A baroness, feeling despondent due to the rain, requests a story that is interesting yet not overly true. Clovis, a guest, begins recounting the tale of a young prince named Vespaluus, who lived in a time of religious conflict between Pagans and Christians. Vespaluus, favored by his uncle King Hkrikros, shocks the court by adopting Christianity, leading to a series of events that challenge the king's authority and beliefs. The king, a staunch Pagan, is furious at Vespaluus's conversion and attempts to correct his behavior through punishment. After a failed attempt to reason with him, the king decides on a public execution by bees, believing it to be a fittingly painful and spectacular end. However, the royal bee-keeper, sympathetic to Vespaluus, removes the stings from the bees, rendering them harmless. During the execution, Vespaluus is covered in bees but is unharmed, leading the crowd to believe a miracle has occurred. The king, frustrated by this turn of events, lashes out at the royal librarian for failing to manage the situation. Following the miraculous survival, Vespaluus is crowned king, and his supposed sanctity attracts many converts to Christianity. Despite the public's reverence, Vespaluus reveals to his chamberlain that he only pretended to convert to annoy his uncle and has no intention of abandoning the worship of the sacred serpents. The king's reign becomes a compromise between the two religions, with Vespaluus maintaining his Pagan practices privately while publicly embracing his role as a Christian saint. The story concludes with Vespaluus's continued success in sports and hunting, attributed to the serpents' favor, and his refusal to be officially canonized, despite the people's adoration. The baroness notes that the rain has stopped, signaling a return to normalcy after the tale.
By Saki · First published 1911 · Genre: Satire, Fantasy, Comedy