Craftsmanship is More Precious than Gold

Once upon a time, there lived a wealthy king. He often secretly dressed in the clothes of a beggar, away from his viziers and advisors, and wandered through cities and villages to hear what the people were saying about him.

One day, in a village, the king met a girl so beautiful that anyone who saw her would say, "I could neither eat nor drink, just look at her."

The king returned to his palace and said to his viziers and advisors:

"In such-and-such a village lives a beautiful girl. Go to her and tell her that the king wishes to marry her."

The viziers and advisors went to the village, found the girl's house, and were also struck by her beauty. They told her father and mother that the king was enchanted by their daughter and wished to marry her.

The girl's father was a poor peasant. He couldn't believe that the king had bestowed such honor upon his daughter. But the king's men convinced him, and then he said:

"We are the king's servants; whatever he commands, so it shall be." And turning to his daughter, he said: "My daughter, the king has sent his viziers to propose to you. What shall we tell them?"

The girl asked:

"What is the king's craft?"
"What are you saying, my daughter? Have you lost your mind? What craft could a king have? He rules the world; whatever he desires, he can do, and we are all his servants."
"No, my husband must have some craft, or else I will not marry him."

The viziers went back and conveyed the girl's answer to the king. The king was surprised, but there was nothing he could do. For the sake of the girl, he decided to learn a craft.

He chose the easiest craft—weaving carpets. After mastering the craft, the king wove a beautiful carpet for his bride.

She bid farewell to her father and mother and, accompanied by the viziers and advisors, set off for the royal palace. The king celebrated the wedding for seven days and seven nights. They married and lived in honor and glory.

A year or two passed, and once again, the king, dressed as a beggar, began to wander through his cities and villages, determined to hear what the people were saying about him.

Once, during one of these wanderings, the king fell into the hands of robbers who, upon learning of his craft, did not kill him but sold him to a wealthy merchant.

The merchant locked the king in a dark little room, gave him wool to card and weave into a carpet. The king wove a carpet so beautiful that there was nothing like it in the whole world.

Seeing the carpet, the merchant's wife said to her husband:

"Let him weave a large carpet. You will take it as a gift to the king, and perhaps he will not remain in debt."

The merchant went to the weaver's room and said to him:

"I want to make a gift to the king. Weave a carpet, but make sure there is nothing like it in the whole world. And it must be the exact size of the royal hall, not a hair larger or smaller. You will lose your head if you fail to meet my conditions."

Hearing this, the king was delighted, for he knew the exact dimensions of his hall. He wove a carpet as the master demanded. And in one corner of the carpet, he wove letters (so that only the queen could read them) saying that he had fallen into trouble and was asking to be freed.

The merchant was pleased with the work and took the carpet to the royal palace.

The viziers and advisors informed the queen of the gift. The queen spread out the carpet, saw that it was not a hair larger or smaller than the room, and was greatly surprised. She examined the entire carpet and in one corner saw the letters. Reading the inscription and learning what had happened to her husband, the queen turned pale. The king had wandered the country for weeks, months, and years before, but it had never occurred to him that such a fate could befall him. The queen immediately ordered that the weaver of the carpet be brought to the palace unharmed.

The viziers and advisors went with the merchant to his home, entered the dark little room, but the king had changed so much that they did not recognize him. The weaver was taken to the bathhouse, bathed, dressed in new clothes, and brought to the royal palace. The merchant instructed him on how to behave in the palace, how to stand and bow.

When the king entered the chamber, the queen immediately rushed to him. They embraced and kissed.

"It is true, my wife," said the king, "that a craft is more valuable than gold."

More fairy tales

• The Tale of Murza, the Invisible Worker
• The Wedding of the Forest Spirits
• Reason and Heart
• The Power of Habit
• The Thief and the Poor Man