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从前东方有一位国王，他对一个一直没有来宫殿朝拜他的酋长很生气，当然国王很希望他来朝拜自己。有一天，国王按照东方国王的通常做法，化了装和大臣走在城里的街道上，去察看民情。不久，经过了一家屠宰店，国王对大臣说:“那个酋长一进城，就把他带来见我！" 大臣在回宫的路上，发现酋长正在去宫殿。“请不要去参见陛下，直到我让你去你再去。现在不要问我原因。"他对酋长说。因此，那位酋长就推迟去拜见国王。 后来国王知道了这件事，就问大臣为什么这么做。 "陛下，”大臣说，“您是在路过屠宰店之后下达命令让把首长带来的，意思就是要像剥羊皮那样剥了酋长的皮。因此，我就让他过段时间，等您心情好时再来拜见。” 国王承认了他的意图，然后说：“一位聪明的大臣制约一个专制的君主啊！” The King and His Vassal An Eastern king was very angry with a certain chieftain who had not seen him at court, though often desired to do so. One day he was walking through the streets of his capital in disguise with his chief minister, according to the custom of kings in the East, to see how the people fared. Soon after passing a butcher, s shop, the king said to his minister, “Instantly the chieftain arrives in the city, send him up to me.” When the minister returned to his palace, he found the chieftain on his way to the court. "Pray, don't see his Majesty till I ask you to do so； and don，t ask me for the reason now,” said the minister to the chieftain, who therefore postponed his visit. The king came to know of this, and asked the minister why he had done so. “Sire, said the minister, “your order to send up the chieftain was given after passing a butcher，s shop, and you meant to flay him like a sheep ； so I asked him to see you some time after, when you should be in a better mood to see him.” The king confessed his intention, and said, "A wise minister is a tyrant，s curb.” |
