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　　Thethreebrotherslivedandreigned。Theeldestbrother，SimontheSoldier，prospered。Withhisstrawsoldiersheleviedrealsoldiers。Heorderedthroughouthiswholekingdomalevyofonesoldierfromeverytenhouses，andeachsoldierhadtobetall，andcleaninbodyandinface。Hegatheredmanysuchsoldiersandtrainedthem；andwhenanyoneopposedhim，hesentthesesoldiersatonce，andgothisownway，sothateveryonebegantofearhim，andhislifewasacomfortableone。Whateverhecasthiseyesonandwishedfor，washis。Hesentsoldiers，andtheybroughthimallhedesired。

　　Tar&aacute；stheStoutalsolivedcomfortably。HedidnotwastethemoneyhegotfromIv&aacute；n，butincreaseditlargely。Heintroducedlawandorderintohiskingdom。Hekepthismoneyincoffers，andtaxedthepeople。Heinstitutedapoll-tax，tollsforwalkinganddriving，andataxonshoesandstockingsanddresstrimmings。Andwhateverhewishedforhegot。Forthesakeofmoney，peoplebroughthimeverything，andtheyofferedtoworkforhim——foreveryonewantedmoney。

　　Iv&aacute；ntheFool，also，didnotlivebadly。Assoonashehadburiedhisfather-in-law，hetookoffallhisroyalrobesandgavethemtohiswifetoputawayinachest；andheagaindonnedhishempenshirt，hisbreechesandpeasantshoes，andstartedagaintowork。

　　’It’sdullforme，’saidhe。’I’mgettingfatandhavelostmyappetiteandmysleep。’Sohebroughthisfatherandmotherandhisdumbsistertolivewithhim，andworkedasbefore。

　　Peoplesaid，’Butyouareaking！’

　　’Yes，’saidhe，’butevenakingmusteat。’

　　Oneofhisministerscametohimandsaid，’Wehavenomoneytopaysalaries。’

　　’Allright，’sayshe，’thendon’tpaythem。’

　　’Thennoonewillserve。’

　　’Allright；letthemnotserve。Theywillhavemoretimetowork；letthemcartmanure。Thereisplentyofscavengingtobedone。’

　　AndpeoplecametoIv&aacute；ntobetried。Onesaid。’Hestolemymoney。’

　　AndIv&aacute；nsaid，’Allright，thatshowsthathewantedit。’

　　AndtheyallgottoknowthatIv&aacute；nwasafool。Andhiswifesaidtohim，’Peoplesaythatyouareafool。’

　　’Allright，’saidIv&aacute；n。

　　Hiswifethoughtandthoughtaboutit，butshealsowasafool。

　　’ShallIgoagainstmyhusband？Wheretheneedlegoesthethreadfollows，’

　　saidshe。

　　Soshetookoffherroyaldress，putitawayinachest，andwenttothedumbgirltolearntowork。Andshelearnedtoworkandbegantohelpherhusband。

　　AndallthewisemenleftIv&aacute；n’skingdom；onlythefoolsremained。

　　Nobodyhadmoney。Theylivedandworked。Theyfedthemselves；andtheyfedothers。

　　TheoldDevilwaitedandwaitedfornewsfromtheimpsoftheirhavingruinedthethreebrothers。Butnonewscame。Sohewenthimselftoinquireaboutit。Hesearchedandsearched，butinsteadoffindingthethreeimpshefoundonlythethreeholes。

　　’Evidentlytheyhavefailed，’thoughthe。’Ishallhavetotackleitmyself。’

　　Sohewenttolookforthebrothers，buttheywerenolongerintheiroldplaces。Hefoundtheminthreedifferentkingdoms。Allthreewerelivingandreigning。ThisannoyedtheoldDevilverymuch。

　　’Well，’saidhe，’Imusttrymyownhandatthejob。’

　　FirsthewenttoKingSimon。Hedidnotgotohiminhisownshape，butdisguisedhimselfasageneral，anddrovetoSimon’spalace。

　　’Ihear，KingSimon，’saidhe，’thatyouareagreatwarrior，andasIknowthatbusinesswell，Idesiretoserveyou。’

　　KingSimonquestionedhim，andseeingthathewasawiseman，tookhimintohisservice。

　　ThenewcommanderbegantoteachKingSimonhowtoformastrongarmy。

　　’First，’saidhe，’wemustlevymoresoldiers，forthereareinyourkingdommanypeopleunemployed。Wemustrecruitalltheyoungmenwithoutexception。Thenyouwillhavefivetimesasmanysoldiersasformerly。Secondly，wemustgetnewriflesandcannons。Iwillintroduceriflesthatwillfireahundredballsatonce；theywillflyoutlikepeas。AndIwillgetcannonsthatwillconsumewithfireeitherman，orhorse，orwall。Theywillburnupeverything！’

