Well, as
young men, unripe in understanding, were the councillors, so was their
counsel also unripe. One year passed; a second passed; then, in the
third year, they saw that misery was already on every side, that it was
already coming to this, that all the world would perish. The young
emperor assembled his young council, and they began to advise after
their fashion; they advised, they advised, and ah! the resolutions they
came to were such that it is a sin even to give an account of their
resolutions! Well, the emperor made proclamation after their advice,
that all old people were to be drowned, in order that, said he, bread
might not be wasted in vain, but there might be a supply of bread for
the young; and that no one should venture, on pain of death, to maintain
or harbour any old man. Well, heralds went about throughout the whole
country, and promulgated the emperor's command everywhere--yea, brigands
seized old people where they chose, and drowned them without mercy.
There were then in a certain place three own brothers, who had an aged
father. When they heard of this edict, they told their father; and their
father said: "My sons, such is the will of God and the will of the
emperor; take me, let me perish at once, only that you, my children, may
live on. I am already with one foot in the grave," "No, our own daddy!
we will die, but we will not give you up," cried the good sons with one
voice, and fell upon his neck; "we will keep you; we will take from our
own mouths, and will nourish you.
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