The Book of Ser Marco Polo : vol.1 / Page 487 (Color Image)

0487	The Book of Ser Marco Polo : vol.1

CHAP. XXXIV. THE GREAT CITY OF SAMARCAN

185

Christians rejoiced greatly at this, and they built a great

church in the city, in honour of John the Baptist ; and

by his name the church was called. And they took a

very fine stone which belonged to the Saracens, and

placed it as the pedestal of a column in the middle of

the church, supporting the roof. It came to pass, how-

ever, that Sigatay died. Now the Saracens were full

of rancour about that stone that had been theirs, and

which had been set up in the church of the Christians ;

and when they saw that the Prince was dead, they said

one to another that now was the time to get back their

stone, by fair means or by foul. And that they might

well do, for they were ten times as many as the

Christians. So they gat together and went to the

church and said that the stone they must and would

have. The Christians acknowledged that it was theirs

indeed, but offered to pay a large sum of money and so

be quit. Howbeit, the others replied that they never

would give up the stone for anything in the world.

And words ran so high that the Prince heard thereof,

and ordered the Christians either to arrange to satisfy

the Saracens, if it might be, with money, or to give up

the stone. And he allowed them three days to do either

the one thing or the other.

What shall I tell you ? Well, the Saracens would on

no account agree to leave the stone where it was, and

this out of pure despite to the Christians, for they knew

well enough that if the stone were stirred the church

would come down by the run. So the Christians were

in great trouble and wist not what to do. But they did

do the best thing possible ; they besought Jesus Christ

that he would consider their case, so that the holy

church should not come to destruction, nor the name

of its Patron Saint, John the Baptist, be tarnished by

its ruin. And so when the day fixed by the Prince

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