The Mythology & Folklore Database
In the city of Aleppo there was a king. As mice abounded in that city, the people complained of them every day. One day, while the king was conversing with Avicenna, they touched upon the mice. The king said, "O Avicenna, everyone complains of these mice. Would that we could find some remedy for them that everyone might be at ease."
Avicenna answered, "I will make it happen that not a single one of them remain in this city. But with this condition, that you stand at the city gate, and beware, whatever wonder you see, that you not laugh."
The king consented and was glad. Straightway he ordered that they prepare his horse, and he mounted and went to the gate.
Avicenna, on his part, stood in a street and repeated a charm and called the mice. One of the mice came, and he caught it and killed it and put it in a coffin and made four mice bear that coffin. Then he repeated the charm and began to strike his hands one against the other; and these four mice began to march slowly along. And all the mice that were in the city attended that funeral, so that the streets were filled full of them. They came to the gate where the king was standing, some of them before the coffin and some of them behind. And while the king was looking on, he saw these mice with the coffin on their shoulders, and, unable to resist, he laughed. As soon as he laughed, the mice that were outside the gate all died, but those that were within the gate dispersed and ran off inside.
Avicenna said, "O king, if you had kept my counsel and not laughed, not a single mouse would have remained in this city, but all of them would have gone out and died. And everyone would have been at ease."
And the king repented of his having laughed. But what could he do? Repentance too late profits not.