　　SimontheKinglistenedtothenewcommander，orderedallyoungmenwithoutexceptiontobeenrolledassoldiers，andhadnewfactoriesbuiltinwhichhemanufacturedlargequantitiesofimprovedriflesandcannons。Thenhemadehastetodeclarewaragainstaneighbouringking。Assoonashemettheotherarmy，KingSimonorderedhissoldierstorainballsagainstitandshootfirefromthecannons，andatoneblowheburnedandcrippledhalftheenemy’sarmy。Theneighbouringkingwassothoroughlyfrightenedthathegavewayandsurrenderedhiskingdom。KingSimonwasdelighted。

　　’Now，’saidhe，’IwillconquertheKingofIndia。’

　　ButtheIndianKinghadheardaboutKingSimonandhadadoptedallhisinventions，andaddedmoreofhisown。TheIndianKingenlistednotonlyalltheyoungmen，butallthesinglewomenalso，andgottogetheragreaterarmyeventhanKingSimon’s。AndhecopiedallKingSimon’sriflesandcannons，andinventedawayofflyingthroughtheairtothrowexplosivebombsfromabove。

　　KingSimonsetouttofighttheIndianKing，expectingtobeathimashehadbeatentheotherking；butthescythethathadcutsowellhadlostitsedge。TheKingofIndiadidnotletSimon’sarmycomewithingunshot，butsenthiswomenthroughtheairtohurldownexplosivebombsontoSimon’sarmy。Thewomenbegantoraindownbombsontothearmylikeboraxuponcockroaches。

　　Thearmyranaway，andSimontheKingwasleftalone。SotheIndianKingtookSimon’skingdom，andSimontheSoldierfledasbesthemight。

　　Havingfinishedwiththisbrother，theoldDevilwenttoKingTar&aacute；s。

　　Changinghimselfintoamerchant，hesettledinTar&aacute；s’skingdom，startedahouseofbusiness，andbeganspendingmoney。Hepaidhighpricesforeverything，andeverybodyhurriedtothenewmerchant’stogetmoney。Andsomuchmoneyspreadamongthepeoplethattheybegantopayalltheirtaxespromptly，andpaidupalltheirarrears，andKingTar&aacute；srejoiced。

　　’Thankstothenewmerchant，’thoughthe，’Ishallhavemoremoneythanever；andmylifewillbeyetmorecomfortable。’

　　AndTar&aacute；stheKingbegantoformfreshplans，andbegantobuildanewpalace。Hegavenoticethatpeopleshouldbringhimwoodandstone，andcometowork，andhefixedhighpricesforeverything。

　　KingTar&aacute；sthoughtpeoplewouldcomeincrowdstoworkasbefore，buttohissurpriseallthewoodandstonewastakentothemerchant’s，andalltheworkmenwenttheretoo。KingTar&aacute；sincreasedhisprice，butthemerchantbidyetmore。KingTar&aacute；shadmuchmoney，butthemerchanthadstillmore，andoutbidtheKingateverypoint。

　　TheKing’spalacewasatastandstill；thebuildingdidnotgeton。

　　KingTar&aacute；splannedagarden，andwhenautumncamehecalledforthepeopletocomeandplantthegarden，butnobodycame。Allthepeoplewereengageddiggingapondforthemerchant。Wintercame，andKingTar&aacute；swantedtobuysablefursforanewovercoat。Hesenttobuythem，butthemessengersreturnedandsaid，’Therearenosablesleft。Themerchanthasallthefurs。Hegavethebestprice，andmadecarpetsoftheskins。’

　　KingTar&aacute；swantedtobuysomestallions。Hesenttobuythem，butthemessengersreturnedsaying，’Themerchanthasallthegoodstallions；theyarecarryingwatertofillhispond。

　　AlltheKing’saffairscametoastandstill。Nobodywouldworkforhim，foreveryonewasbusyworkingforthemerchant；andtheyonlybroughtKingTar&aacute；sthemerchant’smoneytopaytheirtaxes。

　　AndtheKingcollectedsomuchmoneythathehadnowheretostoreit，andhislifebecamewretched。Heceasedtoformplans，andwouldhavebeengladenoughsimplytolive，buthewashardlyableeventodothat。Heranshortofeverything。Oneafteranotherhiscooks，coachmen，andservantslefthimtogotothemerchant。

　　Soonhelackedevenfood。Whenhesenttothemarkettobuyanything，therewasnothingtobegot——themerchanthadboughtupeverything，andpeopleonlybroughttheKingmoneytopaytheirtaxes。

　　Tar&aacute；stheKinggotangryandbanishedthemerchantfromthecountry。

　　Butthemerchantsettledjustacrossthefrontier，andwentonasbefore。Forthesakeofthemerchant’smoney，peopletookeverythingtohiminsteadoftotheKing。

　　ThingswentbadlywithKingTar&aacute；s。Fordaystogetherhehadnothingtoeat，andarumourevengotaboutthatthemerchantwasboastingthathewouldbuyuptheKinghimself！KingTar&aacute；sgotfrightened，anddidnotknowwhattodo。

　　AtthistimeSimontheSoldiercametohim，saying，’Helpme，fortheKingofIndiahasconqueredme。’

　　ButKingTar&aacute；shimselfwasoverheadandearsindifficulties。

　　’Imyself，’saidhe，’havehadnothingtoeatfortwodays。’