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0420 The Book of Ser Marco Polo : vol.2
マルコ=ポーロ卿の記録 : vol.2
The Book of Ser Marco Polo : vol.2 / 420 ページ(カラー画像)

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doi: 10.20676/00000269
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41,

364

BooK III.

MARCO POLO

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They have a rich and powerful King who is eager to

purchase precious stones and large pearls ; and he sends

these Abraiaman merchants into the kingdom of Maabar

called Sou, which is the best and noblest Province of

India, and where the best pearls are found, to fetch him

as many of these as they can get, and he pays them double

the cost price for all. So in this way he has a vast

treasure of such valuables.'

These Abraiaman are Idolaters ; and they pay greater

heed to signs and omens than any people that exists. I

will mention as an example one of their customs. To

every day of the week they assign an augury of this sort.

Suppose that there is some purchase in hand, he who

proposes to buy, when he gets up in the morning takes

note of his own shadow in the sun, which he says ought

to be on that day of such and such a length ; and if his

shadow be of the proper length for the day he completes

his purchase ; if not, he will on no account do so, but

waits till his shadow corresponds with that prescribed.

For there is a length established for the shadow for every

individual day of the week ; and the merchant will com-

plete no business unless he finds his shadow of the length

set down for that particular day. [Also to each day in

the week they assign one unlucky hour, which they term

Croiach. For example, on Monday the hour of Half-

tierce, on Tuesday that of Tierce, on Wednesday Nones,

and so on.3]

Again, if one of them is in the house, and is meditating

a purchase, should he see a tarantula (such as are very

common in that country) on the wall, provided it advances

from a quarter that he deems lucky, he will complete his

purchase at once ; but if it comes from a quarter that he

considers unlucky he will not do so on any inducement.

Moreover, if in going out, he hears any one sneeze, if it

seems to him a good omen he will go on, but if the reverse

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