4umi Khalil Gibran : The Madman / The Wise King

The wise king

Once there ruled in the distant city of Wirani a king who was both mighty and wise. And he was feared for his might and loved for his wisdom.

Now, in the heart of that city was a well, whose water was cool and crystalline, from which all the inhabitants drank, even the king and his courtiers; for there was no other well.

One night when all were asleep, a witch entered the city, and poured seven drops of strange liquid into the well, and said, “From this hour he who drinks this water shall become mad.”

Next morning all the inhabitants, save the king and his lord chamberlain, drank from the well and became mad, even as the witch had foretold.

And during that day the people in the narrow streets and in the market places did naught but whisper to one another, “The king is mad. Our king and his lord chamberlain have lost their reason. Surely we cannot be ruled by a mad king. We must dethrone him.”

That evening the king ordered a golden goblet to be filled from the well. And when it was brought to him he drank deeply, and gave it to his lord chamberlain to drink.

And there was great rejoicing in that distant city of Wirani, because its king and its lord chamberlain had regained their reason.

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 Khalil Gibran Introductory biography Spirits Rebellious The Broken Wings A Tear and a Smile The Madman How I Became a Madman God My Friend The Scarecrow The Sleep Walkers The Wise Dog The Two Hermits On Giving and Taking The Seven Selves War The Fox The Wise King Ambition The New Pleasure The Other Language The Pomegranate The Two Cages The Three Ants The Grave-Digger On the Steps of the Temple The Blessed City The Good God and the Evil God "Defeat" Night and the Madman Faces The Greater Sea Crucified The Astronomer The Great Longing Said a Blade of Grass The Eye The Two Learned Men When My Sorrow Was Born And When My Joy Was Born "The Perfect World" The Forerunner The Prophet The New Frontier Sand and Foam Jesus, The Son Of Man The Earth Gods The Wanderer Al-Nay The Garden of the Prophet Lazarus and His Beloved Satan My Countrymen I Believe In You Your Thought And Mine You Have Your Lebanon History and the Nation The Vision Visual art