The king thought to himself, "I have never eaten a cucumber in the lavatory. What he mumbled about me is ridiculously false. Surely then, what he mumbled about my trusted merchant the other morning must have been ridiculously false too. It was improper of me to mistreat the merchant." 
 
He wondered, "After all he has been so efficient in the whole administrative system, that without him it has become slack." 
 
Thus, having considered carefully, the king invited the merchant to the palace and flattered him with gifts, jewels and garments. He re-appointed the merchant to his previously held position, and favoured his services as before. 
 
The wise indeed say:
One should treat one and all, even the lowest, with respect.The king thought to himself, "I have never eaten a cucumber in the lavatory. What he mumbled about me is ridiculously false. Surely then, what he mumbled about my trusted merchant the other morning must have been ridiculously false too. It was improper of me to mistreat the merchant." 
 
He wondered, "After all he has been so efficient in the whole administrative system, that without him it has become slack." 
 
Thus, having considered carefully, the king invited the merchant to the palace and flattered him with gifts, jewels and garments. He re-appointed the merchant to his previously held position, and favoured his services as before. 
 
The wise indeed say:
One should treat one and all, even the lowest, with respect.The king thought to himself, "I have never eaten a cucumber in the lavatory. What he mumbled about me is ridiculously false. Surely then, what he mumbled about my trusted merchant the other morning must have been ridiculously false too. It was improper of me to mistreat the merchant." 
 
He wondered, "After all he has been so efficient in the whole administrative system, that without him it has become slack." 
 
Thus, having considered carefully, the king invited the merchant to the palace and flattered him with gifts, jewels and garments. He re-appointed the merchant to his previously held position, and favoured his services as before. 
 
The wise indeed say:
One should treat one and all, even the lowest, with respect.The king thought to himself, "I have never eaten a cucumber in the lavatory. What he mumbled about me is ridiculously false. Surely then, what he mumbled about my trusted merchant the other morning must have been ridiculously false too. It was improper of me to mistreat the merchant." 
 
He wondered, "After all he has been so efficient in the whole administrative system, that without him it has become slack." 
 
Thus, having considered carefully, the king invited the merchant to the palace and flattered him with gifts, jewels and garments. He re-appointed the merchant to his previously held position, and favoured his services as before. 
 
The wise indeed say:
One should treat one and all, even the lowest, with respect.The king thought to himself, "I have never eaten a cucumber in the lavatory. What he mumbled about me is ridiculously false. Surely then, what he mumbled about my trusted merchant the other morning must have been ridiculously false too. It was improper of me to mistreat the merchant." 
 
He wondered, "After all he has been so efficient in the whole administrative system, that without him it has become slack." 
 
Thus, having considered carefully, the king invited the merchant to the palace and flattered him with gifts, jewels and garments. He re-appointed the merchant to his previously held position, and favoured his services as before. 
 
The wise indeed say:
One should treat one and all, even the lowest, with respect.The king thought to himself, "I have never eaten a cucumber in the lavatory. What he mumbled about me is ridiculously false. Surely then, what he mumbled about my trusted merchant the other morning must have been ridiculously false too. It was improper of me to mistreat the merchant." 
 
He wondered, "After all he has been so efficient in the whole administrative system, that without him it has become slack." 
 
Thus, having considered carefully, the king invited the merchant to the palace and flattered him with gifts, jewels and garments. He re-appointed the merchant to his previously held position, and favoured his services as before. 
 
The wise indeed say:
One should treat one and all, even the lowest, with respect.