10. The Bell of Justice

Long ago in Italy a king ordered a bell hung from a tower in the market-place and called it “The Bell of Justice.” He said even if a little child suffered any wrong, he could ring the bell by pulling on the rope that was fastened to it, and the little child should receive justice. As the years passed many wrongs of the people were righted for the people who rang the bell. But at last the lower part of the rope rotted away, and a wild grape-vine was tied to lengthen it. On the hillside above the village lived a man who owned a horse that he allowed to roam on the roadside, and that he left to starve and to die in his old age, because the owner was too miserly to feed him. One day the horse wandered into the market-place, and seeing the green grape-vine, the poor creature in the keen pangs of hunger began to eat it, and in doing so rang the bell. All the people heard the ringing. It seemed to say,

The judges came quickly, and when they saw the miser’s horse nibbling at the vine, they said, “The dumb beast has rung the Bell of Justice, and justice he shall have.” They sent for the owner, and when he came they said: “This horse has served you well for many years. He saved your life several times. He helped you to make your wealth. So we order that one-half your money shall be set aside to provide good food, a warm stall, and good pasture for your horse the rest of his days.”

The miser hung his head, grieving to lose his gold. But the people shouted for joy at the just sentence, and the king laughed aloud: