Ten Days Talk - World Literature Classics Collection (Complete Translation)

Author: Giovanni Boccaccio (Italy) / Country: Mainland China
Publisher:
Publish Date: 2006-06-01
Features: The Third Story of the Decameron. The Jew Meekimashder uses a story of three rings to escape the trap set by Saladin to frame him. Nefer's story wins unanimous praise, and after she finishes, Philomena, at the queen's command, tells the next story: Nefer's story reminds me of another Jew's dangerous encounter. We have already spoken enough about God and the truths of the Catholic faith we believe in. Now, let us turn back to the affairs of ordinary mortals in the world. Dear ladies, after you hear the story I am about to tell, you will be more cautious and prudent in your next response. As everyone knows, foolishness often leads people from the pinnacle of happiness to the depths of misery, while wisdom enables the clever to avoid danger and take refuge in safety. Originally happy people are often filled with sorrow all day long because of their foolishness, and such examples are countless, with thousands of them occurring every day. Now, I would like to tell a small story to prove that wisdom can help people escape difficulties. Saladin, relying on his talent, rose from an unknown nobody to become the Sultan of Babylon and successively defeated the kings of Islamic and Catholic countries. However, years of warfare and extravagant living had exhausted the treasury. One day, he urgently needed a large sum of money and realized the gravity of the situation, unsure where to quickly raise it. At this moment, he remembered a wealthy Jew named Meekimashder who lent money at high interest in the area around Alexandria. Saladin thought that if he would help, the matter would be resolved. But this Jew was avaricious and unwilling to help others voluntarily. Saladin did not want to use force but urgently needed the money, so he devised a very cunning excuse to lure Meekimashder into the trap. He invited Meekimashder over, treated him warmly, and even seated him beside himself, then said, "Respected sir, I have heard many people praise your erudition, especially your knowledge of various religious doctrines. Therefore, if you do not mind, I would like to ask you: among Judaism, Islam, and Catholicism, which do you think is the authentic one?" The Jew was indeed clever. Upon hearing this, he realized that Saladin was setting him up to use legal means to punish him. Therefore, he decided not to praise any of them to prevent Saladin's plot from succeeding. He quickly thought of an answer that was both tactful and could avoid falling into the trap. He replied, "Your Majesty, the question you have raised is very good, but to know my opinion, I must first tell a small story. If I remember correctly, I have heard many times that there was once a very wealthy man who among his vast treasures, held a ring that was exceptionally beautiful and valuable. It was precisely because of the beauty and value of this ring that he decided to make it a family heirloom, passing it down from generation to generation so that it would never fall into the hands of outsiders. Therefore, he made a will stating that whoever received this ring would be the heir to the family, and others would have to respect him as the head of the family. Thus, from then on, every heir who received the ring made a will in this manner, instructing their children to follow it. In this way, the ring was passed down through several generations until it reached the hands of one heir. He had three sons, each of whom was talented and handsome, and very filial to their father, so each was equally loved by him. The three sons knew about the old tradition of the ring, understanding that it had always been a symbol of becoming the head of the family, and therefore they served their elderly father even more diligently, hoping that he would pass the ring to them in the future. This old man loved his three sons equally and did not know which one to leave the ring to. The sons asked him for it, and he agreed to all their requests. To make all his sons happy, he secretly called for a skilled craftsman and asked him to make two more rings identical to the original one. The rings were so similar that even the craftsman himself could hardly distinguish which one was the original. When the old man was about to die, he secretly gave each of his three sons a ring. After his father's death, the three brothers all demanded to inherit the family business as the head of the family, each presenting a ring as proof. But the three rings were so similar that it was impossible to tell which one was real. The question of who the true heir was remained unresolved. Therefore, I say, Your Majesty, the three faiths bestowed by God upon different peoples are just like these three rings. You ask me which religion is the authentic heir of God's true lineage, and each nation believes its own laws and rituals to be the authentic ones. This question is just like the three rings, leaving no room for a clear answer." Saladin realized that the Jew had cleverly avoided his trap and had to tell him the truth, explaining his urgent need for a large sum of money and asking if he could help. Saladin also frankly told him what he had planned to do to him if he had not answered so wisely. Meekimashder then generously lent him the money, and later, when the Sultan had the funds, he repaid it in full, gave him many extremely valuable gifts, and regarded him as a lifelong friend, treating him with the highest honors in court.