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| The Book of Ser Marco Polo : vol.1 |
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Citation Information
CHAP. VII. THE MIRACLE OF THE MOUNTAIN
69
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it
bore the Christians like malice. And, indeed, it is a
fact, that the whole body of Saracens throughout the
world are always most malignantly disposed towards the
whole body of Christians.
Now it happened that the Calif, with those shrewd
priests of his, got hold of that passage in our Gospel
which says, that if a Christian had faith as a grain of
mustard seed, and should bid a mountain be removed,
it would be removed. And such indeed is the truth.
But when they had got hold of this text they were de-
lighted, for it seemed to them the very thing whereby
either to force all the Christians to change their faith, or
to bring destruction upon them all. The Calif therefore
called together all the Christians in his territories, who
were extremely numerous. And when they had come
before him, he showed them the Gospel, and made them
read the text which I have mentioned. And when they
had read it he asked them if that was the truth ? The
Christians answered that it assuredly was so. " Well,"
said the Calif, " since you say that it is the truth, I will
give you a choice. Among such a number of you there
must needs surely be this small amount of faith ; so you
must either move that mountain there," and he pointed
to a mountain in the neighbourhood—" or you shall die
an ill death ; unless you choose to eschew death by all
becoming Saracens and adopting our Holy Law. To
this end I give you a respite of ten days ; if the thing
be not done by that time, ye shall die or become
Saracens." And when he had said this he dismissed
them, to consider what was to be done in this strait
wherein they were.
NOTE I.—The date in the G. Text and Pauthier is 1275, which of course cannot have been intended. Ramusio has 1225.
[The Khalifs in 1225 were Abu'1 Abbas Ahmed VII. en-Nassir lidini 'llah 018°- 1225) and Abu Nasr Mohammed IX. ed-Dhahir bi-emri 'llah (1225-1226).—H. C.]
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