I am M

There was a cripple who was the grandson of a deposed king. He lived in a hovel in fear that the new king would find him and kill him for being who he was. One day a messenger from the king appeared at his door. The young man was terrified. He could not run away since his legs were twisted from an accident suffered when he was a baby. He expected to die. The messenger produced a summons. He was to appear before the king.

The next thing that should have happened, chains, humiliation, being transported in a criminal’s cage, didn’t. To his consternation, he was placed in a divan, on soft pillows and carried to the palace like a prince. He couldn’t imagine what to think of this. He was carried into the presence of the king.

Of course he knew about the king, the famous battles, and equally famous songs. An artist, warrior and now king and the young man suspected, soon to be his executioner. What else could be the meaning of all this? Why not just send a soldier to remove this pathetic last vestige of the old regime? Apparently this king wanted to do the job himself, or at least have it done in his presence.

The young man reflected that it was even kind of admirable in this king that he is willing to face the dirty work himself and not just use proxies as so many princes do. Too bad, he thought, that he was the dirty work. The king began to speak to him and his tone made the young man look up from his prostration before the throne.

“You are the last living relative of my friend.” The king said. “I promised kindness to him and his descendants and I will honor that promise.”

The young man nearly fainted, it was lucky he was already lying on the ground. What could be happening? The king ordered a chair be brought for him and when he was seated the king questioned him about his life. Where did he live? How did he live? The young man stammered out answers as best he could from a whirl of disbelief. When the king’s questions were satisfied, the king ordered that family lands be restored to him and wonder of wonders; he ordered that the young man should eat at the king’s table every day!

The young man felt as though he were dreaming and he never wanted to wake up. He understood why the people loved their king. The king was not only a strong king who made the land safe but he was also good. He exercised mercy in justice and kept his word with honor. The young man spent every day at the palace but no matter how long he was there, the wonder of his life and the greatness of the king never left him.