Lotus of Heart.

Lotus of Heart.

Sham S. Misri

Once there was a king with many wives, who were all unfaithful and untrue to him, but one. So having to go upon a warlike expedition, he gave each of them a lotus, and said: Keep this red lotus, and show it to me when I come again ; and its colour shall be a proof of thy fidelity. For I received it from the deity, and it will never wither, so long as thou art true to me alone. And then he went away. And as soon as he was gone, all those wives with one exception amused themselves with other men. And very soon they all looked to see their lotuses, and found them withered away and dead. And they all became afraid, being conscious of their guilt, except the one. Then presently news arrived that the king was coming back. And when he arrived, all his wives appeared to meet him, rejoicing and adorned, with protestations of affection. And the king said : Show me all your lotuses. And they showed them, each her own: and lo! they were all fresh and red as when he gave them. Only that one good wife gave him a withered lotus. And she said: O my lord, I know not how it is, that all these lotuses are fresh. For here is my lotus dead and withered, contrary to your order: and yet my heart has never thought of any man but you. Then all those other wives exclaimed against her, for they hated her: and they said : king, she is corrupt, and we all know it: and now here is the proof. But the king looked at them, and he laughed. And he said: O you fools, how could a lotus remain fresh for so many months? Now are you all condemned by your own endeavours to conceal your guilt. But she alone was acquitted by her heart, and did not fear the withering of her lotus: and she alone is pure, and worthy to be my queen. For the lotus that did not wither was the lotus of her heart.