THE VEILED MAN
Then the king's son sheathed his sword and plucked the Golden Flower, the balsam flower, the flower that sings like a nightingale. Immediately, he quickly returned to find the King of Fishes.
"Jump on my back. Let's go."
The king's son obeyed, and the King of Fish sped across the waters, as fast as lightning.
"Swineherd, jump down. Here you are back. Swineherd, you have done me a great service. I paid you. We are even. Farewell. You will never, ever see me again."
And the King of Fishes plunged into the great sea.
Then the king's son covered his face with the black veil and set out for his father's castle. First of all, he ran to the ground, drew his sword, searched the ground, and planted the Golden Flower, the balsam flower, the flower that sings like a nightingale. This done, he went to find the queen.
“Hello, mother. The Black Death is driven out. In the king's flower bed, I planted the Golden Flower, the balsam flower, the flower that sings like a nightingale. Mother, take me to my father's room."
"Come."
In the room, a hundred candles were burning. Nine priests sang at the foot of the bed, nine priests, in white and black ornaments.
The king was dead.
Then the king's son knelt down and prayed to God.
The nine priests gone, he turned to his mother.
“Come out, my mother, my poor mother. Until the time of the funeral, I want to keep my father's body alone. My mother, my poor mother, send me a beautiful linen shroud to bury him. Send me a golden needle and a skein of silk, to sew the beautiful linen shroud. Have everything ready, at the appointed time, the coffin, the porters, the priests, and the candles. Come out, my mother, my poor mother."
Once again the queen looked at her dead husband and went out.
The king's son kept his word. Until the time of the burial, he kept his father's body alone. With the golden needle and the skein of silk, he sewed it into the beautiful linen shroud. This done, he threw holy water, knelt down, and prayed to God.
The next day, the bells tolled the death knell. Nine priests were singing on the way to the cemetery. At the head of the mourners walked, sword at his belt, a poor man veiled in black.
After the prayers were sung, the poor man tore off his black veil and threw it into the pit.
“People, I am the king. People, the Black Death is driven out. I brought back the Golden Flower, the balsam flower, the flower that sings like a nightingale. But my poor father died, without forgiving me. Young people, take example."
The king returned to his castle, to command according to law and justice. For three years he mourned the poor dead man. This done, he married a princess as beautiful as day, and pious as a saint. For a long, long time, they lived with their children. However, the king had finished being happy, because his father had died without forgiving him.
Cric, Cric,
My tale is done.
Cric, Crac,
My tale is finished.
Part 1 - Part 2 - Part 3 - Part 4 - Part 5 - Part 6
Next Tale: Golden Feet