The Prince and the Pauper

Long, long ago there lived a Princess. She was beautiful; her eyes were shining with warmth and tenderness, golden hair cascaded on her shoulders. Many rich and noble bachelors ask the Princess in marriage, they presented her with impressive gifts, wrote poems in her honor, and conducted tournaments. She greeted them all the same affably, but she could not give anyone preference.

Once among others a young Prince from the distant country appeared before the Princess. His travelling clothes were modest, but elegant and an ancient fingering with the yellow diamond betrayed an offspring of the ancient and noble kin. He was not accompanied by the suite; he did not bring luxury gifts, did not poems, and did not sing hymns. Like a speechless statue, the Prince stood looking at the Princess with his deep blue eyes. Princess’s heart trembled, scorched by steady fire of those eyes.

Hello, Prince, - she slightly bent her head. – You have not brought gifts, you have not participated in tournaments and here you have not uttered a word. How do you wish to prove your love to me?

Princess! – In complete silence the Prince’s low voice crumbled through the large chamber- Love does not need any presents as it is the greatest gift itself, what are earthly blessings in comparison with its heavenly fire? Love does not need any proofs, as it is the great mystery, who will dare prove inconceivable? Love does not need words – what could be said about ineffable? We can not take possession of it – we can just touch it to keep the invisible fire, lighted by this touching, in our hearts during many lives. Princess! Today I don’t ask you anything as I am happy. Life presented me with an opportunity to see you, to talk to you. And, if Love has touched your heart today – my goal is achieved and I don’t need any other awards. It means that – the Great and Divine, what has condescended to us now, will lead us in the future. Goodbye, Princess, I will always be grateful to you for the greatest happiness that a mere mortal can feel!

With those words the Prince bowed and silently came out of the chamber.

The Princess did not receive any more visitors that day. She would not receive anyone the next day, and at all other days that followed. Young men waited for a long time and at last left.

…In the small hut, lost in the suburbs among dozens of such plain houses, a Young man lived. An orphan, who had lost his parents in early childhood, he wandered around the world in search of his fate, sleeping under the open sky, eating whatever was at hand, till a lonely potter provided him with a roof and a piece of bread, taking pity on the Young man. In gratitude the Young man started helping the old man and soon he dealt with clay and a potter’s wheel not bad. Though the master used to grumble at his pupil, deep in his heart he loved the Young man for his sympathetic temper and kind heart.

Once the Young man asked his teacher to let him go to the city. Like in the dream, the Young man plunged into the ringing, crying and laughing fuss of the big city. Thousands of sounds fell on him; thousands of smells turned his head. In one of the central streets the Young man leaned against the cold stone wall and closed his eyes, trying to escape from the swarm of numerous streets, flying around him. Suddenly he felt that something changed around him. Noise of city fuss quieted, only a muezzin cried mournfully somewhere nearby and clatter of hooves was heard in the neighborhood. The Young man opened his eyes.

Along the street, on the noble Turcoman horse, accompanied by the detachment of horsemen, a fair lady was going. He had never seen such beauty before. Among dust and stuffiness of the streets there came a breath of the clean mountain air. The Princess cast a cursory glance at the Young man’s face and at that sharp moment he seemed to feel a lightning striking him inside. He was amazed by the depth of the sorrow hidden in springs of the clear blue eyes. Those springs attracted him; they kept the coolness of the spring morning, when fading stars would still shine, reflecting in the smooth mirror-like surface of water.

The Young man did not remember how he came home. And the old potter, seeing his condition, would not ask any questions. And the Young man kept silent, looking into nowhere, as if trying with the help of his gaze to overcome walls and distances, separating them.

…The Princess, meanwhile, lay in her bedroom and could not get asleep. She kept thinking about that strange Prince, who had flashed before her like a bright fire and vanished in obscurity. At last the Princess made up her mind.

Find him for me! – She ordered her servants. – I want him to speak with me about love. I want to find out what love is!

Though – no matter how hard her servants tried, nobody could recollect the kingdom of the disappeared Prince. Nobody knew where he had come from and nobody saw where he would go to.

Inform people, - the Princess said, - that anyone who helps find him will get generous award.

Although nobody in the city could help her. Fortune-tellers, wizards, sorcerers were invited in vain – a trace of the mysterious Prince vanished in the windings of the Eternity. The Princess locked herself up in the palace, refusing to receive anyone.

…When the Young man found out the Princess’ will – he did not hesitate a bit. He bowed from the waist to the old master:

My hour has struck, father. There is no sleeping, nor rest for me since I’ve seen her in the street. Though she does not remember me, though she might not have noticed me that day– it has been the happiest day in my life, - and today I can serve her, and I promise, I’ll do everything to comfort her.

It grieves me to let you go, my heart has taken a strong liking to you. – The old man answered. – But one is free to do as one likes. However, have you weighed everything well? Is your love strong enough to relinquish the Princess for the sake of her happiness?

Odd things you say, father. I can not hope to win her favor, can I? How do I know how strong my love is, if I’ve never seen love and don’t know its strength? The only thing I am sure – the Princess will pine, like a sprout without water, if no one helps her. So, goodbye, and – remember me kindly!

