Page:Folk-lore - A Quarterly Review. Volume 7, 1896.djvu/137

Rh himself one of the slaves whom he loved and demanded to learn of him what there was outside yonder wall, and wherefore did the king confine him there? "If then," he said, "thou wilt tell me this, I will make thee second under myself; and will give thee everything that thou shalt ask of me." But the wise slave, seeing how shrewd was the boy's mind, began to tell him all things one by one; and also about the persecution of the Christians which his father carried on. He told him also of the prophecy of the astrologers, and concerning the same he said to him: "Our king, thy father, hath confined thee here, that thou mayst be brought up in gladness, and he has enjoined us on no account to acquaint thee with the cares of earth even in a single particular."

But when the young man heard this he made no answer; yet there sprang up in his heart the word of salvation and the consoling grace of the Holy Spirit, opening the eyes of his understanding unto the end that he should know the true God.

And on the morrow there came to him the king, and the youth advanced to meet him; and they embraced and kissed one another and then sat down. Then the youth spake to his father thus: "My lord, the king, I have a question to ask of thee, that thou wouldst teach me, for I am beset with anxiety and distress concerning the reasons for which I am detained here."

The king said: "My child, I will do as thou wishest." But the ruler was much cast down, and after reflection he said to himself: "If I oppose his quest, perhaps the child will be all the more distressed." And he forthwith had brought round steeds, gay with gold trappings; and he caused all the streets to be decorated along which the youth would pass. And he stationed before their path singers with sweet voices; and he bade everything foul and unpleasant to be removed out of view of the child. And so it was daily when the youth went out, and roamed wherever he desired. But one day, while the king's son was on his way, his slaves who went before him were negligent and were not thinking. So that he suddenly saw two men, the one a leper and the other blind, and he wondered within himself what was the matter with them. And as they could not conceal it, they said: "These are painful diseases such as beset men."

And Jovasaph said: "Will every man become thus?" And they replied: "No; but some only through ills of the flesh, and others through their horoscopes." The king's son said: "Doth man know beforehand the ills of the flesh in store for him?" They answered: Tis impossible for a man to know what is in store for him ; the immortal gods can alone know." And Jovasaph was grieved thereat, and the beauty of his face wasted, and the bloom of his features and form withered away for the seeing of such unwonted sights.

And on another day when Jovasaph was going on his way he saw a white-haired man, very aged, who walked limping upon two sticks, and his hands were palsied, and he stood there leaning on his sticks and talked with enfeebled voice. And thereat Jovasaph marvelled and asked what it was he saw. And