Translation:The Three Princes of Serendip/Novella 4
Novella IV – Thursday
ONCE upon a time, in the ancient city of Babylon there was a Sultan, who had a son, named Rammo. His mother, the Sultana had died, after which his father took another wife. The young man noticed that she was passionately in love with his father's counselor, and had no regard for her honor nor for that of her husband. He began to investigate her, as cautiously as he could, being careful not to speak with anyone, for he was greatly concerned about his father's honor. One day, knowing that she had gone into the garden with the counselor, he followed them in secret. Hiding behind a bush he saw them near a small spring in the garden, lying down and carnally embracing each other. He was enraged, but did not know what to do. And as he wanted to come out from behind the bush, they saw him. They were in great fear that the young man would undoubtedly reveal their misdeed to his father, and they concluded jointly that they should accuse the young man of the crime they had committed.
So, after he had left the garden, they immediately returned to their dwellings in the palace. Since, it was already late, the Sultan called the counselor to discuss some affairs, and noticed that he looked pensive. "Please be truthful, and tell me what is on your mind," he said, "why are you sadder than usual?"
"Sire," replied the councilor, " I should not accuse anyone, for it does not befit my position with respect to you. But I know that I would greatly offend you and not be committed to your honor if I did not reveal a serious misdeed to you."
When the Sultan heard these words from his counselor, he insisted that he immediately tell him everything.
"If that is your wish," said the counselor, "I have to obey." You should therefore know, that I have noticed frequently that your son is greatly enamored of the Sultana. And very often, I have seen with my own eyes that in order to be intimate with her, he has relentlessly pursued her. And it was only yesterday when I observed a terrible quarrel between them about this. And to better ascertain this, you can go to the Sultana, and I am sure, when you ask her, she will immediately reveal to you everything I have seen, so that she does no longer has to suffer the insolence of this wicked young man.
And when the counselor had finished his account, the Sultan's heart was full of rage because of the offense his son had attempted to commit against him. He hurried to the room of his wife who started to cry incessantly and he asked for the reason of her sorrow. She pretended that she did not want to reveal it to him and asked him to leave her alone to let her remain in her miserable state. But the Sultan who had heard the reason for her distress from his counselor, comforted her with sweet words and asked her affectionately to tell him about her troubles. "Well, because, you command me," the guilty and malicious woman told him, "you should know Sire, that faith in anybody in this world is no longer possible. I will tell you momentarily about a grave misdeed, but God knows that I had resolved to forever remain silent about it out of respect for your honor and mine. But after you have ordered me to reveal my great misfortune to you, you should know that for several days I have been gravely molested by your perfidious and disloyal son. I had to consent to his dishonest desires and many times I had to fiercely fight with him. And yesterday when I entered the garden alone to comfort myself, I was attacked by the wicked young man who was hiding there behind a bush and God knows how difficult it was to escape from his hands. So, you should not be surprised that I am living a miserable and sorrowful life in constant anguish and bitter tears well up in me.”
Now, the Sultan had ascertained himself of the accusation by his counselor against the innocent young man through the words spoken by his malicious wife. He consoled her with many words and promised her that she would not be molested any more by his son for whatever reason.
And after he left her, he called for his counselor and ordered him that early the following morning his son should be beheaded. This sentence seemed rather cruel to the perfidious counselor, so he said, "Please, Sire, the revenge you wish to take against your son is too harsh and cruel, especially considering that he has not actually committed the impious and dishonest act which he intended. So, it seems to me that he will be punished severely for his wickedness if he will be banished from your country into perpetual exile.”
While the Sultan at first could not approve this advice since he was burning with rage and fury, after the disloyal counselor had persuaded him with many words; in the end, he consented.
And the following morning, he made his innocent son understand that in eight days’ time he had to be outside his country and commanded him, under penalty of death, never to return.
So, the young man realized that he had been seen by the wicked counselor and the guilty Sultana when he was leaving the garden and knew that they were responsible for his misadventure. He took with him some jewels and rings and left his father's realm without delay. Walking very melancholically, he reached in seven days a village which was ruled by another prince. There he found three young wayfarers and joined up with them.
