There was once a prince who was going to visit his lady-love, the only
daughter of a neighbouring king; and as he required the services of an
attendant, he sent for his barber, who was known in the town for his
very good behaviour, as well as for his eccentric ways.
“Pablo,” said the prince, “I want you to go with me to Granada to assist
me on my journey. I will reward you handsomely, and you shall lack for
nothing in the way of food. But you must don my livery, salute me in the
fashion of Spain, hold my stirrup when I mount, and do everything that
is required of a servant. Above all, you must not let me oversleep
myself, for otherwise I shall be late in arriving at Granada.”
“Sir,” answered the barber, “I will be as true to you as the dog was to
St. Dominic. When you are sleeping I will be on guard, and when you are
awake I will see that no harm approaches you; but I beg you not to be
annoyed with me if, in trying to be of service to you, I do unwillingly
cause you any annoyance.”
“Good Pablo,” continued the prince, “say no more, but return to your
shop, pack up your linen, and come here as soon as you can this evening.
If I am in bed when you arrive, you will know that it is because I must
get up to-morrow morning by five o’clock, and see to it that you let me
not sleep beyond that time.”
Pablo hurried home, packed up his few articles of underclothing, and
then proceeded to the principal wine tavern to tell his friends of his
good fortune. They were all so pleased to hear of Pablo’s good luck that
they drank to his health, and he returned the compliment so often that
at last the wine was beginning to tell on him, so he bid his friends
good-bye and left, saying to himself, “I must wake his highness at five
o’clock.” This he kept repeating so often that he had arrived at the
large courtyard of the palace before he was aware of it.
The prince’s bedroom looked into the courtyard, and Pablo saw by the dim
light that was burning in the room that the prince had retired to rest.
Afraid lest the prince should think he had forgotten all about awaking
him, and that he might therefore be keeping awake, Pablo seized a long
cane, with which he tapped at the window of the prince, and kept on
tapping until the prince appeared, and opened the window, shouting out—
“Who is there? Who wants me?”
“It is I,” said Pablo. “I have not forgotten your orders; to-morrow
morning I will wake your highness at five.”
“Very good, Pablo; but let me sleep awhile, or else I shall be tired
to-morrow.”
As soon as the prince had disappeared Pablo commenced thinking over all
the princes of whom he had heard, and he had become so interested in the
subject that when he heard the cock crow, imagining it was daybreak, he
again seized the cane and tapped loudly at the window.