“Why are you sad, my king?” the fool asked.
“You I can tell, because you are nothing but a fool. I am sad because I have no friend,” the king replied.
“I will be your friend,” the fool said.
“A king cannot be friends with a fool," the king said. "Only another king as great and wise as me can be my friend, and I do not know of any such king.” The fool sat thinking for a while at the steps of the throne. Then he jumped to his feet and smiled at the king.
“I know of such king!” the fool said.
“You do?” the king asked surprised.
From his sack the fool took out a mirror, which he handed to the king.
“Here is your friend! He is just as great and wise as you are."
"Goodbye,” the fool said and waved his hand at the king. But the king was so taken by his friend that he had already forgotten about the fool.
