JOIN USA monarch’s misjudgement
At the start of his ‘Bustan’ (a collection of inspiring verse), Saadi Shirazi relates an episode in the life of an ancient ruler of Persia. In an English translation (from Farsi) by GM Wickens, we are told that “Darius lost touch with his party on a hunting day”. Perhaps, Darius got caught up in the excitement of the chase and took a wrong turn. He was alone one moment and had company the next.
A man appeared and headed straight for the king. “Perchance here’s an enemy come to battle,” thought Darius, grabbing an arrow from his quiver and fitting it to his bow. The would-be-target was quick to forestall the attack.
“O Lord of Iran and Tur,” the man cried out. “I am no enemy; seek not to kill me.” King Darius lowered his bow, whereupon the man continued, “I am he who tends the king’s horses, and in this pasture am thus engaged.”
One would expect the king to apologise or, at the very least, look sheepish, but Darius amiably addressed the man he had almost shot: “O you of faulty judgement (whose judgement was faulty, we wonder!) A blessed seraph came to your support, or I had brought the bowstring to my ear.”
We might expect that, in this story, which is set in times a lot less democratic than ours, the herdsman (as Saadi calls him) would quietly leave the royal presence, grateful to have escaped with his life. The ‘warden of the meadow’ (his title), however, was in no hurry to depart. On the contrary, he was determined to give the king “good counsel”.
He told Darius firmly: “It is not good judgement when the emperor knows not enemy from friend.” Now, we might ask how Darius could be expected to recognise everyone of his subjects, but the herdsman says the king knew him: “You have met me many times in audience, and asked me of the horses and the grazing. Now, when I come before you once again in love. You recognise me not from one of ill-intent.”
The herdsman has the last word. He dared tell Darius that if he, a humble herdsman, knew each of the animals in his care, and could “bring forth one horse from a hundred thousand”, the king should be equally discerning. His bold and blunt command to mighty Darius: “You too then keep your eye upon your flock.”
(The author is an English teacher and a freelance writer.)