Tartars, was highly displeased with the officers of his array. He held a council of war and concluded that nothing short of putting them all to death would be sufficient punishment. His ministers were in great consternation at this decision, and knew not what to do. The court jester helped them out of the dilemma. He said to the sultan: “You are quite right. The officers richly deserve to be beheaded. Then we shall have no cause for alarm. You shall take the standard, and I will strap the drum round my shoulders. We two shall be able to vanquish the enemy without any one’s help.” This speech brought the sultan to his senses; his anger melted away and he forgave the officers. One who is angry does not consider the consequences of his actions.
THE SHEPHERD AND THE RAM
Anger is a bad counsellor. A shepherd boy was guarding a flock of sheep in a mountainous region. One day while sitting on a rock he fell asleep, and kept nodding his head. The ram, which was close by, thought the shepherd was challenging him to a wrestling match, so he took a run and butted him with his horns. The boy, awakened from his slumbers in so ungentle a fashion, was in a great rage; in his anger he seized the ram by the horns and flung it to a distance. The animal fell backward and was precipitated down a steep declivity. The sheep — about a hundred in number — followed the ram and also fell headlong into the abyss. The shepherd tore his hair in despair, but what good did that do? The
