“Please your majesty, I can tell you nothing about my master, but if you
come to dine with him he will inform you himself.”
The king, who was curious to know who it was who had sent to invite him,
told the messenger that he would come without fail.
The servant went away, and when he got home the king and his ministers
set out along the crystal bridge to visit the fool. When they arrived at
the castle, Emelyan came forth to meet the king, took him by the white
hands, kissed him on the mouth, led him into his castle, and made him
sit behind the oak tables, with fine diapered table-cloths, at
sugar-meats and honey-drinks. The king and his ministers ate and drank,
and made themselves merry. When they got up from table and retired, the
fool said to the king—
“Does your majesty know who I am?”
As Emelyan was now dressed in fine clothes, and was very handsome, it
was not possible to recognise him; so the king said that he did not know
him. Then said the fool—
“Does not your majesty recollect how a fool came on a stove to your
court, and how you fastened him up in a pitched cask with your daughter,
and cast them into the sea? Know me then now, for I am that Emelyan.”
When the king saw him thus before him, he was greatly terrified, and
knew not what to do. But the fool went to the king’s daughter, and
brought her out to him. When the king saw her he was very pleased, and
said—
“I have been very unjust towards you, so I give you my daughter for your
wife.”
Hearing that, Emelyan thanked the king, and when he had prepared
everything for the wedding, it was celebrated with great magnificence,
and the following day Emelyan gave a feast to the ministers and to the
common people. There were barrels of wine set forth; and when all these
festivities were at an end, the king wanted to give up his kingdom to
him, but Emelyan had no mind to take it. So the king went back to his
kingdom, and Emelyan remained in his castle, and lived happily.
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