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168 and said: "O Tzar's Majesty, the prisoner, thy son-in-law, who should have been dead long ago, is surely a magician. For from the column of stone in which he is prisoned there comes the noise of feasting and merriment and the sound of music, and a great concourse of people is gathered in the open square to listen."

The Tzar sent a herald to order them to disperse, but they could not move because of the music, which held even the herald spellbound. He sent, then, a troop of soldiers, but they also were compelled to stay and listen. Finally the Tzar himself, with his attendants, left the Palace and went to the stone column. But hearing the cunning music, he, too, found it impossible to leave the spot, so that he and his Court, his soldiers and wellnigh all the people of his capital, were forced to stand there till they were ready to faint from weariness.

At last, when night had come, the Tzar called to Martin, saying: "O my son-in-law, let thy music cease! Tell me the meaning of these strange things, and thou shalt be forgiven!"

Martin caused the musicians to cease playing and called to the Tzar. "O Tzar's Majesty!" he said, "go to thy Palace and sleep. The morning will be wiser than the evening." So the troops dispersed