WAR

  One night a feast was held in the palace,
and there came a man and prostrated him-
self before the prince, and all the feasters
looked upon him; and they saw that one
of his eyes was out and that the empty
socket bled.  And the prince inquired of
him, "What has befallen you?"  And the
man replied, "O prince, I am by profession
a thief, and this night, because there was
no moon, I went to rob the money-chang-
er's shop, and as I climbed in through the 
window I made a mistake and entered the 
weaver's shop,  and in the dark I ran into
the weaver's loom and my eye was plucked 
out.  And now, O prince, I ask for justice
upon the weaver."

  Then the prince sent for the weaver and
he came, and it was decreed that one of his
eyes should be plucked out.

  "O prince," said the weaver, "the de-
cree is just.  It is right that one of my eyes 
be taken.  And yet, alas!  both are neces-
sary to me in order that I may see the two
sides of the cloth that I weave.  But I
have a neighbor, a cobbler, who has also
two eyes, and in his trade both eyes are
not necessary."

  Then the prince sent for the cobbler.
And he came.  And they took out one of
the cobbler's two eyes.

  And justice was satisfied.