The King and the Robbers

What happens when a king becomes a thief for a night? "The King and the Robbers" transports you to the world of Sultan Muhammad of Ghazni, who disguises himself to walk among his subjects and unexpectedly joins a band of notorious thieves.

The music in this episode is Imagine Sleep by Hanna Lindgren.

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Dreamful is produced and hosted by Jordan Blair. Edited by Katie Sokolovska. Theme song by Joshua Snodgrass. Cover art by Jordan Blair. ©️ Dreamful LLC

Transcript

Speaker 1: 0:21

Welcome to Dreamful Podcast, the time stories for slumber. In this bonus episode, I will be reading the King and the Robbers. So snuggle up in your blankets and have sweet dreams. Thank you.

Speaker 1: 1:20

In former days, it was the delight of kings and princes to disguise themselves and to visit the streets of their cities, both to seek adventures and to learn the habits and opinions of their subjects. One night, the famous Sultan Muhammad of Ghazni dressed himself up and, assuming the character of a thief, went into the streets. He there fell in with a gang of notorious robbers and, joining himself to their company, he gave himself out as a desperate villain, saying If you are thieves, I am a thief too. So let us go and try our good fortune together. They all agreed. Be it so, said they. But before we set out, let us compare notes and see who possesses the strongest point for the business in hand, and let him be our captain. My strongest point, said one, is my hearing. I can distinguish and understand the speech of dogs and of wolves. Mine, said the next, is my hands, with which I am so practiced that I can jerk a rope to the tops of the highest houses. And mine, said another, is my strength of arm. I can force my way through any wall, however stoutly built. My chief point, said the fourth, is my sense of smell. Show me a house and I will reveal to you whether it is rich or poor, whether it is full or empty. And mine said the fifth robber is my keenness of eyesight. If I meet a man on the darkest night, I can detect him and point him out in the daytime. The king now spoke and said my strong point is my beard. I have only to wag my beard and a man sentenced to be hanged is released immediately. Then you shall be a captain, cried all the robbers at once, since hanging is the only thing of which we are afraid. So the king was unanimously chosen as a leader and away the six confederates started.

Speaker 1: 4:29

The house which they agreed to rob that night was the king's palace. When they arrived under the walls, a dog suddenly sprang out and began to bark. What is he saying, asked one. The dog is saying, said the robber with the fine ear, that the king himself is one of our company. Then the dog lies, answered another, for that cannot be.

Speaker 1: 5:18

The robber who was so dexterous with his hands now threw up a rope ladder which attached itself to a lofty balcony. It enabled the party to mount to the top of one of the houses. Do you smell any money here? Said one to the robber, whose scent was his principal boast. The man went smelling about all over the roof and said at last this must be some poor widow's quarters. But there is neither gold nor silver in the place. Let us go on. The robbers now crept cautiously along the flat tops of the houses until they came to a towering wall richly carved and painted, and the robber of the keen scent began smelling again. Ah, exclaimed he. Here we are. This is the king's treasure house. Oh, strong arm, do you break open a way through? The robber of the strong arm now proceeded to dislodge the woodwork and stones until, at last, he had pierced the wall and effected an entrance into the house. And effected an entrance into the house. The rest of the gang speedily followed, and their search was rewarded by the coffers full of gold which they found there and which they passed out through the aperture and carried away. While laden, they all, by common consent, hastened to one of their favorite haunts, where the spoil was divided, the king also receiving his share with the rest, while at the same time he informed himself of the robbers' names and learned their places of abode. After this, as the night was far advanced, they separated and the king returned alone to his palace.

Speaker 1: 7:46

The next morning the robbery was discovered and the city cried by the officers of justice, but the king, without a word, went to his audience chamber where he took his seat as usual. He then addressed his minister and told him to send and arrest the robbers. Go to such and such a street, said he, in the lower corridor of the city, and there you will find the house. Here are the names of the criminals. Let them be taken before the judge and sentenced, and then produce them here". The minister at once left the presence and, taking with him some attendants, he proceeded with all dispatch to the street in question, found and arrested the robbers and took them before the judge. As the evidence of their guilt was conclusive, they made a full confession and implored mercy. They made a full confession and implored mercy, but the judge condemned them all to be hanged and sent them before the king. As soon as they appeared, the king looked sternly at them and demanded what they had to allege in extenuation that their sentence should not be carried out. Then they all began to make excuses, accepting the one whose special gift it was to recognize in the day those whom he had met at night. He, looking fixedly at the king, cried out. To the surprise of his comrades, the moment has arrived for the wagging of the beard. The king, hearing his words, gravely, wagged his beard as a signal that the executioner should retire. And having enjoyed a hearty laugh with his chance acquaintances the preceding night, he feasted them well, gave them some good advice and restored them to their liberty.

