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- (page 31)
- "Prisoner, tell me,
- who was it that bound you?"
- "It was my master, said the prisoner.
- "I thought I could outdo
- everybody in the world
- in wealth and power,
- and I amassed in my own treasure-house
- the money due to my king.
- When sleep overcame me
- I lay upon the bed that was for my lord,
- and on waking up I found
- I was a prisoner in my own treasure-house."
- "Prisoner, tell me who was it
- that wrought this unbreakable chain?"
- "It was I", said the prisoner,
- "who forged this chain very carefully.
- I thought my invincible power would
- hold the world captive
- leaving me in a freedom undisturbed.
- Thus night and day I worked at the chain
- with huge fires and cruel hard strokes.
- When at last the work was done
- and the links were complete and unbreakable,
- I found that it held me in its grip."