The Book of Ser Marco Polo : vol.1 / Page 269 (Color Image)

0269	The Book of Ser Marco Polo : vol.1

CONTEMPORARY RECOGNITION

I27

taking the name of Bauduin, to whom he expresses his

fear of the Viex de la Montagne with his Hauts-Assis,

telling anew the story of the Assassin's Paradise, and so

enlarges on the beauty of Ivorine that Bauduin is smitten,

and his love heals his malady. Toleration is not learned

however :

" Bauduins, li Califes, fist baptisier sa gent,

Et qui ne voilt Dieu crore, li teste on li pourfent !" P. 35o.

The Caliph gives up his kingdom to Bauduin, proposing

to follow him to the Wars of Syria. And Bauduin presents the

Kingdom to the Cobler.

Bauduin, the Caliph, and Prince Polibans then proceed to

visit the Mountain of the Old Man. The Caliph professes to

him that they want help against Godfrey of Bouillon. The

Viex says he does not give a bouton for Godfrey ; he will send

one of his Hauts-Assis straight to his tent, and give him a great

knife of steel between fie etpoumon !

After dinner they go out and witness the feat of devotion

which we have quoted elsewhere.* They then see the Paradise

and the lovely Ivorine, with whose beauty Bauduin is struck

dumb. The lady had never smiled before ; now she declares

that he for whom she had long waited was come. Bauduin

exclaims :

" ` Madame, fu-jou chou qui sui le vous soubgis ?'

Quant la puchelle Pot, lors li geta. j. ris ;

Et li dist : ` Bauduins, vous estes mes amis ! '" Pp. 362-363.

•

The Old One is vexed, but speaks pleasantly to his daughter,

who replies with frightfully bad language, and declares herself

to be a Christian. The father calls out to the Caliph to kill

her. The Caliph pulls out a big knife and gives him a blow

that nearly cuts him in two. The amiable Ivorine says she

will go with Bauduin :

" ` Sé mes pères est mors, n'en donne. j. paresis !' " P. 364.

We need not follow the story further, as I did not trace

beyond this point any distinct derivation from our Traveller,

with the exception of that allusion to the incombustible cover-

* Vol. i. p. 144.

National Institute of Informatics - Digital Silk Road Project
Digital Archive of Toyo Bunko Rare Books