第13章 國王沙迪克

國王沙迪克 王國的人民包圍了他們的國王的王宮，大聲吶喊著反對國王。國王一手拿著王冠，一手執著王節，走下宮殿的台階。國王的威儀使人群靜了下來；國王站在人群的面前。說道："我的朋友們，你們不再是我的子民，現在我把我的王冠和三節交給你們。我願意作你們的一分子。我不過是一個老百姓，作為一個老百姓，我願意同你們一起工作，使我們的命運可以好起來。無需有一個國王了。因此，一讓我們一起到田里和葡萄園裡去，手挽手地一起勞動。只是必須告訴我，我應該到哪一塊田哪一個葡萄園裡去。現在你們大家都是國王了。" 人民十分詫異，大家寂然不動，因為，他們原以為國王是他們的不滿的根源，如今國王卻把王冠和王節交給他們，成為老百姓的一分子了。

於是老百姓各走各的路，國王便跟著一個人到田裡去幹活。 國王沒有了，沙迪克王國也沒有什麼起色，大地上仍舊籠罩著不滿的霧靄。老百姓在市場上大聲呼籲，說是他們願意接受管理，他們情願有個國王來統治他們。老年人和青年人彷彿異口同聲地說道："我們一定要有個國王。" 於是老百姓去尋找國王，發現國王在田裡勞動，老百姓把他送到御座上，把他的王冠和三節交還給他。他們說："請以權力和正義統治我們吧。" 國王說："我要以權力統治你們，但願天地間的眾神幫助我，使我也能以正義進行統治。" 卻說男男女女的老百姓來到國王面前，向他控訴了一個百般虐待他們的男爵，他們都不過是這個男爵心目中的農奴罷了。國王立刻把那男爵傳來，對他說道："在上帝的秤盤上，一個人的生命同另一個人的生命，重量都是相等的。因為你不知道怎樣衡量那些在你田里和葡萄園里幹活的人們的生命的價值，所以你被放逐了，你必須永遠離開這個王國。"

第二天，另外一群老百姓來到國王面前，控訴山嶺那邊的一個伯爵夫人殘酷不仁，弄得他們窮困不堪。國王立刻把那伯爵夫人傳到法庭上，也判處她流放的刑罰，國王說道："那些耕種我們的田地、為我們照料葡萄園的人們，比我們高尚，我們吃的是他們做的麵包，喝的是他們榨的葡萄酒。因為你不明白這個道理，你就得離開這片國土，到那遠離這個王國的地方去。" 接著，又來了男男女女的老百姓，他們控訴主教派他們搬運石頭，為大教堂鑿石頭，可又什麼報酬也不給；他們知道儘管主教的金庫裡放滿了金銀財寶，而老百姓卻肚子空空的，餓得要命。 國王就召見主教，主教到來時，國王對他說道："掛在你胸前的十字架，應該意味著給生命以生命，然而你卻從生命剝奪生命，自己可一毛不拔。因此，你必須離開這個王國，永不回來。"

這樣，整整一個月，每天都有男男女女的老百姓來到國王面前，訴說他們不勝負擔之苦；整整一個月，每天總有些壓迫者被逐出國土。 沙迪克的老百姓驚訝不置，他們的心裡歡欣鼓舞。 有一天，老年人和青年人都來了，把國王的高塔包圍了，大聲呼喚國王。國王一手拿著王冠，一手執著王節，走下塔來。 國王向老百姓說話，問道："這一回，你們要做什麼事呢？瞧吧，我把你們叫我執掌的東西還給你們了。" 然而老百姓大聲說道："不，不，你是我們的英明的國王。你清除了我們國土上的毒蛇，你消滅了豺狼，我們是來向你表示感恩，來歌功頌德的。莊嚴的王冠是屬於你的，光榮的王節是屬於你的。" 於是國王說道："我不是國王，不是。你們自己才是國王。你們覺得我軟弱失政時，你們自己也是軟弱而不善於施政的。如今田地耕種得五穀豐登，乃是因為你們大家立志要做到這一點。

