Greek folk stories: kings and basketmakers

once upon a time, a king regularly received gifts from the minister.

the ministers gave good news to the king and spoke of the rich and powerful.

one day, the king, dressed as a civilian, went to visit the crowd and, as soon as he entered an alley, heard the sound of a harp.

he followed it to the door.

"good night!" the king went into the door and said hello.

"welcome, sit down!" the owner of the house gave a place to strangers and invited them to eat and drink wheat.

when the king barely ate something, he asked the man who played the harp what he was doing and how he lived.

“sir,” the player replied, “i am a basket made up of a basket of debt and interest to feed nine people.” the king heard the confusion and thought: "how can he repay debts and profit and feed nine people in a basket worth only fifty cents of pentago greek coin?" and then he asked, "how did you make it? did you owe a lot?" and the basketkeeper smiled, and brought him into a house next to him, pointing at two old men lying on their beds, and said, "look, this is my creditor.

my parents raised me and now they're old and i have to support them.” then he took the king back to the house, pointing at the five children who were playing, and he said, "my interest here, i have to raise them now, when i'm old, they have to feed me, and that's the payment." then he explained, "isn't it true that two old men, five children, and me and my wife?" the king understood his meaning and called him to his side in a low voice and showed him the ace in his chest when others were not paying attention.

the basket maker was surprised — his majesty the king stood before him.

the king said to him, “don't be afraid, i won't hurt you.

i have only one request to you: don't tell anyone what you just said to me except in my presence.

if you say so, watch your head! when the king returned to the palace, he summoned 12 ministers to the next day and said: “if you are truly wise, ask how one should explain the following: a man makes a basket of debt and takes interest to feed a family of nine.” the king gave them three days to reply and wished to say who was right and who was the prime minister.

twelve ministers are face-to-face.

after a long period of reflection, they agreed that it was certainly not the king himself who had come up with it, but that he had heard it outside last night.

as a result, 12 ministers split up to find out.

believe it or not, they finally found the basket maker.

"did a gentleman come to your house last night?" the ministers are relieved and pleased.

and he asked, "did you say you made a basket of debt and profit a day to feed nine people?" "what does that mean?"I was told not to speak to anyone except in his presence." "Give you ten quid, you tell us!" "I don't want to." "Whatever you say and what you give, I can't say."