Fifth Tale Of a Prince of Jewels
Fifth Tale
Of a Prince of Jewels
O nce there was a king and the king had no children. He went and consulted with doctors to ensure that his kingdom would not pass into the hands of others. However, no physician could help him.
So he decreed that all of the Jews should pray for him to have an heir.
The Jews sought a tzaddik who could pray most effectually for the king to have children.
They searched and searched until they found a hidden tzaddik, and they asked him to pray for the king to have a child.
The tzaddik replied that he was ignorant of such things.
The king was informed about this supposedly ignorant hidden tzaddik and he issued a summons.
The tzaddik was brought before the king, and the king said to him kindly, You must know that the Jews here are under my authority and I can do with them what I will. So I kindly ask you to pray that I might have children.
The tzaddik promised that in one year’s time the king would, indeed, have a child. Then he went home.
The queen gave birth to a daughter, and the princess showed signs of greatness.
By the time she was four years old, she had accrued tremendous wisdom and spoke every language and could 50 play musical instruments.
Kings came from every land to see her, and this filled her father, the king, with great joy.
But the king still very much wanted to have a son so that the kingdom would not pass into others’ hands.
So he again decreed that the Jews should pray that he might have a son.
They, in turn, searched for the earlier tzaddik but they could not find him, for he had already died.
So they kept looking until they discovered another hidden tzaddik.
They told him that he needed to give the king a son.
The tzaddik replied that he was ignorant of such things.
The king was again informed and he told this tzaddik what he had told the previous one about the Jews being under his authority and the like.
The wise tzaddik said, But will you be able to do as I instruct?
The king replied, Yes.
The tzaddik told him, I need you to bring me all kinds of jewels, each with its own unique quality (for kings maintain an inventory in which all kinds of precious stones are recorded).
The king replied, I would give away half of my kingdom if only I could have a son.
He went and gathered a variety of jewels, which the tzaddik took.
He ground them down and poured the pulverized precious stones into a goblet filled with wine.
He gave half the goblet of wine to the king to drink and the other half to the queen.
Then he assured them that they would have a son who would be made of jewels and he would have the unique qualities of each of the gems. Then he went home.
The queen gave birth to a son and the king was filled with joy.
The son, however, was not made of precious jewels.
But by the 51 time he was four years old, he was showing signs of greatness—more gifted than all other sages, and he could speak in all the languages of the world.
Kings came from far and wide to see him.
The princess saw that she was no longer as important and she grew jealous of her brother. Her only consolation was that the tzaddik’s promise that the child would be made entirely of jewels was false. At least, that did not seem to be the case.
Once the prince was chopping wood and he cut his finger.
The princess ran over to bandage him and there, in the wound, she saw a jewel.
She was so overcome with jealousy that she became sick.
Several physicians came to attend her, but they could find no cure.
So sorcerers were summoned, and among them was a sorcerer in whom she confided the truth of how she had become ill on account of her brother.
She asked the sorcerer if it were possible that there was some sort of magic that might turn a person into a leper.
The sorcerer replied, Yes.
So she asked the sorcerer, But could not another sorcerer be found who could undo that sorcery and heal him?
The sorcerer told her, If the magic charm is thrown into water, it can never be undone.
All this she contrived and cast the charm into water. And the prince became terribly afflicted with leprosy, with lesions on his nose and face and all over his body. The king went and consulted with doctors and sorcerers. But none could help him.
So the king decreed that the Jews should pray for him.
The Jews went in search of the tzaddik who had promised the king a son.
He was found and, as he was being brought to the king, 52 the tzaddik prayed constantly to Blessed God, for he had assured the king that his son would be made of jewels and this had not been fulfilled.
He argued with the Almighty, Did I make such a promise for my own glory?
I did this for Your glory alone. And yet, it did not come to pass as promised.
The tzaddik came to the king and he prayed that the prince’s leprosy be healed.
But to no avail. Then he realized that there was sorcery at work.
But this tzaddik was greater than any sorcerer.
The tzaddik went and informed the king about the sorcery and the magic charm, which had been cast into water.
The prince could not be healed unless the source of the charm were likewise thrown into water.
The king said, I shall give you all the sorcerers in the world to throw into the water so long as my son is cured.
The princess took fright and ran to the water to retrieve the charm. But she did not know where it lay and fell into the depths.
There was a terrible outcry when the princess sank into the water. But the tzaddik came and announced that now the prince would be healed.
And healed he was. All his sores dried up and fell off. Then the skin sloughed off his whole body and, indeed, all could see that he was made entirely of jewels and had the unique qualities of each precious stone, just as the tzaddik had promised.