?

THE KING. My commands I have already given thee. See that the
beggar is driven away.

THE SERVANT. But alas! O king, if he is driven away he will
return again even as he did before.

THE KING. Then see to it that he is slain. I cannot be annoyed
with the sound of his voice.

THE SERVANT. But alas! O great and illustrious king, if he is
slain he will come to life again even as he did before.

THE KING. Ah! that is true. But his voice troubles me. I do not
like to hear it.

THE SERVANT. His lungs are fattened with hunger. Of a truth they
are quite strong.

THE KING. Well, propose a remedy to weaken them.

THE SERVANT. A remedy, O king?

(_He stops fanning._)

THE KING. That is what I said. A remedy--and do not stop fanning
me. I am exceedingly warm.

THE SERVANT (_fanning vigorously_). A crust of bread, O king,
dropped from yonder window--forsooth that might prove a remedy.

THE KING (_angrily_). I have said I will not give him a crust of
bread. If I gave him a crust to-day he would be just as hungry
again to-morrow, and my troubles would be as great as before.

THE SERVANT. That is true, O king. Thy mind is surely filled with
great learning.

THE KING. Therefore, some other remedy must be found.

THE SERVANT. O king, the words of thy illustrious mouth are as
very meat-balls of wisdom.

THE KING (_musing_). Now let me consider. Thou sayest he does not
suffer pain--

THE SE