merve/folk-mythology-tales · Datasets at Hugging Face

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The nobles, courtiers and counsellors said nothing, but tried to hide
behind each other. Then the third Simon said:

'Pardon me, your Majesty, if I offer my advice. You wish to go to the
Island of Busan? What can be easier? In my ship you will get there in a
week instead of in ten years. But ask your council to advise you what
to do when you arrive--in one word, whether you will win the princess
peacefully or by war?'

But the wise men were as silent as ever.

The king frowned, and was about to say something sharp, when the Court
Fool pushed his way to the front and said: 'Dear me, what are all you
clever people so puzzled about? The matter is quite clear. As it seems
it will not take long to reach the island why not send the seventh
Simon? He will steal the fair maiden fast enough, and then the king,
her father, may consider how he is going to bring his army over here--it
will take him ten years to do it!---no less! What do you think of my
plan?'

'What do I think? Why, that your idea is capital, and you shall be
rewarded for it. Come, guards, hurry as fast as you can and bring the
seventh Simon before me.'

Not many minutes later, Simon the seventh stood before the king, who
explained to him what he wished done, and also that to steal for the
benefit of his king and country was by no means a wrong thing, though it
was very wrong to steal for his own advantage.

The youngest Simon, who looked very pale and hungry, only nodded his
head.

'Come,' said the king, 'tell me truly. Do you think you could steal the
Princess Helena?'

'Why should I not steal her, sire? The thing is easy enough. Let my
brother's ship be laden with rich stuffs, brocades, Persian carpets,
pearls and jewels. Send me in the ship. Give me my four middle brothers
as companions, and keep the two others as hostages.'

When the king heard these words his heart became filled with longing,
and he ordered all to be done as Simon wished. Every one ran about to do
his bidding; and in next to no time the wonder-ship was laden and ready
to start.

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.'

The king thought and thought, frowned hard and rubbed his ear. At last
he gave consent, and ordered out his royal yacht, with 100 cross-bows,
100 knights, and 1,000 soldiers, to escort the Princess Helena.

Off sailed the yacht with the princess and her escort. The brothers

The nobles, courtiers and counsellors said nothing, but tried to hide

behind each other. Then the third Simon said:

'Pardon me, your Majesty, if I offer my advice. You wish to go to the

Island of Busan? What can be easier? In my ship you will get there in a

week instead of in ten years. But ask your council to advise you what

to do when you arrive--in one word, whether you will win the princess

peacefully or by war?'

But the wise men were as silent as ever.

The king frowned, and was about to say something sharp, when the Court

Fool pushed his way to the front and said: 'Dear me, what are all you

clever people so puzzled about? The matter is quite clear. As it seems

it will not take long to reach the island why not send the seventh

Simon? He will steal the fair maiden fast enough, and then the king,

her father, may consider how he is going to bring his army over here--it

will take him ten years to do it!---no less! What do you think of my

plan?'

'What do I think? Why, that your idea is capital, and you shall be

rewarded for it. Come, guards, hurry as fast as you can and bring the

seventh Simon before me.'

Not many minutes later, Simon the seventh stood before the king, who

explained to him what he wished done, and also that to steal for the

benefit of his king and country was by no means a wrong thing, though it

was very wrong to steal for his own advantage.

The youngest Simon, who looked very pale and hungry, only nodded his

head.

'Come,' said the king, 'tell me truly. Do you think you could steal the

Princess Helena?'

'Why should I not steal her, sire? The thing is easy enough. Let my

brother's ship be laden with rich stuffs, brocades, Persian carpets,

pearls and jewels. Send me in the ship. Give me my four middle brothers

as companions, and keep the two others as hostages.'

When the king heard these words his heart became filled with longing,

and he ordered all to be done as Simon wished. Every one ran about to do

his bidding; and in next to no time the wonder-ship was laden and ready

to start.

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.'

The king thought and thought, frowned hard and rubbed his ear. At last

he gave consent, and ordered out his royal yacht, with 100 cross-bows,

100 knights, and 1,000 soldiers, to escort the Princess Helena.

Off sailed the yacht with the princess and her escort. The brothers