FRIEND OF MINE

The king ordered a man to be hanged. The man asked the king, “I would like to say goodbye to my family before I die.”

“Why would I let you go? You will never return to accept your fate,” the King replied.

“I have a good friend who will stand in for me.”

The King was baffled, “A friend who would trust you enough to return would take the chance that he would be hanged in your stead?”

The man’s friend came forward. “Yes, my King, I will stay here in the prison until my friend returns.”

The time came for the hanging. The gallows went up, the crowd gathered in the village square, and still the man had not arrived to take his friend’s place.

And so, the innocent friend took the place of the one to be hanged and placed his head in the noose. The mask was placed over his face, and the executioner was ready to begin when there was a cry from the crowd.

“STOP!  I AM HERE!”

The crowd parted, and the man rushed up to the platform and removed the mask from his friend’s head. 

“Oh no, my dear friend,” said the innocent one. You are a good man, and you have a family that needs you. I will take your place.”

The two argued back and forth, both willing to be hanged.

The King stepped up. “I have never seen such friendship, sacrifice, and loyalty. I hereby order the hanging stopped.”

He said to the man. “You are relieved of your fate under one condition. That I may know you and your friend as a friend of mine.”