The five Simons took leave of the king, went on board, and had no
sooner set sail than they were almost out of sight. The ship cut
through the waters like a falcon through the air, and just a week after
starting sighted the Island of Busan. The coast appeared to be strongly
guarded, and from afar the watchman on a high tower called out: “Halt
and anchor! Who are you? Where do you come from, and what do you want?”
The seventh Simon answered from the ship: “We are peaceful people. We
come from the country of the great and good King Archidej, and we bring
foreign wares—rich brocades, carpets, and costly jewels, which we wish
to show to your king and the princess. We desire to trade—to sell, to
buy, and to exchange.”
The brothers launched a small boat, took some of their valuable goods
with them, rowed to shore and went up to the palace. The princess sat
in a rose-red room, and when she saw the brothers coming near she
called her nurse and other women, and told them to inquire who and what
these people were, and what they wanted.
The seventh Simon answered the nurse: “We come from the country of the
wise and good King Archidej,” said he, “and we have brought all sorts
of goods for sale. We trust the king of this country may condescend to
welcome us, and to let his servants take charge of our wares. If he
considers them worthy to adorn his followers we shall be content.”
This speech was repeated to the princess, who ordered the brothers to
be brought to the red-room at once. They bowed respectfully to her and
displayed some splendid velvets and brocades, and opened cases of
pearls and precious stones. Such beautiful things had never been seen
in the island, and the nurse and waiting women stood bewildered by all
the magnificence. They whispered together that they had never beheld
anything like it. The princess too saw and wondered, and her eyes could
not weary of looking at the lovely things, or her fingers of stroking
the rich soft stuffs, and of holding up the sparkling jewels to the
light.
“Fairest of princesses,” said Simon. “Be pleased to order your
waiting-maids to accept the silks and velvets, and let your women trim
their head-dresses with the jewels; these are no special treasures. But
permit me to say that they are as nothing to the many coloured
tapestries, the gorgeous stones and ropes of pearls in our ship. We did
not like to bring more with us, not knowing what your royal taste might
be; but if it seems good to you to honour our ship with a visit, you
might condescend to choose such things as were pleasing in your eyes.”
This polite speech pleased the princess very much. She went to the king
and said: “Dear father, some merchants have arrived with the most
splendid wares. Pray allow me to go to their ship and choose out what I
like.”
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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