Long ago two friends named Damon and Pythias lived in Syracuse, a city in Sicily ruled by a strong and cruel tyrant named Dionysius. Because they were good young men loved truth, Damon and Pythias both chafed under the rule of Dionysius. In fact, one day Pythias spoke against King Dionysius in public.
When he heard of it, the king was furious. Immediately he ordered that Pythias be thrown into prison and sentenced to die in one month. And so it was.
When Pythias heard that he was executed in one month's time, he was brave enough to request an audience with the cruel king to make a request. "O Dionysius",he said, "I realize that I am sentenced to death in one month. I beg, though, O King, that I may be granted leave to sail home to my home to my parents to say goodbye to them one last time".
Dionysius threw back his hard and laughed loud and long. "Young Man, you are braver than any man I have ever seen". His face grew hard. "You are also more foolish. Only a very stupid ruler would allow a prisoner to leave at all. And you want to travel far away for an entire month! Back to the dungeon with you. There you will sit until the day of your death."
When Damon heard that Pythias had been denied his request, he too begged audience with the king.
"O Dionysius", he said, "I beg that you hear my petition. Let Pythias gonto his home to say goodbye to his parents. I will stand in his place until then. If he has not returned by the day appointed for his execution, I will be executed for him.
For a moment Dionysius was speechless. "Now I have seen a man even more foolish than Pythias", he said. "Yes, I will grant your request. But I am sure that you will never see your friend again. In one month you will die."
"Pythias will return", Damon answered confidently. "He is a friend whom I trust in everything."
So Damon was cast into the dungeon and Pythias was allowed to go free. He boarded the ship and sailed far away after weary day Damon sat in the dungeon, trusting his dear friend Pythias to return.
Finally, the day appointed for the execution arrived. Pythias had not returned, and Damon was summoned before the king. "Your friend has not returned!" Dionysius sneered. "What will you do now?"
" I am sure that he has been datained against his will", Damon replied stoutly. "He will come if he possibly can".
In the meantime, though, "Dionysius shouted, "you will go to the executioner!"
But just as Damon was being led to the executioner, he heard a clatter of hoofs and a familiar voice.
"Stop! Stop!" It was Pythias! "My ship was detained in a storm", he panted.
" I have done all I can to arrive in time. Do not allow Damon to die in my stead. I have returned." And he ran to Damon to take his place.
King Dionysius watched in amazement. "Halt!" He demanded of the executioner. "These men must go free. They have been nobler than I." He covered his face with hands and said, "I only wish that I could be worthy of such a friendship as the one that I see between Damon and Pythias".
*THE END*