..续本文上一页nt official, the high class prostitute was the only one who had told the truth. So there was no one to accuse her of shifting the blame.

　　Of course the wise minister”s servants had been eavesdropping on the entire conversation. When they reported it all back to him, he realized his suspicion was confirmed - some she-monkey must have taken the necklace. So he thought, "I must come up with a plan to get it back."

　　First he had a bunch of cheap imitation jewel ornaments made. Then he had several she-monkeys captured in the royal pleasure garden. He had them decorated with the imitation ornaments - necklaces on their necks. and bracelets on their wrists and ankles. Then they were released in the garden. The minister ordered his servants to watch all the she-monkeys carefully. When they saw anyone with the missing pearl necklace, they were to scare her into dropping it.

　　The she-monkey who had taken Most Precious was still guarding it in the hollow of the tree. The other she-monkeys strutted back and forth saying, "See how fine we look. We have these beautiful necklaces and bracelets." She couldn”t stand seeing and hearing this. She thought, "Those are nothing but worthless imitations." To show them all up, she put on her own neck the Most Precious necklace of real pearls.

　　Immediately the servants frightened her into dropping it. They took it to their master, the wise minister. He took it to the king and said, "Your majesty, here is the pearl necklace, the one called Most Precious. None of the five who admitted to the crime was really a thief. It was taken instead by a greedy little she-monkey living in your pleasure garden."

　　The amazed king asked, "How did you find out it was taken by a she-monkey

　　 And how did you get it back

　　" The minister told the whole story.

　　The king said, "You were certainly the right one for the job. In times of need, it is the wise who are appreciated most." Then he rewarded him by showering him with wealth, like a heavy rain of the seven valuables - gold, silver, pearls, jewels, lapis lazuli, diamonds and coral.

　　The moral is: Theft from greed, lies from fear, truth from examining.

《The Mystery of the Missing Necklace (Chap 2· The Mystery is Solved)》全文阅读结束。