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。’
