The charlatan once boasted that he was able, thanks to certain magic potions that he had invited, to make even an ass as wise as any doctor. The king overheard him and, in order to teach him the lesson he deserved, he pretended to take him at his word.
'Take that man to the stables and give him an ass,' the king ordered. 'Pay him good money for the next ten years, but if, at the end of the time, the ass is not able to read and to count then the man will be hung!'
The sentence seemed just and wise and amused the countries. 'It will be something worth seeing,' on of them laughed at the charlatan, 'when you're swinging on the gallows.' 'Wait and see,' replied the charlatan, who was certainly not stupid. 'It is almost certain that somebody must die over a ten year period. Who knows if it will be me or you, the king, or the ass? And another thing - if things were to go badly for me, you will be amused on the day I hang; but I will have ten full years, in the meantime, enjoying myself watching you work every day to earn your money, whilst mine will be given to me for doing nothing!'
'Take that man to the stables and give him an ass,' the king ordered. 'Pay him good money for the next ten years, but if, at the end of the time, the ass is not able to read and to count then the man will be hung!'
The sentence seemed just and wise and amused the countries. 'It will be something worth seeing,' on of them laughed at the charlatan, 'when you're swinging on the gallows.' 'Wait and see,' replied the charlatan, who was certainly not stupid. 'It is almost certain that somebody must die over a ten year period. Who knows if it will be me or you, the king, or the ass? And another thing - if things were to go badly for me, you will be amused on the day I hang; but I will have ten full years, in the meantime, enjoying myself watching you work every day to earn your money, whilst mine will be given to me for doing nothing!'
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