Note 9 — Chapter IV · The Grateful Dead and The Poison Maiden.

In Servian I. a merchant’s son, while on a journey, ransoms a company of slaves whom he finds in the hands of freebooters. Among them is a beautiful maiden with her nurse. He marries the lady, who proves to be the daughter of an emperor. On a second voyage he ransoms two peasants, who have been imprisoned for not paying their taxes to the emperor. On his third journey he comes to his father-in-law’s court, and is sent back for his wife. He is, however, cast into the sea by a former lover of the princess, and succeeds in getting ashore on a lonely island, where he remains for fifteen days and fifteen nights.9 Then an angel in the disguise of an old man appears to him, and, on condition of receiving half of his possessions, brings him to court, where he is reunited with his wife. After renouncing his claim, the old man explains who he is, and disappears.