“How, sir! didst thou not tell me that thou knewest whom to invite to my banquet?”
And Guido said: “Of a surety, my lord.”
“Did not I bid thee invite my friends? and how, then, hast thou summoned all mine enemies?”
And Guido said: “May thy servant speak?”
So the emperor said: “Speak on.”
And the servant said: “My lord, there is no season or time that thy friends may not visit thee, and be received with pleasure and honor; but it is not so with thine enemies. Then I said to myself: ‘Conciliation and kindness would go far to convert enemies into friends.’”
Now it turned out as Guido hoped; for ere the feast was ended, the king and his enemies were reconciled to each other, and became friends even unto the end of their days. So the emperor called Guido, and said: “With God’s blessing, thy design has prospered. Come, now, make for my reconciled enemies and me a fire that shall burn without smoke.”
And Guido answered: “It shall be done as thou hast required, O king.”
So he sent and gathered much green wood, and dried it in the sun until it was quite dry, and therewith made a fire that did cast out much heat, and yet did not smoke. So that the emperor and his friends rejoiced greatly therein. And so it was when the emperor saw how well Guido had performed his five ministries, he bade him execute his sixth service—that he might attain to great honor in his kingdom.
“My lord,” said Guido, “he that would know the way to the Holy Land must follow me to the sea-shore.”