Then was the emperor right glad of her safety, and coming, had great compassion on her, saying, "Ah, good maiden, for the love of my son thou hast suffered much woe; nevertheless, if thou be worthy to be his wife, soon shall I prove." And when he had thus said, he caused three vessels to be brought forth. The first was made of pure gold, well beset with precious stones without, and within full of dead men's bones, and thereupon was engraven this posie: "Whoso chooseth me, shall find that he deserveth." The second vessel was made of fine silver, filled with earth and worms, the superscription was thus: "Whoso chooseth me, shall find that his nature desireth." The third vessel was made of lead, full within of precious stones, and thereupon was insculpt this posie: "Whoso chooseth me, shall find that God hath disposed for him." These three vessels the emperor showed the maiden, and said: "Lo, here daughter, these be rich vessels. If thou choose one of these, wherein is profit to thee and to others, then shalt thou have my son. And if thou choose that wherein is no profit to thee, nor to any other, soothly thou shalt not marry him."
When the maiden heard this, she lift up her hands to God, and said, "Thou Lord, that knowest all things, grant me grace this hour so to choose, that I may receive the emperor's son." And with that she beheld the first vessel of gold, which was engraven royally, and read the superscription, "Whoso chooseth me, shall find that he deserveth;" saying thus, "Though this vessel be full precious, and made of pure gold, nevertheless I know not what is within, therefore, my dear lord, this vessel will I not choose."
And then she beheld the second vessel, that was of pure silver, and read the superscription, "Whoso chooseth me, shall find that his nature desireth." Thinking thus within herself, "If I choose this vessel, what is within I know not, but well I know, there shall I find that nature desireth, and my nature desireth the lust of the flesh, and therefore this vessel will I not choose."
When she had seen these two vessels, and had given an answer as touching them, she beheld the third vessel of lead, and read the superscription, "Whoso chooseth me, shall find that God hath disposed." Thinking within herself, "This vessel is not very rich, nor outwardly precious, yet the superscription saith, 'Whoso chooseth me, shall find that God hath disposed;' and without doubt God never disposeth any harm, therefore, by the leave of God, this vessel will I choose."
When the emperor heard this, he said, "O fair maiden, open thy vessel, for it is full of precious stones, and see if thou hast well chosen or no." And when this young lady had opened it, she found it full of fine gold and precious stones, as the emperor had told her before. Then said the emperor, "Daughter, because thou hast well chosen, thou shalt marry my son." And then he appointed the wedding-day; and they were married with great solemnity, and with much honour continued to their lives' end.
V.—THE THREE CAKES.
A certain carpenter, in a city near the sea, very covetous, and very wicked, collected a large sum of money, and placed it in the trunk of a tree, which he set by his fire-side, and never lost sight of. A place like this, he thought, no one could suspect: but it happened, that while all his household slept, the sea overflowed its boundaries, broke down that side of the building where the log was placed, and carried it away. It floated many miles, and reached, at length, a city in which there lived a person who kept open house. Arising early in the morning, he perceived the trunk of a tree in the water, and thinking it would be of use to him, he brought it home. He was a liberal, kind-hearted man; and a great benefactor to the poor. It one day chanced that he entertained some pilgrims in his house; and the weather being extremely cold, he cut up the log for firewood. When he had struck two or three blows with the axe, he heard a rattling sound; and cleaving it in twain, the gold pieces rolled out and about. Greatly rejoiced at the discovery, he put them by in a safe place, until he should ascertain who was the owner.
Now the carpenter, bitterly lamenting the loss of his money, travelled from place to place in pursuit of it. He came, by accident, to the house of the hospitable man who had found the trunk. He failed not to mention the object of his search; and the host, understanding that the money was his, reflected whether his title to it were good. "I will prove," said he to himself, "if God will that the money should be returned to him."
Accordingly, he made three cakes, the first of which he filled with earth; the second with the bones of dead men; and in the third he put a quantity of the gold which he had discovered in the trunk.
"Friend," said he, addressing the carpenter, "we will eat three cakes made of the best meat in my house. Choose which you will have."