Speaker 1: 10:39

In former days, it was the delight of kings and princes to disguise themselves and to visit the streets of their cities, both to seek adventures and to learn the habits and opinions of their subjects. One night, the famous Sultan Muhammad of Ghuzni dressed himself up and, assuming the character of a thief, went into the streets. He there fell in with a gang of notorious robbers and, joining himself to their company, he gave himself out as a desperate villain, saying if you are thieves, I am a thief too. So let us go and try our good fortune together. They all agreed. Be it. So, said they.

Speaker 1: 11:42

But before we set out, let us compare notes and see who possesses the strongest point for the business in hand, and let him your captain. My strongest point, said one, is my hearing. I can distinguish and understand the speech of dogs and of wolves. Mine, said the next is my hands, with which I am so practiced that I can jerk a rope to the tops of the highest houses. And mine said another is my strength of arm. I can force my way through any wall, however stoutly built. My chief point, said the fourth, is my sense of smell. Show me a house and I will reveal to you whether it is rich or poor, whether it is full or empty. And mine said the fifth robber is my keenness of eyesight. If I meet a man on the darkest night, I can detect him and point him out in the daytime. The king now spoke and said my strong point is my beard. I have only to wag my beard. And a man sentenced to be hanged is released immediately. Is released immediately, then you shall be our captain, cried all the robbers at once, since hanging is the only thing of which we are afraid. So the king was unanimously chosen as a leader, and away the six confederates started.

Speaker 1: 13:50

The house which they agreed to rob that night was the king's palace. When they arrived under the walls, a dog suddenly sprang out and began to bark. What is he saying, asked one. The dog is saying, said the robber with the fine ear, that the king himself is one of our company. Then the dog lies, answered another, or that cannot be.

Speaker 1: 14:28

The robber, who was so dexterous with his hands, now threw up a rope ladder which attached itself to a lofty balcony. It enabled the party to mount to the top of one of the houses. Amount, to the top of one of the houses. Do you smell any money here? Said one to the robber whose scent was his principal boast. The man went smelling about all over the roof and said at last, this must be some poor widow's quarters. But there is neither gold nor silver in the place. Let us go on.

Speaker 1: 15:17

The robbers now crept cautiously along the flat tops of the houses until they came to a towering wall richly carved and painted, and the robber of the keen scent began smelling again. Ah, exclaimed he, here we are. This is the king's treasure house. Oh, strong arm, do you break open a way through? The robber of the strong arm now proceeded to dislodge the woodwork and stones until at last he had pierced the wall and effected an entrance into the house. The rest of the gang speedily followed, and their search was rewarded by the coffers full of gold which they found there and which they passed out through the aperture and carried away, while laden, they all, by common consent, hastened to one of their favorite haunts, where the spoil was divided, the king also receiving a share with the rest, while at the same time he informed himself of the robbers' names and learned their places of abode. After this, as the night was far advanced, they separated and the king returned alone to his palace.

Speaker 1: 17:13

The next morning the robbery was discovered and the city cried by the officers of justice, but the king, without a word, went to his audience chamber where he took his seat as usual. He then addressed his minister and told him to send and arrest the robbers. Go to such and such a street, said he in the lower corridor of the city, and there you will find the house. Here are the names of the criminals, let them be taken before the judge and sentenced, and then produce them here. The minister at once left the presence and, taking with him some attendants, he proceeded with all dispatch to the street in question, found and arrested the robbers and took them before the judge.

Speaker 1: 18:16

As the evidence of their guilt was conclusive, they made a full confession and implored mercy, but the judge condemned them all to be hanged and sent them before the king as soon as they appeared. The king looked sternly at them and demanded what they had to allege in extenuation that their sentence should not be carried out. Then they all began to make excuses, accepting the one whose special gift it was to recognize in the day those whom he had met at night, to recognize in the day those whom he had met at night. He, looking fixedly at the king, cried out, to the surprise of his comrades the moment has arrived for the wagging of the beard. The king, hearing his words, gravely wagged his beard as a signal that the executioner should retire and having enjoyed a hearty laugh with his chance acquaintances the preceding night, he feasted them well no-transcript.