Seven Wise Masters

Lucien, son of Dolopăthus, received improper advances from his stepmother, and, being repelled, she accused him to the king of offering her violence. By consulting the stars the prince found out that his life was in danger, but that the crisis would be passed without injury if he remained silent for seven days. The wise masters now take up the matter; each one in turn tells the king a tale to illustrate the evils of inconsiderate punishments, and as the tale ends the king resolves to relent; but the queen at night persuades him to carry out his sentence. The seven days being passed, the prince also tells a tale which embodies the whole truth, whereupon the king sentences the queen to lose her life. This collection of tales, called Sandabar’s Parables, is very ancient, and has been translated from the Arabic into almost all the languages of the civilised world. John Rolland, of Dalkeith, turned it into Scotch metre.