Aunt Judy's Tales Part 22

"Having obtained the old man's willing consent to his, the Hakim retiring conducted his companions back into the streets; and the young princes, whose eyes were now opened to the instruction they were receiving, came up to the Dervish, and said:-

"'Oh, wise Dervish, we have learnt the lesson you would teach, and we know now that it is but a folly, and a mockery, and a lie, when a man says that he has nothing to do. There is enough to do for all men, if their minds are directed right! Have I not spoken well?'

"'Thou hast spoken well according to thy knowledge,' answered the Dervish, 'but thou hast yet another lesson to learn.'

"The prince was silenced, and the Dervish and Hakim hurried forward to a still different part of the city, where several trades were carried on, and where in one place they came upon an open square, about which a number of gaunt, wild-looking men, were lounging or sitting; unoccupied, listless, and sad.

"'This is wrong, my father, is it not?' inquired one of the princes; but the Dervish, instead of answering him, addressed a man who was standing somewhat apart from the others, and inquired why he was loitering there in idleness, instead of occupying himself in some honest manner?

"The man laughed a bitter mocking laugh, and turning to his companions, shouted out, 'Hear what the wise man asks! When trade has failed, and no one wants our labour, he asks us why we stand idling here!' Then, facing the Dervish, he continued, 'Do you not know, can you not see, oh teacher of the blind, that we have got NOTHING TO DO?--NOTHING TO DO!' he repeated with a loud cry--'NOTHING TO DO! with hearts willing to work, and hands able to work,'--(here he stretched out his bared, muscular arm to the Dervish,)--'and wife and children calling out for food! Give us SOMETHING TO DO, thou preacher of virtue and industry,' he concluded, throwing himself on the ground in anguish; 'or, at any rate, cease to mock us with the solemn inquiry of a fool.'

"'Oh, my father, my father,' cried the young princes, pressing forward, 'this is the worst, the very worst of all! All things can be borne, but this dire reality of having NOTHING TO DO. Let us find them something to do. Let us tear up our gardens, plough up our lawns, and pleasure-grounds, so that we do but find work for these men, and save their children and wives from hunger.'

"'And themselves from crime,' added the Dervish solemnly. Then quitting his companions, he went into the crowd of men, and made known to them in a few hurried words, that, by the order of their young princes, there would, before another day had dawned, be something found to do for them all.

"The cheer of grat.i.tude which followed this announcement, thrilled through the heart of those who had been enabled to offer the boon, and so overpowered them, that, after a liberal distribution of coin to the necessitous labourers, they gladly hurried away.

"'Now my task is ended,' cried the Dervish, as they retraced their steps to the palace on the hill. 'My sons, you have seen the sacred sorrow which may attach to the bitter complaint of having NOTHING TO DO. Henceforth seal your lips over the words, for, in all other cases but this, they are, as you yourselves have said, a folly, a mockery, and a lie.'

"It is scarcely necessary to add," continued Aunt Judy, "that the young princes returned to the palace in a very different state of mind from that in which they left it. They had now so many things to do in prospect, so much to plan and inquire about, that when the night closed upon them, they wondered how the day had gone, and grudged the necessary hours of sleep. But on the morrow, just as they were eagerly recommencing their left-off consultations, the Dervish appeared among them, and suggested that their first duty still remained unthought of.

"The incomparable sons were now really surprised, for they had been flattering themselves they were most laudably employed. But the Dervish reminded them, that, although their duty to mankind in general was great, their duty to their father in particular was yet greater, and that it behoved them to set his mind at rest, by a.s.suring him, that henceforth they would not prevent him from smoking his pipe in peace, by restless discontent, and disturbing messages and wants.

"To this the young princes readily agreed, and thoroughly ashamed, on reflection, of the years of hara.s.s with which they, in their thoughtless ingrat.i.tude, had worried poor King Schelim, they repaired to his presence, and without entering into unnecessary explanations, (which he would not have understood,) a.s.sured him that they were perfectly happy, that they had got plenty to do, as well as everything to enjoy, that they were very sorry they had tormented him for so long a period of his life, but that they begged to be forgiven, and would never do so again!

"King Schelim was uncommonly pleased with what they said, although he had to lay down his pipe for a few minutes to receive their salutations, and give his in return; after which they returned to their palace on the hill, and led thenceforward useful, intelligent, and therefore happy lives, reforming grievances, consoling sorrows, and taking particular care that everybody had the opportunity of having SOMETHING TO DO.

"And as they never again disturbed their father King Schelim, with foolish messages, he smoked his pipe in peace to the end of his days."

"Nice old Schelim!" observed No. 8, when Aunt Judy's pause showed that the story was done. A conclusion which made the other little ones laugh; but now Aunt Judy spoke again.

"You like the story, all of you?"

Could there be a doubt about it? No! "Schelim, King of the Hills, and his four sons," was one of Aunt Judy's very, very, very, best inventions. But they had the happy knack of always thinking so of the last they heard.

"And yet there is a flaw in it," said Aunt Judy.

"Aunt Judy!" exclaimed several voices at once, in a tone of expostulation.

"Yes; I mean in the moral:" pursued she, "there is no Christianity in the teaching, and therefore it is not perfect, although it is all very good as far as it goes."

"But they were eastern people, and I suppose Mahometans or Brahmins,"

suggested No. 4.

"Exactly; and, therefore, I could not give them Christian principles; and, therefore, although I have made my four princes turn out very well, and do what was right, for the rest of their lives (as I had a right to do); yet it is only proper I should explain, that I do not believe any people can be DEPENDED UPON for doing right, except when they live upon Christian principles, and are helped by the grace of G.o.d, to fulfil His will, as revealed to us by His Son Jesus Christ.

"Certainly it is always more REASONABLE to do right than wrong, even when the wrong may seem most pleasant at the moment; because, as all people of sense know, doing right is most for their own happiness, as well as for everybody else's, even in this world.

"But although the knowledge of this may influence us when we are in a sober enough state of mind to think about it calmly, the inducement is not a sufficiently strong one to be relied upon as a safe-guard, when storms of pa.s.sion and strong temptations come upon us. In such cases it very often goes for nothing, and then it is a perfect chance which way a person acts.

"Even in the matter of doing good to others, we need the Christian principle as our motive, or we may be often tempted to give it up, or even to be as cruel at some moments, as we are kind at others. It is very pleasant, no doubt, to do good, and be charitable, when the feeling comes into the heart, but the mere pleasure is apt to cease, if we find people thankless or stupid, and that our labours seem to have been in vain. And what a temptation there is, then, to turn away in disgust, unless we are acting upon Christ's commands, and can bear in mind, that even when the pleasure ends, the duty remains.

"And now," said Aunt Judy in conclusion, "a kiss for the story-teller all round, if you please. She has had an invitation, and is going from home to-morrow."

"Oh, Aunt Judy!" e.j.a.c.u.l.a.t.ed the little ones, in not the most cheerful of tones.

"Well," cried Aunt Judy, looking at them and laughing, "you don't mean to say that you will not find PLENTY TO DO, and PLENTY TO ENJOY while I am away? Come, I mean to write to you all by turns, and I shall inquire in my letters whether you have remembered, TO YOUR EDIFICATION, the story of Schelim, King of the Hills, and his four sons."

Footnotes:

{1} "Weide," pasture, gra.s.s.