Page:Peregrinaggio di tre giovani figliuoli del re di Serendippo.djvu/14

 THE PEREGRINATION OF THREE YOUNG SONS OF THE KING OF SERENDIP.

PROLOGUE

N ancient times in the land of Serendip in the Far East, there was a great and powerful king named Giaffer, who had three sons and knowing that he had to leave them mighty lords, and as a wise and loving father, he decided to endow them with all the qualities that princes require.

He therefore searched diligently in his entire state to find several men who specialized in various sciences and assigned to each one a spacious room, suitable to his position to which no one else had access. He committed to them the care and discipline of his sons, assuring them that the best thing they could do for him was to educate them so that they could be considered his worthy sons.

Having been given the task of disciplining the young men, the tutors exerted themselves, each in his own field, to satisfy the command of their Lord, so that in a short time, the sons, who were highly intelligent, became wise and knowledgeable in the sciences, and in all those things, required of princes, surpassing anyone of their age and condition.