There once lived, in a town no longer on the map, a very rich merchant and his son. The merchant was so rich that he could have paved a street with silver. When, after many happy years, he died, he left this great wealth to his son.
The father had been a good businessman who had saved wisely, but not so his son. The young man spent his money foolishly, and soon it was all gone.
When everybody found out how poor he was they ignored him, except one well-meaning friend who brought him an old trunk and advised him to pack up and leave the town.
Alone, the young man sat dejectedly on the trunk, and the next moment something unbelievable happened. The trunk lifted off the ground, straight through the open window, and soared high into the sky. Clinging tightly, the young man could see below him church spires, ships at sea, winding rivers and scurrying people who looked no bigger than insects.
Eventually the trunk glided softly to the ground right in front of a beautiful marble palace. Leaving the trunk hidden outside, the young man entered the palace. He was received by a rich sultan, who sat cross-legged upon a golden throne, for this was an eastern land. Impressed by the sultan's great wealth, the foolish young man began to boast about his own immense riches. Now the sultan had a beautiful daughter, who was enthralled by the young man's tales of his many travels. It was not very long before she fell in love with the handsome stranger, who promised to take her on wonderful journeys to far-off lands. One day the princess begged her father to allow her to marry the young man, and eventually he gave his permission.
The young man told his tales of countries far and wide to everyone, the courtiers at the palace, even the people in the street, and always the dark-eyed princess was by his side. He told tales of high mountains that he had seen, which were covered with ice all the year round, and to these people who knew only warmth he described the cold weather and the furs some people wore to keep warm.
At the palace the wedding preparations were almost finished. There were fine clothes of silks and satins, gold and silver goblets for the wedding toast, and fine rubies and emeralds for the bride to wear.
All this time people still listened to the young man's vain boasting, until they began to believe that he not only had great riches, but great powers too.
The day of the wedding finally arrived and the whole palace seemed to be bustling with things to do. A royal holiday was proclaimed and in the palace kitchens a magnificent feast was prepared. Also, as was a custom in this country, there were fireworks to light the skies and dancing girls and magicians to perform. At last, however, it was time for the marriage to take place.
At that moment, just as the young man was about to put his trunk in a safe place before the wedding ceremony began, a tiny spark fell from one of the many fireworks right on the trunk. Before his very eyes the young man saw it burn to the ground, until only ashes remained.
And all the young man's fine dreams were burnt with his trunk.
He had no choice but to leave the palace and his beautiful bride. After all, what did a poor man have to offer a sultan's daughter? And so the young man stole quietly out of the palace and left the country to wander for the rest of his life. The beautiful princess waited for his return, but her waiting was in vain and it was many years before she found happiness again.
The foolish young man never found happiness. He had wasted his opportunities when he squandered his inheritance instead of working hard and saving wisely as his father had done. Now he was always hungry. His shabby clothes hung in tatters on his thin body and he spent all his time traveling from one town to another, telling his stories in return for a piece of bread.
Whenever he went he always told the tales of his wonderful journeys to far-off lands, of the strange people that he had met and the unusual foods that he had eaten. He told of a magnificent sultan's palace with walls inlaid with gold, and carpets so beautiful that they took your breath away. And then he would tell of the sultan's daughter, whose hair was like black silk and whose eyes were like shining gems.
Sometime when he told of these things his face was sad as he remembered the joy that was nearly his. And, downcast, he would slowly get up and set out for the next town, always hoping for a little happiness. But this was something that he never found.
The father had been a good businessman who had saved wisely, but not so his son. The young man spent his money foolishly, and soon it was all gone.
When everybody found out how poor he was they ignored him, except one well-meaning friend who brought him an old trunk and advised him to pack up and leave the town.
Alone, the young man sat dejectedly on the trunk, and the next moment something unbelievable happened. The trunk lifted off the ground, straight through the open window, and soared high into the sky. Clinging tightly, the young man could see below him church spires, ships at sea, winding rivers and scurrying people who looked no bigger than insects.
Eventually the trunk glided softly to the ground right in front of a beautiful marble palace. Leaving the trunk hidden outside, the young man entered the palace. He was received by a rich sultan, who sat cross-legged upon a golden throne, for this was an eastern land. Impressed by the sultan's great wealth, the foolish young man began to boast about his own immense riches. Now the sultan had a beautiful daughter, who was enthralled by the young man's tales of his many travels. It was not very long before she fell in love with the handsome stranger, who promised to take her on wonderful journeys to far-off lands. One day the princess begged her father to allow her to marry the young man, and eventually he gave his permission.
The young man told his tales of countries far and wide to everyone, the courtiers at the palace, even the people in the street, and always the dark-eyed princess was by his side. He told tales of high mountains that he had seen, which were covered with ice all the year round, and to these people who knew only warmth he described the cold weather and the furs some people wore to keep warm.
At the palace the wedding preparations were almost finished. There were fine clothes of silks and satins, gold and silver goblets for the wedding toast, and fine rubies and emeralds for the bride to wear.
All this time people still listened to the young man's vain boasting, until they began to believe that he not only had great riches, but great powers too.
The day of the wedding finally arrived and the whole palace seemed to be bustling with things to do. A royal holiday was proclaimed and in the palace kitchens a magnificent feast was prepared. Also, as was a custom in this country, there were fireworks to light the skies and dancing girls and magicians to perform. At last, however, it was time for the marriage to take place.
At that moment, just as the young man was about to put his trunk in a safe place before the wedding ceremony began, a tiny spark fell from one of the many fireworks right on the trunk. Before his very eyes the young man saw it burn to the ground, until only ashes remained.
And all the young man's fine dreams were burnt with his trunk.
He had no choice but to leave the palace and his beautiful bride. After all, what did a poor man have to offer a sultan's daughter? And so the young man stole quietly out of the palace and left the country to wander for the rest of his life. The beautiful princess waited for his return, but her waiting was in vain and it was many years before she found happiness again.
The foolish young man never found happiness. He had wasted his opportunities when he squandered his inheritance instead of working hard and saving wisely as his father had done. Now he was always hungry. His shabby clothes hung in tatters on his thin body and he spent all his time traveling from one town to another, telling his stories in return for a piece of bread.
Whenever he went he always told the tales of his wonderful journeys to far-off lands, of the strange people that he had met and the unusual foods that he had eaten. He told of a magnificent sultan's palace with walls inlaid with gold, and carpets so beautiful that they took your breath away. And then he would tell of the sultan's daughter, whose hair was like black silk and whose eyes were like shining gems.
Sometime when he told of these things his face was sad as he remembered the joy that was nearly his. And, downcast, he would slowly get up and set out for the next town, always hoping for a little happiness. But this was something that he never found.
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