The poor Young man knocked about the world for a long time. White locks turned grey in his black hair, his torn clothes got ragged. Once he found a shelter for the night in the solitary monastery, lost in the thick of the northern forest. Monks greeted the poor wanderer well.

Try, brother! – A meek young novice put bread, cheese and a jug of milk before the Young man.

While the Young man was eating, the monk was looking at him silently, and then he asked:

Who are you, stranger? Where are you from? What is the direction of your way?

I am just a poor wanderer. My motherland is far away, behind the southern mountains. For many years I’ve been going around the world in search of the wise Prince, whose speech has awoken the heart of our Princess.

Wait! Wait a little… - The monk got absorbed into his thoughts. – There is one strange brother, living with us. People say, he belongs to the royal kin. Long ago he came here in divine providence. He did not make a vow; however he labors equally with us, and lives in severity. He is a fair man, his soul turns to God, but he has not found rest in the walls of the cloister. He keeps silent, but when you look into his eyes – it makes you shiver with cold, such sorrow is trickling from them. Meet him tomorrow after the matins – who knows, may be you will be able to get him talking. And now – have a rest!

The door of the small cell closed slowly, and the Young man’s heart was thrilled like a spring lark: “Can it be that I’ve found him?”

At night he had a strange dream. He was sitting in the light monastery chamber, in the beautiful white clothes decorated with luxurious embroidery; there was the Prince in the torn monastic clothes facing him.

“So, - The Young man asked, - Have you found the divine grace in this holy place?”

“It’s difficult for me to answer you, wanderer. Once I came here to cognize the light of the Divine Thought among fair people; it’s the Thought that marked the beginning of everything and that will be together with us to the end of the world. All my possessions I’ve donated to the monastery; each day, by words and actions, I showed the strength of my aspiration, but – there is no rest for my soul. I’ve quieted my body by fast and pray, and all my thoughts are in mountain heights, but my heart is beating like a resounding bell and calling somewhere…”

“Well, - the Wanderer looked at the Prince and smiled kindly and tenderly. – So, you prove. But the God does not need any proofs. The Divine Thought – is the great mystery itself, and what words can be said about ineffable? We can just touch it to keep during many lives…”

“…keep the invisible fire, lighted by this touching” – The Prince exclaimed amazingly. It seemed that inside of him there was a fire, quivering under the light whiff of memories.

“Have you forgotten about her?” – There was hidden sadness in the Wanderer’s question.

“It’s impossible to forget about her, teacher. The Princess is always with me – wherever I am and whatever I do.”

“She is with you… - The Wanderer said thoughtfully. – And what about you? Are you with her?”

It seemed a lightning stroke the Prince – such a sharp change came over in him. The weight of many years of solitude, the pain of parting with the beloved one, the bitterness of long vain searches, the joy of inspiration and hope, even – the confidence of happy outcome got whirling in his heart and spilled out in his wide-open eyes. The Prince became pale, knelt and bowed down before the Wanderer. They kept silent for some time.

“How many years! My God, how many years I’ve been sitting here in soul-searching, and she… She has been waiting for me! So, that was her voice ringing inside me and calling me, not letting me sleep as it did not get response! How tragically I was mistaken, and what sufferings my delusions brought to the Princess! Love is fruitless without uniting of loving hearts, and the highest universal sources give birth to the worlds, uniting in the greatest creation of the single Love, Divine! Excuse me, teacher, I can not wait any more. She is calling me!”

Swallowing the scrap of the phrase on the go, the Prince rushed out of the chamber. The Wanderer, smiling, followed him with his eyes.

“Run, my boy, run, - He thought. – You’ve lost so much time. Though you are no longer young, you have a lot ahead. Now and I am really happy. The Princess! My promise is fulfilled. You’ll never know about me, but I have served you – and that is enough. Not so often people are able to save their love and protect it like a delicate sprout, not realizing it. Be happy and you, Prince! You’ve understood right the essence of the divine basis that you have been searching so long. The World was created in love, and love will be here till its last days. I don’t have anywhere to go now. Live in happiness and be what each of you wanted to find in the other one. Goodbye! ”

…The Wanderer awoke from the tender touching. The yesterday young monk, a little confused and puzzled, stood above him.

“My brother! – His voice quavered from agitation. – The Prince, I’ve talked about, suddenly packed up at night and left the cloister in haste. His face was cheerful, and there was no sadness in his eyes anymore. He talked about you! He asked to express his gratitude and give you this.”

The monk held out the ancient fingering with the yellow diamond.

The Wanderer smiled.

“Don’t worry about him. He has not lost his mind, he has acquired it. Once I will tell you a nice fairytale about two loving hearts, about their difficult way and the greatest love, they kept themselves for. Let’s go, my brother, I’ll stay with you and I’ll help you in your labor and your prayer.”

The Wanderer got up, and reflections of sunbeams flashed in his eyes, crumbling and spilling, like a grateful response from the royal palace behind the remote southern mountains.