And the next morning when they were all on their way, they had a long conversation and the Sultan's son found out that one of the wayfarers said that he had a secret by which he could see anyone while no one could see him. And from the second he learned, that he knew another secret. He could command all the devils to run to his service whenever he wished. And from the third one he learned, that whenever he spoke some words he knew, his appearance became similar to any other he wanted, and when he spoke some other words, he could make anyone he wished fall asleep. But because he could hardly believe the things, they had told him, he said to them, "how can I be persuaded that what you have told me is true since you have not presented me with any evidence?”
The wayfarers then answered, "you will believe it, if we will show you what we have said." And immediately they presented proof of all three of the things they had told him. The young man greatly admired this but he told them that since these practices were highly deceptive, it would be good if they forgot them and no longer applied them. To this they replied that they did not apply these practices, except when they wanted to avenge abuse they had received.
"Now, because I know," he replied to them, "that revenge is mostly done for convenience and gain, you should abandon your magic practices entirely. I will make you a gift so that you won't need money in the future." And he took most of the jewels of the shoulder bag which he had carried with him and divided them equally among the wayfarers. He made them promise that they would never practice their magic again. And so, they would not suspect that he had stolen the jewels somewhere, he told them whose son he was, his misadventure and the betrayal by the perfidious counselor and the malicious Sultana. They were very surprised by this and knowing from his appearance that he truly was the son of a great prince, they expressed gratitude for the gifts he had made them. In order for him to better be able to avenge his betrayal all three taught him their magic skills. And he made them promise that they would not avail themselves of these, not even partially, in the future.
Now that the young man had learned the three magic skills, he knew that with these he could avenge the perfidious counselor and his wicked stepmother. He remained with the three wayfarers for several days and after he gained more experience with the magic skills, he took leave from them and departed. And because he wanted to begin to take revenge and to demonstrate his innocence to his father, he used the secret by which the devils would come to his service. He retained a single one of them and dismissed all the others. He ordered him to lead him to the city of his father the evening of the same day.
He obeyed him without delay and brought him to the city of the Sultan in front of the palace. He stayed the night at the home of an old woman. Then the following morning he got up early and used another secret; he left the house and saw everybody while nobody saw him. He entered the palace of the Sultan at the hour of the audience. He saw his father who was talking to the wicked counselor. So, burning with anger, he asked the devil who was at his service to slap the counselor twice in the face. Upon the command he struck him on the face so fiercely that he fell on the ground. And when with the help of those around him he rose to his feet, the spirit beat him once again so vehemently that he remained unconscious for some time.
That incident was very painful in the presence of the Sultan who loved his counselor. So, he asked his ministers that he should be carried immediately to his residence. He then called the best physicians of the city and discussed with them at length the accident with the counselor. He was led to believe that the illness of his counselor had been caused by an excess of humors or other bodily indispositions and they ended up giving him a potion which they believed could rid him of his illness.
But because the young man continued to be present at this conclusion, unseen by anyone, he ordered the spirit to beat the counselor fiercely after he had drunk the potion.
So, when the physicians brought the potion early the next day and the counselor had drunk it, he was so severely struck by the spirit on the face in their presence that nearly everything came out of his nose. One cannot describe how annoyed and weary the Sultan was as well as his wife who loved the counselor immensely.
But the young man was not satisfied and he wanted to avenge himself more severely for the abuse he received. He dressed himself in some feminine clothing and made his face up so that he resembled an old woman. She went to the residence of the counselor and talked to the women, telling them that she had heard of the nature of the illness of the sick man and that she had come to assure them that she wanted to help him in whatever way possible to get rid of it. They were somewhat consoled by these words and brought her in front of the counselor and she discussed with him for a good while the nature of his illness and all the other accidents that had occurred to him and she gave him great hope that she possessed the secret to heal him within a single day. He pleaded affectionately with her and promised great gifts if she got rid of his illness. But since it was already late, she left, and said that she would return early the next morning. So, the whole family of the counselor was somewhat relieved and awaited eagerly the following day.
