Pagina 218 di 1116

The King marvelled and asked him, "What maketh thee weep, O young

man?" and he answered, "How should I not weep, when this is my

case!" Thereupon he put out his hand and raised the skirt of his

garment, when lo! the lower half of him appeared stone down to

his feet while from his navel to the hair of his head he was man.

The King, seeing this his plight, grieved with sore grief and of

his compassion cried, "Alack and well away! in very sooth, O

youth, thou heapest sorrow upon my sorrow. I was minded to ask

thee the mystery of the fishes only: whereas now I am concerned

to learn thy story as well as theirs.