Thethreebrotherslivedandreigned。Theeldestbrother，SimontheSoldier，prospered。Withhisstrawsoldiersheleviedrealsoldiers。Heorderedthroughouthiswholekingdomalevyofonesoldierfromeverytenhouses，andeachsoldierhadtobetall，andcleaninbodyandinface。Hegatheredmanysuchsoldiersandtrainedthem；andwhenanyoneopposedhim，hesentthesesoldiersatonce，andgothisownway，sothateveryonebegantofearhim，andhislifewasacomfortableone。Whateverhecasthiseyesonandwishedfor，washis。Hesentsoldiers，andtheybroughthimallhedesired。
　　Tará；stheStoutalsolivedcomfortably。HedidnotwastethemoneyhegotfromIvá；n，butincreaseditlargely。Heintroducedlawandorderintohiskingdom。Hekepthismoneyincoffers，andtaxedthepeople。Heinstitutedapoll-tax，tollsforwalkinganddriving，andataxonshoesandstockingsanddresstrimmings。Andwhateverhewishedforhegot。Forthesakeofmoney，peoplebroughthimeverything，andtheyofferedtoworkforhim——foreveryonewantedmoney。
　　Ivá；ntheFool，also，didnotlivebadly。Assoonashehadburiedhisfather-in-law，hetookoffallhisroyalrobesandgavethemtohiswifetoputawayinachest；andheagaindonnedhishempenshirt，hisbreechesandpeasantshoes，andstartedagaintowork。
　　’It’sdullforme，’saidhe。’I’mgettingfatandhavelostmyappetiteandmysleep。’Sohebroughthisfatherandmotherandhisdumbsistertolivewithhim，andworkedasbefore。
　　Peoplesaid，’Butyouareaking！’
　　’Yes，’saidhe，’butevenakingmusteat。’
　　Oneofhisministerscametohimandsaid，’Wehavenomoneytopaysalaries。’
　　’Allright，’sayshe，’thendon’tpaythem。’
　　’Thennoonewillserve。’
　　’Allright；letthemnotserve。Theywillhavemoretimetowork；letthemcartmanure。Thereisplentyofscavengingtobedone。’
　　AndpeoplecametoIvá；ntobetried。Onesaid。’Hestolemymoney。’
　　AndIvá；nsaid，’Allright，thatshowsthathewantedit。’
　　AndtheyallgottoknowthatIvá；nwasafool。Andhiswifesaidtohim，’Peoplesaythatyouareafool。’
　　’Allright，’saidIvá；n。
　　Hiswifethoughtandthoughtaboutit，butshealsowasafool。
　　’ShallIgoagainstmyhusband？Wheretheneedlegoesthethreadfollows，’
　　saidshe。
　　Soshetookoffherroyaldress，putitawayinachest，andwenttothedumbgirltolearntowork。Andshelearnedtoworkandbegantohelpherhusband。
　　AndallthewisemenleftIvá；n’skingdom；onlythefoolsremained。
　　Nobodyhadmoney。Theylivedandworked。Theyfedthemselves；andtheyfedothers。
　　TheoldDevilwaitedandwaitedfornewsfromtheimpsoftheirhavingruinedthethreebrothers。Butnonewscame。Sohewenthimselftoinquireaboutit。Hesearchedandsearched，butinsteadoffindingthethreeimpshefoundonlythethreeholes。
　　’Evidentlytheyhavefailed，’thoughthe。’Ishallhavetotackleitmyself。’
　　Sohewenttolookforthebrothers，buttheywerenolongerintheiroldplaces。Hefoundtheminthreedifferentkingdoms。Allthreewerelivingandreigning。ThisannoyedtheoldDevilverymuch。
　　’Well，’saidhe，’Imusttrymyownhandatthejob。’
　　FirsthewenttoKingSimon。Hedidnotgotohiminhisownshape，butdisguisedhimselfasageneral，anddrovetoSimon’spalace。
　　’Ihear，KingSimon，’saidhe，’thatyouareagreatwarrior，andasIknowthatbusinesswell，Idesiretoserveyou。’
　　KingSimonquestionedhim，andseeingthathewasawiseman，tookhimintohisservice。
　　ThenewcommanderbegantoteachKingSimonhowtoformastrongarmy。
　　’First，’saidhe，’wemustlevymoresoldiers，forthereareinyourkingdommanypeopleunemployed。Wemustrecruitalltheyoungmenwithoutexception。Thenyouwillhavefivetimesasmanysoldiersasformerly。Secondly，wemustgetnewriflesandcannons。Iwillintroduceriflesthatwillfireahundredballsatonce；theywillflyoutlikepeas。AndIwillgetcannonsthatwillconsumewithfireeitherman，orhorse，orwall。Theywillburnupeverything！’
　　SimontheKinglistenedtothenewcommander，orderedallyoungmenwithoutexceptiontobeenrolledassoldiers，andhadnewfactoriesbuiltinwhichhemanufacturedlargequantitiesofimprovedriflesandcannons。Thenhemadehastetodeclarewaragainstaneighbouringking。Assoonashemettheotherarmy，KingSimonorderedhissoldierstorainballsagainstitandshootfirefromthecannons，andatoneblowheburnedandcrippledhalftheenemy’sarmy。Theneighbouringkingwassothoroughlyfrightenedthathegavewayandsurrenderedhiskingdom。KingSimonwasdelighted。