Now, the son of the Sultan came at the agreed upon time, in the form of the old woman in front of the counselor. He had brought with him a small branding iron, which he showed him. "Sir," he said, "this iron, which you see, will completely restore your health to its previous state without any other potion."
And he gave the order to lit a fire. "It is necessary," he added, "that you let each of your buttocks be branded, and if you are not completely free of your ailment, I shall be severely punished as a guilty and malicious woman.
The counselor replied that letting his buttocks be branded would cause him much reproach, but in order to be rid of his ailment he would be happy to suffer this and even greater pain.
So, the young man placed the branding iron into the fire and when it was well heated, he placed one mark on each of the buttocks of the counselor. He ordered the spirit immediately that he should no longer strike him. He asked to leave and said that he would return in eight days. At the end of this period the counselor would be sure whether the remedy had benefitted him.
When he returned to the residence of the counselor in his usual disguise, he found him healthy and happy, and he was showered with great gifts by him. And because it seemed to the counselor that he would be condemned if it became known that he had been branded on his buttocks, he begged the old woman dearly, not to speak with anyone about the cure she had used for him. After he received the old woman as if she were his mother, he wanted her to have long conversations with his wife and daughters, and he showed her all his most precious possessions. But since the young man had decided that he had to avenge himself against the counselor in every way possible, he used the other secret by which he could see others without he himself being seen by them. He entered not once but several times the rooms of the young daughters of the counselor and had repeated carnal knowledge with the three of them. But he always returned to his own room early in the morning. But the young girls told each other what had happened to them and while the game was not unpleasant, nevertheless when they told their mother about it, it was immeasurably painful to her and she revealed the disaster straightaway to her husband.
He thought that this could be a devil, and he sent for the old woman, who had cured him, and who was the lover of his daughters. Having told of his misadventure, the counselor asked her kindly that since she was able to rid him of his severe ailment, if she could also find a remedy for this new misfortune.
But after Rammo replied that if he first spoke with his daughters, they would not likely be further harassed, the counselor let them withdraw in a room with the old woman. After they related what had happened to them, he told the counselor that the spirit who had mistreated his daughters, was actually a young man who possessed a secret which allowed him to act without being seen by anyone. He could enter the room of the young women whenever he liked, and enjoy lovemaking with them. He added that he would also be able to immediately find a remedy against that.
When the counselor asked him dearly to do so, Rammo called the young women together with him and wrote a few words on a piece of paper which he gave them, ordering that if they were molested at night by anyone, to light a great fire in the room and throw the paper in there. This would enable them to truly see who was molesting them.
Afterwards he left them and before the night had arrived, he returned to the room of the daughters using the secret that he could not be seen by anyone. As soon as they went to bed, he moved in among them as was his habit. Noticing that, they got out of bed and made a great fire in which they threw the piece of paper with the words written by the old woman. Then they saw Rammo whom they did not know to be the son of the Sultan. They tied him up and brought him to the room of their father. With the secret he knew, he changed his face when he entered the room of the counselor who did not recognize him.
Since he wanted to assault him, Rammo approached the devil who was his constant companion and ordered him to slap the counselor forcefully on the face. He followed the command quickly and slapped him so vigorously that he fell down. He therefore retired in pain to his bed. He believed that it was not the spirit from which the old woman had liberated him but the young man who had beaten him. And he gave his servants the order to behead him early in the next morning. So, the servants took him from the hands of the counselor's daughters and led him to another room nearby, to carry out the order of their master. When they arrived Rammo used the secret which put them to sleep, and when they had fallen asleep, he cut the hair and beards of the servants and went back to his room.
Then, at dawn the counselor went to the place where his servants were. And he found them all discouraged and sorrowful because their hair and beards had been cut off. The counselor was very surprised and asked them if they had killed the evildoer. After he had heard the whole story, he became very confused and sorrowful and left them. He immediately sent for the old woman and told her of his misfortune.
