24 The High Priest bowed and left. The King walked out onto the balcony and summoned one of his Wise Men to him. "When will the rains come?" he asked.
25 "The clouds are thick, Your Majesty," The WIse Man answered, "the air grows cooler every day. It is already late fall. I am surprised it has not showered today; tomorrow, probably, within a week, at the latest."
26 "It had better be," growled The King, "It had better be!" But a week went by, then two. The ground was dry, the wells getting dangerously low. "Perhaps," thought The King, "I was too harsh on The Old Fox. Perhaps if I make a more reasonable bargain he will see things my way and cooperate. I will call him back, and make another offer." So he told a page to go and bring The Old Fox.
27 "But Your Majesty," reminded his councilman, "you told The Old Fox that if you ever laid eyes on him again, it would mean his death! How can he come before you?"
28 "Hang curtains around me," The King ordered, "so I can hear him, but not see him. But BRING HIM HERE!"
29 So it was, The Old Fox again entered The King's Hall. "Are you there, Old Fox?" asked The King.
30 "I am here," The Old Fox answered, "has Your Majesty changed his mind and decided to let my People go?" 31 "I have decided," announced The King, "to be more generous, and to make you and your people a much more pleasing offer, not being a cruel and harsh King. This is what I propose. Your people MAY leave my land with my blessings, if they will leave behind one-forth of their gold and silver coins, the first born male and the first born female of each clan, one-forth of your goats, cattle, and sheep. Now if you will do these things I will let your people go."
32 "Truly," complimented The Old Fox, "The King has become more generous, but still The Lords say to me, 'Our Children shall not be robbed, they shall not leave behind one piece of lint, one scraping of copper, one drop of blood, but all that is theirs they shall take up with them and go."
33 "Your Lords leave no room for compromise," snapped The King. "My people cry for rain. They feel that your people are to blame, that Tr holds back the rain because he is angry with your people, and that I should deal with you in a harsh way. Surely we can make some compromise!"
34 "Justice," The Old Fox explained, "cannot be compromised. Freedom cannot be bought. We have what is ours, we will keep what is ours. Let my people go!"
35 "Not with all that is mine," cried The King, "not of it will ruin my land! Get out! If you can prove your Lords can control the rain, perhaps I will bargain with you. If you will not, then there is nothing further for us to discuss."
36 "Your Majesty wants proof?" asked The Old Fox.
37 "Proof," demanded The King. "Actual proof your Spirits can control the rain."
38 "Very well, Your Majesty," agreed The Old Fox, "when Your Majesty is ready, call me again. Perhaps The Lords will give him what he desires."
39 With that he turned and was gone. The Priest of Tr waited for The King to emerge. "Your Majesty," he cried, "the signs are clear. Our god grows impatient. He holds back the rain because we doubt his power. Send your army. Slaughter these liars and the rain will pour from the skies. Already they move from their houses to a campsite by their Temple. If Your Majesty does not act soon, they will destroy his kingdom.
40 The King reached out with a powerful hand and seized The Priest by the throat. "You!" he said. "Go to your temple. Pray to Tr. I will decide when my armies march, not The High Priest! Go and bring the rain. That is what you are for. Do not begin to take my place!"
41 He released The Priest and the man staggered back. "Yes, Your Majesty," he whimpered, "Yes! At once!"
42 "If I see you in this courtroom," The King told him, "before the rains come, I will personally break your neck! Do you understand?"
43 The Priest nodded and hurried off, and The King paced for five more days, then called his Wise Men. "Well," he said, "Where is the rain?"
44 "We do not understand, Your Majesty," The Wise Men told him. "It makes no sense! The rain should've come long ago! If the rains do not come soon, the crops will not mature before the summer sun burns them up!"
45 "My Priest can't help me," sighed The King, "nor my Wise Men. Perhaps I had better send for the one who can. Summon The Old Fox. Tell him the decree I put upon him is lifted. I desire to see him face to face. Have him come to the palace immediately!" 46 So it was, for the third time, The Old Fox was summoned by The King.
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