Then the seventh Simon stepped back a little , cleared his throat , and said : ` My trade , King Archidej , is of such a kind that the man who follows it in your kingdom generally loses his life and has no hopes of pardon . There is only one thing I can do really well , and that is -- to steal , and to hide the smallest scrap of anything I have stolen . Not the deepest vault , even if its lock were enchanted , could prevent my stealing anything out of it that I wished to have . ' When the king heard this he fell into a passion . ' I will not pardon you , you rascal , ' he cried ; ' I will shut you up in my deepest dungeon on bread and water till you have forgotten such a trade . Indeed , it would be better to put you to death at once , and I 've a good mind to do so . ' ` Do n't kill me , O king ! I am really not as bad as you think . Why , had I chosen , I could have robbed the royal treasury , have bribed your judges to let me off , and built a white marble palace with what was left . But though I know how to steal I do n't do it . You yourself asked me my trade . If you kill me you will break your royal word . ' ` Very well , ' said the king , ' I will not kill you . I pardon you . But from this hour you shall be shut up in a dark dungeon . Here , guards ! away with him to the prison . But you six Simons follow me and be assured of my royal favour . ' So the six Simons followed the king . The seventh Simon was seized by the guards , who put him in chains and threw him in prison with only bread and water for food .
Next day the king gave the first XXXXX carpenters , masons , smiths and labourers , with great stores of iron , mortar , and the like , and Simon began to build .
Archidej Simon Simons death king kingdom left lock pardon stealing