“Truly,” Rammo told him, “Now, I know, sir, that this is the collaborative work of man and of spirit; but do not doubt that with some of my prayers I nevertheless hope that I will soon be able to free you from your troubles." And he commanded the spirit that he no longer had to beat him, and he also did not trouble his daughters for many days.
Thereupon the counselor became very tranquil and completely forgot his last misadventure. And once again he started to enjoy himself amorously with the Sultana. Rammo became greatly enraged when he observed this and he ordered the spirit to go to the counselor's quarters the following night and bring the most beautiful of his daughters to his bed. The spirit immediately obeyed Rammo and brought the most beautiful of the counselor's daughters to his bed. She was very frightened by what happened. “Don’t be frightened,” Rammo said to her, “because I am a man, and I passionately love you, and you have to know that I am Rammo, the Sultan's son. Therefore, you should not so proudly complain for finding me at your side."
She responded that whoever he might be, she did not want to consent to him in any way. "After all," Rammo said to her, "know that I am passionately in love with you and I shall respect your honor. I gladly accept you as a lady and I promise you by my faith that you will become my wife. But reveal this to no one else without my consent." These words pleased the young woman and she embraced him and greatly delighted in spending the night with him.
Then, in the morning he got up early and told the young woman not to go out until he had returned. He assumed his usual form of the old woman and went to the palace of the counselor. On the way he met a messenger who had been sent, looking for him. As he came into his presence, the counselor said, "My mother, you know how many disasters have occurred to me in the course of a few days, and that thanks to your great kindness, you have always liberated me of them." But now a disaster greater than all the others has occurred to me because last night, not my possessions but one of my daughters was taken away from me. So, only God knows in how much trouble my wife and I find ourselves in. If you could free us from this misfortune as you have liberated us from others in the past, we would be willing to give you a thousand scudi.
To which Rammo replied that for no amount of gold but out of love would their daughter immediately be rediscovered. And after taking leave, he returned home. And with his secret he put the young woman to sleep, and ordered the spirit that, when night came, he should take her to her father's house. The next morning, when the counselor heard from his other daughters that their sister had been found again, one could not describe how much consolation and contentment this brought him.
Immediately, he had the old woman come to him and he said, "Truly, my mother, I know and openly confess that I owe you the life, honor and health of my whole household, and therefore, because of my great obligations to you, I offer you wholeheartedly anything that I can do for you."
Rammo thanked him many times and said, "I don't wish to accept anything but your good grace and love, because I am certain, because of your great courtesy towards me, that anytime when I should have a need you would promptly attend to it." And with these words she asked for leave and departed.
Now, after several days had passed without any other troubles, and he had forgotten again the tragic misfortunes that had happened to him, the counselor returned to his old game with the evil Sultana. Rammo, who had not stopped thinking about it, noticed this, and fiercely indignant, he became very angry. "Now it is time to act," he said to himself, "and take complete and firm revenge upon this wicked, perfidious counselor who had brought so much dishonor to the Sultan, his father. And he did not want to let anything whatever it may be, shake his resolve. And he left the house in his usual form of the old woman and met a rather poor elderly man whom he approached and befriended and invited several times to his home for a meal. One day he talked with him about his poverty.
Rammo said, "Brother, because I see how great your need is, I want to teach you something, which I can assure you, that if you can do it will make you very rich in a single day. The good man thanked Rammo greatly for this and asked him kindly to teach him this secret. "You know," Rammo said, "that the Sultan is in the habit of having a weekly public audience on Thursday for everybody, where his counselor is always present. Then, when you are at the tribunal of the Lord, you will say in a loud voice to the counselor that while he is close to the Sultan in a high and honored rank, he is really your slave and that you find yourself out of luck and you would want him, not to forget you, his master, as it is his duty to help you.
And because he will make fun of you and try to drive you out of the tribunal for these words, you turn to the Sultan and you will say, "Sire, I demand justice, and ask you that you will not allow that your counselor whose master I really am has made me suffer so gravely as a reward for the many skills that I have taught him during childhood from the time that I bought him on the slave market. These skills have enabled him to obtain an honorable rank from you. As I find myself now in a poor condition and I ask him for some help, he shamefully drives me away from your presence. And if you happen not to believe me that it is true what I am telling you and that he is my slave, I will give you this signal that as soon as I bought him, I made him a Muslim and I marked him on the buttocks with a branding iron. And if this is otherwise, I will be happy to die by whatever harsh death you choose."
