The judges were inclined to give the prize to the soldier.  But the king took up the discourse and said:  “The action of the soldier, and those of the other two, are doubtless very great, but they have nothing in them surprising.  Yesterday Zadig performed an action that filled me with wonder.  I had a few days before disgraced Coreb, my minister and favorite.  I complained of him in the most violent and bitter terms; all my courtiers assured me that I was too gentle and seemed to vie with each other in speaking ill of Coreb.  I asked Zadig what he thought of him, and he had the courage to commend him.  I have read in our histories of many people who have atoned for an error by the surrender of their fortune; who have resigned a mistress; or preferred a mother to the object of their affection; but never before did I hear of a courtier who spoke favorably of a disgraced minister that labored under the displeasure of his sovereign.  I give to each of those whose generous actions have been now recited twenty thousand pieces of gold; but the cup I give to Zadig.”

“May it please your majesty,” said Zadig, “thyself alone deservest the cup; thou hast performed an action of all others the most uncommon and meritorious, since, notwithstanding thy being a powerful king, thou wast not offended at thy slave when he presumed to oppose thy passion.”  The king and Zadig were equally the object of admiration.  The judge, who had given his estate to his client; the lover, who had resigned his mistress to a friend; and the soldier, who had preferred the safety of his mother to that of his mistress, received the king’s presents and saw their names enrolled in the catalogue of generous men.  Zadig had the cup, and the king acquired the reputation of a good prince, which he did not long enjoy.  The day was celebrated by feasts that lasted longer than the law enjoined; and the memory of it is still preserved in Asia.  Zadig said, “Now I am happy at last;” but he found himself fatally deceived.

THE MINISTER

The king had lost his first minister and chose Zadig to supply his place.  All the ladies in Babylon applauded the choice; for since the foundation of the empire there had never been such a young minister.  But all the courtiers were filled with jealousy and vexation.  The envious man in particular was troubled with a spitting of blood and a prodigious inflammation in his nose.  Zadig, having thanked the king and queen for their goodness, went likewise to thank the parrot.  “Beautiful bird,” said he, “’tis thou that hast saved my life and made me first minister.  The queen’s spaniel and the king’s horse did me a great deal of mischief; but thou hast done me much good.  Upon such slender threads as these do the fates of mortals hang!  But,” added he, “this happiness perhaps will vanish very soon.”

“Soon,” replied the parrot.

Zadig was somewhat startled at this word.  But as he was a good natural philosopher and did not believe parrots to be prophets, he quickly recovered his spirits and resolved to execute his duty to the best of his power.