　　’Now，’saidhe，’IwillconquertheKingofIndia。’
　　ButtheIndianKinghadheardaboutKingSimonandhadadoptedallhisinventions，andaddedmoreofhisown。TheIndianKingenlistednotonlyalltheyoungmen，butallthesinglewomenalso，andgottogetheragreaterarmyeventhanKingSimon’s。AndhecopiedallKingSimon’sriflesandcannons，andinventedawayofflyingthroughtheairtothrowexplosivebombsfromabove。
　　KingSimonsetouttofighttheIndianKing，expectingtobeathimashehadbeatentheotherking；butthescythethathadcutsowellhadlostitsedge。TheKingofIndiadidnotletSimon’sarmycomewithingunshot，butsenthiswomenthroughtheairtohurldownexplosivebombsontoSimon’sarmy。Thewomenbegantoraindownbombsontothearmylikeboraxuponcockroaches。
　　Thearmyranaway，andSimontheKingwasleftalone。SotheIndianKingtookSimon’skingdom，andSimontheSoldierfledasbesthemight。
　　Havingfinishedwiththisbrother，theoldDevilwenttoKingTará；s。
　　Changinghimselfintoamerchant，hesettledinTará；s’skingdom，startedahouseofbusiness，andbeganspendingmoney。Hepaidhighpricesforeverything，andeverybodyhurriedtothenewmerchant’stogetmoney。Andsomuchmoneyspreadamongthepeoplethattheybegantopayalltheirtaxespromptly，andpaidupalltheirarrears，andKingTará；srejoiced。
　　’Thankstothenewmerchant，’thoughthe，’Ishallhavemoremoneythanever；andmylifewillbeyetmorecomfortable。’
　　AndTará；stheKingbegantoformfreshplans，andbegantobuildanewpalace。Hegavenoticethatpeopleshouldbringhimwoodandstone，andcometowork，andhefixedhighpricesforeverything。
　　KingTará；sthoughtpeoplewouldcomeincrowdstoworkasbefore，buttohissurpriseallthewoodandstonewastakentothemerchant’s，andalltheworkmenwenttheretoo。KingTará；sincreasedhisprice，butthemerchantbidyetmore。KingTará；shadmuchmoney，butthemerchanthadstillmore，andoutbidtheKingateverypoint。
　　TheKing’spalacewasatastandstill；thebuildingdidnotgeton。
　　KingTará；splannedagarden，andwhenautumncamehecalledforthepeopletocomeandplantthegarden，butnobodycame。Allthepeoplewereengageddiggingapondforthemerchant。Wintercame，andKingTará；swantedtobuysablefursforanewovercoat。Hesenttobuythem，butthemessengersreturnedandsaid，’Therearenosablesleft。Themerchanthasallthefurs。Hegavethebestprice，andmadecarpetsoftheskins。’
　　KingTará；swantedtobuysomestallions。Hesenttobuythem，butthemessengersreturnedsaying，’Themerchanthasallthegoodstallions；theyarecarryingwatertofillhispond。
　　AlltheKing’saffairscametoastandstill。Nobodywouldworkforhim，foreveryonewasbusyworkingforthemerchant；andtheyonlybroughtKingTará；sthemerchant’smoneytopaytheirtaxes。
　　AndtheKingcollectedsomuchmoneythathehadnowheretostoreit，andhislifebecamewretched。Heceasedtoformplans，andwouldhavebeengladenoughsimplytolive，buthewashardlyableeventodothat。Heranshortofeverything。Oneafteranotherhiscooks，coachmen，andservantslefthimtogotothemerchant。
　　Soonhelackedevenfood。Whenhesenttothemarkettobuyanything，therewasnothingtobegot——themerchanthadboughtupeverything，andpeopleonlybroughttheKingmoneytopaytheirtaxes。
　　Tará；stheKinggotangryandbanishedthemerchantfromthecountry。
　　Butthemerchantsettledjustacrossthefrontier，andwentonasbefore。Forthesakeofthemerchant’smoney，peopletookeverythingtohiminsteadoftotheKing。
　　ThingswentbadlywithKingTará；s。Fordaystogetherhehadnothingtoeat，andarumourevengotaboutthatthemerchantwasboastingthathewouldbuyuptheKinghimself！KingTará；sgotfrightened，anddidnotknowwhattodo。
　　AtthistimeSimontheSoldiercametohim，saying，’Helpme，fortheKingofIndiahasconqueredme。’
　　ButKingTará；shimselfwasoverheadandearsindifficulties。
　　’Imyself，’saidhe，’havehadnothingtoeatfortwodays。’