These words were scarcely uttered when he became so handsome and intelligent that everybody wondered. After this, Emelian sent one of his servants to the king, to invite him and all his ministers to the palace. The messenger of Emelian rode to the king over that same crystal bridge which the fool had built. On his arrival at court the ministers presented him to the king, whom the messenger addressed in this manner:
“Gracious sir, I am sent by my master with his humble compliments to invite you to dinner.”
“Who is thy master?” demanded the king.
“I cannot tell you, gracious sir, anything of my master” (for the fool had forbidden him to say who he was); “but after you have dined together he will give you a full account of himself.”
The king, filled with curiosity to know who it could be that invited him to dinner, told the messenger that he would come without fail; and the messenger forthwith returned. Scarcely had he arrived when the king, with all his ministers, came riding over the bridge to dine with the fool. On the arrival of the king at the palace Emelian went out to meet him, took him by the hand white as snow, kissed him on the mouth sweet as sugar, and leading him into his palace of white marble, set him down to the oaken table to the feast of sweet things and mead; and the king and his ministers, sitting at the table, drank, ate, and were merry. Now
when they got up from table, and sat in their places, the fool said to the king:
“Gracious sir; do you know me, and who I am?”
But as Emelian was then in a splendid dress, and moreover as his face was very handsome, it was impossible to recognise him. Therefore the king said that he did not know him. But the fool said to him:
“Gracious sir, do you not remember how a certain fool came driving to your court on a petsch, and how you shut him up with your daughter in a barrel, which you covered over with pitch, and cast out upon the sea? Know now that I am that very same Emelian.”