Saladin, whose valor was so great that he not only became from an
insignificant man Sultan of Babylon, but also gained many victories over
the Saracen and Christian kings, having in many wars and in his great
magnificence spent all his treasure, and on account of some trouble
having need of a great quantity of money, nor seeing where he should get
it quickly as he had need to, was reminded of a rich Jew whose name was
Melchisedech, who loaned at interest at Alexandria; and thinking to make
use of him if he could, though he was so avaricious that of his own
good-will he would do nothing, the Sultan, not wishing to compel him,
but driven by necessity, set himself to devise means by which the Jew
should satisfy him, and to find some manner of compelling him to do so
with a good pretext. Thus thinking, he called him, and receiving him
familiarly, said to him: "My good man, I hear from many here that you
are the wisest and in divine affairs the most profound of men, and on
that account I would like to know from you which of the three good
religions you consider the true one: the Jewish, the Saracenic, or the
Christian?" The Jew, who really was a wise man, saw too clearly that the
Sultan desired to catch him in his words in order to raise against him
some question, and decided not to praise any one of the religions more
than the other, so that the Sultan should not accomplish his purpose; on
account of which, as one who seemed to have need of a reply as to which
there could not be any reasoning, and his wits being sharpened, there
quickly came to him what he ought to say, and he said:--
"My lord, the question which you have put to me is important, and in
order to explain to you what I think, it is necessary to tell you a
fable which you will hear. If I do not mistake, I have heard tell many
times of a great and rich man who lived once, and who amongst other
jewels had a beautiful and valuable ring, the most precious in his
treasury, which on account of its value and its beauty he desired to
honor and to leave in perpetuity to his descendants; and he ordered that
that one of his sons to whom this ring should be left, as it had been to
him, should be considered his heir and be by all the others honored and
reverenced. The one to whom this ring should be left should give a
similar order to his descendants, and do as had done his predecessor. In
short, this ring went from hand to hand to many successors, and finally
came to the hands of one who had three sons, honest men, virtuous and
all obedient to their father, on which account he loved all three
equally; and the young men, who knew the custom of the ring, as each one
desired to be the most honored amongst them, each one to the utmost of
his power urged the father to leave the ring to him when death should
take him. The worthy man, who loved them all alike, not knowing himself
how to choose to whom he should leave it, decided, having promised each
one, to satisfy all three: and secretly ordered from a good workman two
others, which were so similar to the first that he himself who had made
them could scarcely tell which was the true one; and death approaching,
he secretly gave to each one of his sons his ring. After the death of
the father, each one wishing to enjoy the heritage and denying it to the
others, each produced a ring in evidence of his rights, and finding them
so similar that no one could tell which was the true one, the question
which was the real heir of the father remained undecided, and it is
still undecided. And so I say to you, my lord, of the three religions
given to the three people by God the Father, concerning which you put me
this question, that each one believes that he has as his heritage the
true law; but as it is with the three rings, the question is still quite
undecided."
Saladin, recognizing how this man had most cleverly escaped from the
trap which had been set before his feet, decided on that account to
expose to him his necessities and see if he was willing to help him; and
so he did, saying that which he had intended to say if the Jew had not
replied so wisely as he had done. The Jew freely accorded to Saladin
whatever he asked, and Saladin gave him entire security, and besides
that he gave him great gifts and retained him always as his friend, and
kept him in excellent and honorable condition always near to himself.