In the ancient lands of the Persians, there once lived a powerful and wealthy monarch known as King Yunan. Though he possessed vast riches and a mighty army, he was afflicted by a terrible condition—leprosy. No physician in his kingdom or from far-off lands could find a cure for the King’s ailment. His life was filled with sorrow, a stark contrast to the grand adventures often heard in the legendary voyages of Sindbad: The 3rd Voyage, where heroes faced physical monsters rather than the slow rot of disease.
The Arrival of Sage Duban
One day, an aged and wise healer named Sage Duban arrived at the palace gates. Duban was no ordinary doctor; he was a master of many sciences and ancient wisdom. Having heard of the King’s plight, he promised to cure the monarch without the use of ointments or internal potions. The King, desperate for relief, was skeptical but gave the sage a chance.
Sage Duban constructed a hollowed-out polo mallet and filled its handle with a secret blend of medicinal herbs. He instructed the King to play a game of polo, explaining that as the King’s hands grew warm, the medicine would seep through the wood and into his skin. Remarkably, the treatment worked. Within days, King Yunan’s skin was as clear and healthy as a youth’s. Overjoyed, the King showered Duban with honors and riches, treating him as his closest confidant.
The Poison of Jealousy
However, shadow always follows light. The King’s Grand Vizier grew consumed by envy. He could not stand to see a newcomer receive such favor. He began to whisper into the King’s ear, much like the suspenseful mysteries found in the story of The Three Apples, where secrets lead to unintended tragedies. The Vizier claimed that Sage Duban was a spy sent to assassinate the King with the same subtle magic he used to cure him.
At first, King Yunan defended his friend, but the Vizier’s persistence eventually sowed seeds of doubt. Fear is a powerful poison, and soon the King viewed the Sage not as a savior, but as a threat. The situation mirrored the chaotic misunderstandings often seen in the comical yet dark narrative of The Little Hunchback, where one wrong assumption leads to a spiral of unfortunate events.
The Tragic Betrayal
Driven by paranoia, King Yunan ordered the execution of Sage Duban. The Sage pleaded for his life, reminding the King of the mercy and health he had provided. “Spare me, and Allah will spare you; kill me, and Allah will kill you,” he warned. But the King’s heart had turned to stone.
Seeing that his death was inevitable, Duban made a final request. He asked to be allowed to go home one last time to settle his affairs and bring the King a special book. “This book,” Duban said, “contains all the wisdom of the ages. After you have beheaded me, open the sixth page and read the third line. My severed head will then speak and answer any question you ask.”
The Final Lesson
On the day of the execution, the King was eager to witness this miracle. After the blade fell, the King took the Sage’s book. The pages were thin and stuck together. To turn them, the King repeatedly moistened his finger with his tongue. As he reached the sixth page, he found it blank.
Suddenly, the King began to feel a burning sensation. The pages had been treated with a lethal, invisible poison. As the King gasped for breath, the Sage’s severed head spoke one last time, reminding him that those who repay goodness with evil eventually face their own ruin. It was a lesson in greed and the consequences of one’s actions, reminiscent of the lessons learned by the thieves in Ali Baba And The Forty Thieve.
While many seek the wonders and riches of the world, like the marvelous treasures found in Aladdin And The Magic Lamp, the story of King Yunan reminds us that wisdom and gratitude are the most valuable possessions of all. The King died in agony, a victim of his own suspicion and the Vizier’s malice.
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