have no rest day or night until I had seen it with my own eyes. I shall
not leave the place now until thou hast unlocked the door.”
Then Faithful John saw that there was no help for it now, and with a
heavy heart and many sighs, sought out the key from the great bunch.
When he had opened the door, he went in first, and thought by standing
before him he could hide the portrait so that the King should not see
it in front of him, but what availed that? The King stood on tip-toe
and saw it over his shoulder. And when he saw the portrait of the
maiden, which was so magnificent and shone with gold and precious
stones, he fell fainting to the ground. Faithful John took him up,
carried him to his bed, and sorrowfully thought, “The misfortune has
befallen us, Lord God, what will be the end of it?” Then he
strengthened him with wine, until he came to himself again. The first
words the King said were, “Ah, the beautiful portrait! whose it it?”
“That is the princess of the Golden Dwelling,” answered Faithful John.
Then the King continued, “My love for her is so great, that if all the
leaves on all the trees were tongues, they could not declare it. I will
give my life to win her. Thou art my most Faithful John, thou must help
me.”
The faithful servant considered within himself for a long time how to
set about the matter, for it was difficult even to obtain a sight of
the King’s daughter. At length he thought of a way, and said to the
King, “Everything which she has about her is of gold—tables, chairs,
dishes, glasses, bowls, and household furniture. Among thy treasures
are five tons of gold; let one of the goldsmiths of the Kingdom work
these up into all manner of vessels and utensils, into all kinds of
birds, wild beasts and strange animals, such as may please her, and we
will go there with them and try our luck.”
The King ordered all the goldsmiths to be brought to him, and they had
to work night and day until at last the most splendid things were
prepared. When everything was stowed on board a ship, Faithful John put
on the dress of a merchant, and the King was forced to do the same in
order to make himself quite unrecognizable. Then they sailed across the
sea, and sailed on until they came to the town wherein dwelt the
princess of the Golden Dwelling.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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