Chapter 2

These words were scarcely uttered when he became so handsome and intelligent that everybody wondered. After this, Emelian sent one of his servants to the king, to invite him and all his ministers to the palace. The messenger of Emelian rode to the king over that same crystal bridge which the fool had built. On his arrival at court the ministers presented him to the king, whom the messenger addressed in this manner:

“Gracious sir, I am sent by my master with his humble compliments to invite you to dinner.”

“Who is thy master?” demanded the king.

But the messenger replied:

“I cannot tell you, gracious sir, anything of my master” (for the fool had forbidden him to say who he was); “but after you have dined together he will give you a full account of himself.”

The king, filled with curiosity to know who it could be that invited him to dinner, told the messenger that he would come without fail; and the messenger forthwith returned. Scarcely had he arrived when the king, with all his ministers, came riding over the bridge to dine with the fool. On the arrival of the king at the palace Emelian went out to meet him, took him by the hand white as snow, kissed him on the mouth sweet as sugar, and leading him into his palace of white marble, set him down to the oaken table to the feast of sweet things and mead; and the king and his ministers, sitting at the table, drank, ate, and were merry. Now when they got up from table, and sat in their places, the fool said to the king:

“Gracious sir; do you know me, and who I am?”

But as Emelian was then in a splendid dress, and moreover as his face was very handsome, it was impossible to recognise him. Therefore the king said that he did not know him. But the fool said to him:

“Gracious sir, do you not remember how a certain fool came driving to your court on a petsch, and how you shut him up with your daughter in a barrel, which you covered over with pitch, and cast out upon the sea? Know now that I am that very same Emelian.”

The king, seeing that it was the fool who was now before him, was very much frightened, and did not know what to do. But the fool at that moment went for the princess, and led her before the king. The king on seeing his daughter was very much delighted, and said to the fool:

“I have sinned grievously against you; I therefore give you my daughter as a wife.”

The fool, on hearing these words, most humbly thanked the king; and as Emelian had everything ready for the marriage, it was celebrated that day with great magnificence. On the next day the fool gave a magnificent banquet to all the ministers, whilst for the common people hogsheads were brought out, full of all kinds of drinks. When the rejoicing was over the king offered to resign his kingdom to him, but he refused to accept it. Thereupon the king returned to his dominions. But the fool remained in his palace, and lived in great happiness and prosperity.

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LONDON Printed for THOMAS J. WISE, Hampstead, N.W. _Edition limited to Thirty Copies_.