我不過是你們全體老百姓腦子裡的一個思想；只有你們行動起來，我才得以存在。根本沒有什麼統治老百姓的人。只存在著過去被統治的老百姓，如今他們自己統治管理自己。 " 國王拿著王冠和王節重新進入他的高塔，年老的和年輕的老百姓各走各的路回去了，他們都是心滿意足的。 沙迪克王國里，老百姓人人都以為自己是個國王，一手拿著王冠，一手執著王節。 The King The people of the kingdom of Sadik surrounded the palace of their king shouting in rebellion against him. And he came down the steps of the palace carrying his crown in one hand and his sceptre in the other. The majesty of his appearance silenced the multitude, and he stood before them and said, "My friends, who are no longer my subjects, here I yield my crown and sceptre unto you. I would be one of you. I am only one man, but as a man I would work together with you that our lot may be made better. There is no need for king. Let us go therefore to the fields and the vineyards and labour hand with hand. Only you must tell me to what field or vineyard I should go. All of you now are king."

And the people marvelled, and stillness was upon them, for the king whom they had deemed the source of their discontent now yielding his crown and sceptre to them and became as one of them. Then each and every one of them went his way, and the king walked with one man to a field. But the Kingdom of Sadik fared not better without a king, and the mist of discontent was still upon the land. The people cried out in the market places saying that they have a king to rule them. And the elders and the youths said as if with one voice, "We will have our king."

And they sought the king and found him toiling in the field, and they brought him to his seat, and yielded unto his crown and his sceptre. And they said, "Now rule us, with might and with justice." And he said, "I will indeed rule you with might, and may the gods of the heaven and the earth help me that I may also rule with justice."

Now, there came to his presence men and women and spoke unto him of a baron who mistreated them, and to whom they were but serfs. And straightway the king brought the baron before him and said, "The life of one man is as weighty in the scales of God as the life of another. And because you know not how to weigh the lives of those who work in your fiends and your vineyards, you are banished, and you shall leave this kingdom forever."

The following day came another company to the king and spoke of the cruelty of a countess beyond the hills, and how she brought them down to misery. Instantly the countess was brought to court, and the king sentenced her also to banishment, saying, "Those who till our fields and care for our vineyards are nobler than we who eat the bread they prepare and drink the wine of their wine-press. And because you know not this, you shall leave this land and be afar from this kingdom."

Then came men and women who said that the bishop made them bring stones and hew the stones for the cathedral, yet he gave them naught, though they knew the bishops coffer was full of gold and silver while they themselves were empty with hunger. And the king called for the bishop, and when the bishop came the king spoke and said unto his, "That cross you wear upon your bosom should mean giving life unto life. But you have taken life from life and you have given none. Therefore you shall leave this kingdom never to return."

Thus each day for a full moon men and women came to the king to tell him of the burdens laid upon them. And each and every day a full moon some oppressor was exiled from the land. And the people of Sadik were amazed, and there was cheer in their heart. And upon a day the elders and the youths came and surrounded the tower of the king and called for him. And he came down holding his crown with one hand and his sceptre with the other. And he spoke unto and said, "Now, what would you do of me? Behold, I yield back to you that which you desired me to hold." But they cried. "Nay, nay, you are our rightful king. You have made clean the land of vipers, and you have brought the wolves to naught, and we welcome to sing our thanksgiving unto you. The crown is yours in majesty and the sceptre is yours in glory." Then the king said, "Not I, not I. You yourselves are king. When you deemed me weak and a misruler, you yourselves were weak and misruling. And now the land fares well because it is in your will. I am but a thought in the mind of you all, and I exist not save in your actions. There is no such person as governor. Only the governed exist to govern themselves." And the king re-entered his tower with his crown and his sceptre. And the elders and the youths went their various ways and they were content. And each and every one thought of himself as king with a crown in one hand and a sceptre in the other.