In one of the ancient kingdoms lived a miserable king who was very fat and fleshy. He suffered greatly from his increased weight, so he gathered the wise men to look for a solution to his problem. He couldn’t walk and move much, and pains and ailments gathered upon him. The king lived in misery and torment because of his sick body.
But unfortunately, none of the wise men could do anything for the king, so he was afflicted with grief and worry and lived in misery that spread throughout the entire kingdom, until a wise physician came to the kingdom. When the king learned of his matter, he summoned him and asked him to treat him from his condition, in exchange for pouring out money and gifts upon him.
The wise physician said: May God amend the king’s condition. I am nothing but an astrologer physician. Let me look at your horoscope tonight to know the type of medicine that suits you. The king left him and gave him a deadline until morning. When morning came, he went to the king and asked him to give him safety before uttering anything.
The king granted him safety, after which he said: My lord the king, physician, I have looked at your horoscope and what I saw horrified me. It appeared to me that not even as much time has passed as remains in your life span. Your horoscope revealed one month remaining in your age.
If you choose, I will treat you from obesity, and if you want to make sure of the truth of my words, imprison me with you until you are certain. If my words are true, forgive me, and if it is a lie, increase my imprisonment. The king imprisoned him and was extremely grieved by what he heard.
After that, the king secluded himself from people and was alone. He also lost his appetite for food and drink. Every day that passed from the fated month, the king increased in sadness and grief until his flesh wasted away and his bones protruded. The king remained in this state until twenty-eight days of the month had passed, after which he decided to release the physician before his time came.
But when the physician came out, he stood before him and said: May God honor our lord the king. I am nothing but a weak servant of God’s servants. Far be it from God to know the unseen. By God, I don’t know my own age, so how can I have knowledge of your age? But I searched and found no medicine that melts fat and erases flesh except grief.
I couldn’t bring grief to you except through this trick. Therefore, I ask you to forgive me for my action, through which I hoped for good for you and your kingdom. The king laughed and his face brightened. He rewarded him for his action and treated him with extreme kindness.