The Physician Douban and the King's Magic Polo Stick

Stories

The King's Illness and the Stranger

Long ago, in a city of white towers on the edge of Persia, there ruled a Greek king whose skin was covered with painful sores. The finest doctors in the land had tried every bitter potion and ointment they knew, but nothing helped, and the king had almost given up hope.

One morning, a stranger named Duban arrived at the palace. He spoke many languages and understood the secrets of every herb that grew between the mountains and the sea. Dressed in his best robe, he bowed before the throne.

Your Majesty, he said calmly, I can cure you without a single pill or cream. You need only trust me. The king raised an eyebrow. If you succeed, your family will never be poor again.

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The Polo Stick Cure

That night, Duban carved a polo stick and hollowed out its handle, filling it with a secret medicine. The next day, he handed it to the king. Play hard, he said, until your hand and your whole body are glowing with heat. The warmth will carry the remedy through your blood. Then bathe, sleep, and wait for morning."

So the king galloped across the field, striking the ball again and again, while his courtiers sent it flying back. When he was soaked with sweat, he returned to the palace and did exactly as he had been told. At sunrise, he stared at his arms in astonishment. His skin was smooth and healthy. The whole court cheered, and the king seated Dubin beside him, rewarding him with gold and silk.

The Vizier's Jealousy

But not everyone was pleased. The grand vizier, a greedy and jealous man, watched the physician with cold eyes. Soon, he asked to speak with the king in private. Majesty, he whispered, how can you trust this foreigner? Perhaps he plans to kill you.

The king laughed. Kill me? He has just saved my life. I can see your jealousy clearly. Be careful, my friend. Suspicion is a disease too, and no polo stick can cure it.