Rammo told the good man: "After you speak these words the counselor will come to you for I marked his buttocks with the branding iron with my own hands when a few days ago he and I were alone in a room together. When he hears you tell the truth he will want to escape the shame of baring his buttocks to the magistrate. And in the hope that you will go away and no longer shame him, you will be richly paid before you leave, I assure you of that.”
So, the good old man was immeasurably happy and cheerful, and he presented himself to the tribunal in front of the Sultan and did everything that the old woman had instructed him to do. The counselor turned red out of shame and called the old man aside in order to end his testimonial and dismissed him with a large sum of money. But he quickly forgot his shame and he returned to indulging himself with the Sultana whom he passionately loved.
Having noticed the most recent incident, Rammo could no longer tolerate his insolence, and he decided to tell the Sultan everything. So, disguised as the old woman, he requested a secret audience for early the next morning and presented himself to the Sultan and he said, "Sire, because as your good vassal I must safeguard your honor no less than my own. I have discovered a great betrayal from your counselor which I have witnessed many times and I have decided to reveal everything immediately to you so that you can get rid of this guilty and malicious minister. Therefore, you must know that the Sultana, your wife, is at this very hour lying in bed with this disloyal counselor, and they are enjoying themselves in amorous play. I have observed this many times. But, nevertheless, I could not persuade myself to dare to reveal this misdeed to you until now that I have ascertained that the guilty woman which I saw with the counselor was the Sultana. So that you won't believe that I am lying to you, come with me and I can let you see everything with your own eyes.
Guided by Rammo, the Sultan was led to a part of the palace where in a luxurious bed in a small room the wicked counselor and the guilty woman were in a close embrace.
Seeing this, the Sultan was gripped by indignation and burning with anger, he decided to severely avenge himself for this misdeed. But because he very much doubted that the old woman hadn't revealed this to anyone else, he dearly begged her that she should stay with him until the counselor and his wife would have met a cruel death. He ordered that she should be guarded in a room near his own.
But to Rammo it now seemed to be the time to let his father know that he had been wrongly exiled from his country. He asked those who guarded him to arrange for an audience with the Sultan, and he presented himself as the old woman in front of him and had all others dismissed while only the two of them remained. So, when he had let his father know that he was Rammo, his son, and had thrown off the disguise, with which he had appeared in front of him, and returned as himself, he was immediately recognized by him. He told him the story from the beginning and the secrets that he had learned from the three wayfarers, and reminded him of the false accusation by the disloyal counselor and the malicious Sultana. After he had told him of the many punishments, he had given the wicked man using the secrets, he begged his father to spare their lives and banish him and the Sultana from his realm. Especially since he had promised to take the counselor's daughter for his wife, he implored him also not to want to turn her life into a perpetual state of weeping about the death of her father.
When Rammo had spoken these words, the Sultan could not contain the sweet tears and embraced him tightly. His heart was filled with burning resentment against the counselor and the Sultana, but nevertheless he left the revenge entirely up to the judgment of his son.
He immediately banished the counselor and the malicious Sultana from his father's realm and took away their wealth. The wedding was solemnly celebrated. And not long thereafter his father passed away and he became the master of the land and lived a long, peaceful and happy life.
Beramo was extremely pleased with the manner in which Rammo took revenge on the disloyal, and perfidious counselor, and on the wicked Sultana, who had them accused for their crime to his father, for which they were severely punished.
And after he had somewhat discussed the wickedness with his barons, he ordered that the next day, which was Friday, they should go to the fifth palace which was completely decorated in green and that the court should dress in the same color.
This order was carried out by all. And at the third hour they all arrived there. He entertained himself for a good while with the damsel who was there, and enjoyed some delicious food. He then had the fifth storyteller come to him. He knew the reason why he was called, and after having greeted the Emperor reverently, he began as follows: