31

“PRISONER, tell me, who was it that bound you?”

“It was my master,” said the prisoner. “I thought I could outdo everybody in the world in wealth and power, and I amassed in my own treasure-house the money due to my king. When sleep overcame me I lay upon the bed that was for my lord, and on waking up I found I was a prisoner in my own treasure-house.”

“Prisoner, tell me who was it that wrought this unbreakable chain?”

“It was I,” said the prisoner, “who forged this chain very carefully. I thought my invincible power would hold the world captive leaving me in a freedom undisturbed. Thus night and day I worked at the chain with huge fires and cruel hard strokes. When at last the work was done and the links were complete and unbreakable, I found that it held me in its grip.”

31

“囚人，告诉我，谁把你捆起来的？”

“是我的主人，”囚人说，“我以为

我的财富与权力胜过世界上一切的人，

我把我的国王的钱财聚敛在自己的宝库里。

我昏困不过，睡在我主的床上，

一觉醒来，我发现我在自己的宝库里做了囚人。”

“囚人，告诉我，是谁铸的这条坚牢的锁链？”

“是我，”囚人说，“是我自己用心铸造的。

我以为我的无敌的权力会征服世界，使我有无碍的自由。

我日夜用烈火重锤打造了这条铁链。

等到工作完成，铁链坚牢完善，我发现这铁链把我捆住了。”