The Book of Ser Marco Polo : vol.2 / Page 286 (Color Image)

0286	The Book of Ser Marco Polo : vol.2

236

MARCO POLO Booi II.

very cheap, insomuch that for a Venice groat you can

buy three dishes so fine that you could not imagine

better.'

I should tell you that in this city (i.e. of Zayton)

they have a peculiar language. [For you must know

that throughout all Manzi they employ one speech and

one kind of writing only, but yet there are local

differences of dialect, as you might say of Genoese,

Milanese, Florentines, and Neapolitans, who though

they speak different dialects can understand one

another.]

And I assure you that the Great Kaan has as large

customs and revenues from this kingdom of Chonka as

from Kinsay, aye and more too.'

We have now spoken of but three out of the nine

kingdoms of Manzi, to wit Yanju and Kinsay and Fuju.

We could tell you about the other six, but it would

be too long a business ; so we will say no more about

them.

And now you have heard all the truth about Cathay

and Manzi and many other countries, as has been set

down in this Book ; the customs of the people and the

various objects of commerce, the beasts and birds, the

gold and silver and precious stones, and many other

matters have been rehearsed to you. But our Book as

yet does not contain nearly all that we purpose to put

therein. For we have still to tell you all about the people

of India and the notable things of that country, which

are well worth the describing, for they are marvellous

indeed. What we shall tell is all true, and without any

lies. And we shall set down all the particulars in

writing just as Messer Marco Polo related them. And

he well knew the facts, for he remained so long in India,

and enquired so diligently into the manners and peculi-

arities of the nations, that I can assure you there never

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