Then the boy said to the king, "Why have your servants brought me
hither?" "That you may be put to death," replied the king, "and that
the ground on which my citadel is to stand, may be sprinkled with your
blood, without which I shall be unable to build it." "Who," said the
boy, "instructed you to do this?" "My wise men," answered the king.
"Order them hither," returned the boy; this being complied with, he thus
questioned them: "By what means was it revealed to you that this citadel
could not be built, unless the spot were previously sprinkled with my
blood? Speak without disguise, and declare who discovered me to you;"
then turning to the king, "I will soon," said he, "unfold to you every
thing; but I desire to question your wise men, and wish them to disclose
to you what is hidden under this pavement:" they acknowledging their
ignorance, "there is," said he, "a pool; come and dig:" they did so, and
found the pool. "Now," continued he, "tell me what is in it;" but they
were ashamed, and made no reply. "I," said the boy, "can discover it to
you: there are two vases in the pool;" they examined and found it so:
continuing his questions, "What is in the vases?" they were silent:
"there is a tent in them," said the boy; "separate them, and you shall
find it so;" this being done by the king's command, there was found in
them a folded tent.
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