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XXXI
'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-hose the money due to my king. When sleep overcame me I lay
upon the bad 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.'
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